Lens-like vaterite CaCO3 microrings composed of CaCO3 nanoparticles were synthesized via a microemulsion-mediated route at room temperature with ethanol and n-hexanol as co-surfactant. This process did not demand any additional energy such as heating or continuous agitation. It was the first time to use ethanol as co-surfactant in the synthesis of micro or nanomaterials. And the ethanol was believed to play an important role in the aggregation fashion of CaCO3 nanoparticles. Moreover, shuttle-shaped nanorods, hexagonal nanoplates, and rice-like nanoparticles were also fabricated by modulating the growth parameters. Additionally, the introduce of ethanol into microemulsions as co-surfactant may be generalized as a novel green route to control the structure of other functional materials.
