Influence of deuterium effect on the morphology of calcium sulfate hemihydrate whiskers

Abstract

It was proposed that even ppm-level variations in deuterium content significantly impact the physical and chemical properties of water processes, a phenomenon known as the “deuterium effect.” To explore this effect on reactive crystallization morphology, calcium sulfate hemihydrate whiskers were synthesized via hydrothermal synthesis. Results show that as deuterium content decreases, the whiskers’ morphology improves, with smoother surfaces, reduced diameters, and increased lengths. Controlling reaction conditions can obtain whiskers with nanowire morphology. Solubility measurements of calcium sulfate, calcium chloride and magnesium sulfate in water with varying deuterium content reveal that the trend of decreasing deuterium content was similar to the effect of increasing temperature on solubility, suggesting that lower deuterium content enhances water activity, which in turn affects the morphology of crystallization in aqueous solutions. The results preliminarily confirmed the existence of deuterium effect and laid a foundation for its further application.