Calcium carbonate (CAS: 471-34-1) is an extremely common and widely used inorganic compound. As the main component of limestone and marble, it is not only the cornerstone of the construction industry, but also plays a crucial role in numerous fields such as plastics, rubber, food, and medicine due to its filling and calcium-supplementing properties.

Introduction and Basic Attributes

• Basic information: The chemical formula of calcium carbonate is CaCO₃, and its molecular weight is 100.09.

• Appearance: White fine crystalline powder, odorless and tasteless.

• Physical and chemical properties: It is almost insoluble in water, but reacts with acids and releases carbon dioxide gas; at approximately 825℃, it decomposes into calcium oxide and carbon dioxide.

• Classification: Mainly divided into heavy calcium carbonate (obtained by mechanical crushing of natural minerals) and light calcium carbonate (produced by chemical precipitation method). Through modification treatment, special types such as active and nano types can also be obtained.

Core parameters

The purity and indicators required for calcium carbonate vary depending on the application. The following are typical parameter ranges:

Advantages and Characteristics

The reason why calcium carbonate is so widely used is due to its multiple advantages:

• High-performance fillers: They can enhance the dimensional stability, hardness and rigidity of plastic and rubber products, while also improving processing performance.

• Excellent lightness and covering power: As a white pigment, it provides excellent whiteness and coverage effect in coatings and inks.

• Chemical stability: As a chemically inert substance, it remains stable at normal temperatures and has a wide range of applications.

• Safe and non-toxic: Naturally derived, it is used as a safe calcium source additive in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

• High cost-effectiveness: Abundant reserves in the earth's crust, with low costs for extraction and processing, making it an ideal filling material.

Main Uses

• Industrial fillers (one of the main applications): As fillers and white pigments, they are widely used in the plastic, rubber, paper, coating and ink industries to improve performance and reduce costs.

• Food and healthcare: As food nutrient fortifiers (calcium sources) and anti-caking agents; also the main component of antacid drugs, used to relieve excessive stomach acid.

• Building materials: The core raw materials for manufacturing cement and lime, also used in the preparation of interior and exterior wall putty and waterproof materials.

• Agriculture and Environment: Used to improve acidic soil; employed in environmental protection processes such as sulfur dioxide removal from flue gas to neutralize acidic substances.

• Laboratory and Research: Used as analytical reagents; In biological experiments, it is added when grinding plant tissues to prevent the destruction of chlorophyll.