TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of water chemistry on calcium carbonate deposition on metal and polymer surfaces
AU - Wu, Zhen
AU - Davidson, Jane H.
AU - Francis, Lorraine F.
PY - 2010/3/1
Y1 - 2010/3/1
N2 - The formation of calcium carbonate on the surfaces of polypropylene and copper tubes was studied by exposing tubes to a laminar flow of room temperature distilled water, supersaturated with respect to calcite. Three water chemistries were used: a control (pH 9.3), one with lower supersaturation but similar pH as the control, and one with higher pH (pH 11) but similar supersaturation as the control. The accumulation of calcium carbonate with time was characterized along with the microstructure and the crystal structure of the deposits. On both tube materials, the amount of calcium carbonate deposited per unit surface area increased with time. At any given time, the accumulation was significantly less when the low supersaturation water was used. For all three water chemistries, more calcium carbonate formed on polyproplyene as compared with copper, with the greatest difference between the two noted for the higher pH water. The deposits consisted of discrete particles and particle clusters, the number and size of which increased with time. Calcite was the dominant polymorph for deposits on copper. On polyproplyene, the deposits were a mixture of calcite, vaterite and aragonite with aragonite dominating except at low supersaturation. A simple model for the mass accumulation of particulate-based deposits with time is presented and the factors responsible for the differences between materials are discussed.
AB - The formation of calcium carbonate on the surfaces of polypropylene and copper tubes was studied by exposing tubes to a laminar flow of room temperature distilled water, supersaturated with respect to calcite. Three water chemistries were used: a control (pH 9.3), one with lower supersaturation but similar pH as the control, and one with higher pH (pH 11) but similar supersaturation as the control. The accumulation of calcium carbonate with time was characterized along with the microstructure and the crystal structure of the deposits. On both tube materials, the amount of calcium carbonate deposited per unit surface area increased with time. At any given time, the accumulation was significantly less when the low supersaturation water was used. For all three water chemistries, more calcium carbonate formed on polyproplyene as compared with copper, with the greatest difference between the two noted for the higher pH water. The deposits consisted of discrete particles and particle clusters, the number and size of which increased with time. Calcite was the dominant polymorph for deposits on copper. On polyproplyene, the deposits were a mixture of calcite, vaterite and aragonite with aragonite dominating except at low supersaturation. A simple model for the mass accumulation of particulate-based deposits with time is presented and the factors responsible for the differences between materials are discussed.
KW - Calcium carbonate
KW - Induction time
KW - Nucleation
KW - Scale formation
KW - Supersaturation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=74449086406&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=74449086406&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcis.2009.11.031
DO - 10.1016/j.jcis.2009.11.031
M3 - Article
C2 - 20045523
AN - SCOPUS:74449086406
VL - 343
SP - 176
EP - 187
JO - Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
JF - Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
SN - 0021-9797
IS - 1
ER -