The calcium binding capacity of polycarboxylates

It can be shown both theoretically and experimentally that calcium carbonate forms during the titration of polycarboxylates by calcium with carbonate as the indicator, and that the calcium carbonate is dispersed by the polycarboxylate. If the dispersing capacity of the polymer exceeds the level of calcium carbonate present, the precipitation of the calcium salt of the polymer is observed as the end point. If the quantity of carbonate is increased to a level greater than that of the dispersing capacity of the polymer, the precipitation of calcium carbonate is observed as the end point, and we term the result of this titration the “calcium carbonate dispersing capacity.”