Colloidal Calcium Hydroxide in Organic Medium: Synthesis and Analysis

A colloidal dispersion of calcium hydroxide in a hydrocarbonated medium was synthesized by the hydrolysis of calcium hydride in the presence of a surfactant under specific experimental conditions. The hydrolysis of calcium hydride is assumed to take place in a water in oil microemulsion. The resulting product can be defined as a distribution in hydrocarbon of inorganic particles made of crystallized calcium hydroxide surrounded by surfactant in a reverse type micelle association. Morphological characterization of the colloidal dispersion has been investigated using small angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. The inorganic particles appear as disks with diameters ranging from 120 to 300 A and a thickness of 30 A.