Polymer-mediated crystallisation of inorganic solids: Calcite nucleation on the surfaces of inorganic polymers

Nucleation of calcite from supersaturated calcium hydrogencarbonate solution has been achieved on the surfaces of poly(dimethylsiloxane) films formed by cross-linking in the presence of catalytic quantities of dibutyltindilaurate or zinc octanoate. Films containing high concentrations of the diorganotin catalyst produced, in addition to calcite, amorphous calcium silicate and calcium silanolate under similar conditions. Polar functional groups incorporated into the polysiloxane network served to promote calcite growth, but prolonged heating of all films at 90°C rendered them inactive.