Synthetic calcite (CaCO3) particles are found in a broad range of applications. The geometry of particles produced from limestone or precipitation are versatile but limited to basic shapes. The microalga Emiliania huxleyi produces micro‐structured calcite platelets, called coccoliths. This article presents the results of an application‐orientated study, which includes characteristic values also used in the calcite industry for particle evaluation. It is demonstrated that coccoliths are significantly different from all industrial particles produced so far. Coccoliths are porous particles, mainly consisted of calcium carbonate, with further elements such as Mg, Si, Sr, and Fe often embedded in their structure. Their structure is extremely sophisticated, while the overall particle morphology and particle size distribution are homogeneous. This study gives a first inside into the potential of these exceptional objects and may set further impulses for their utilization in specific calcite particle applications.

中文翻译：

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来自微藻的生物方解石颗粒-作为潜在原材料

合成方解石 (CaCO3) 颗粒的应用范围很广。由石灰石或沉淀产生的颗粒的几何形状是通用的，但仅限于基本形状。微藻 Emiliania huxleyi 产生微结构的方解石片晶，称为球石。本文介绍了以应用为导向的研究结果，其中包括在方解石行业中用于颗粒评估的特征值。结果表明，球石与迄今为止生产的所有工业颗粒都有显着差异。球石是多孔颗粒，主要由碳酸钙组成，其他元素如 Mg、Si、Sr 和 Fe 经常嵌入其结构中。它们的结构极其复杂，而整体颗粒形态和粒度分布均一。