Calcium chloride as a biomimetic intermediate for the mineralization of carbonate ions of water as calcium carbonate in gelatinous matrices of chitosan and chitin

Abstract A novel biomimetic method is described for the mineralization of CO 3 2− ions of water as CaCO 3 in each gelatinous matrix of chitin and chitosan using CaCl 2 as a water-soluble CO 3 2− ions. Each gelatinous CaCl 2 -composite (40–87% CaCl 2 ) of chitin and chitosan was prepared by two methods: 1) the entrapping of CaCl 2 into each gelatinous granule of chitosan and chitin, and 2) the seaking of each gelatinous granule or square slice of chitosan and chitin in aqueous CaCl 2 solutions. The gelatinous composite was soaked in aqueous IM K 2 CO 3 solution at room temperature to give the corresponding white CaCO 3 -composite (17–30% CaCO 3 ). In these products, CO 3 2− ions were detected by FT-IR absorptions at 1425, 876 and 712 cm −1 .