Crystal growth of (E)-2-butenedioic acid from aqueous solution in batch-cooling crystallization

Abstract

The Nielsen method [A.E. Nielsen, Crystal Growth, Suppl. J. Phys. Chem. Solids (1967) 419] [1] is applied to the crystal growth mechanism of (E)-2-butenedioic acid (BDA)/water system. Particle sizes are calculated as a function of the supersaturation ratio for various growth mechanisms using solid/liquid interfacial tension of the BDA/water system [A.E. Nielsen and O. Söhnel, J. Crystal Growth 11 (1971) 233] [2] [I. Liszi and M. Hasznos-Nezdei, Hung. J. Ind. Chem., in press] [3]. In this way a set of curves (“map” of crystal growth mechanisms) helps us to select the validity range of the given growth mechanism. The crystallization was carried out by cooling without seed crystals in a batch crystallizer. The average particle size of the final product and the metastable zone width were measured [3]. From this latter datum the maximum value of the initial supersaturation was determined. The logarithm of the particle size and supersaturation ratio were put in the theoretical crystal growth map. According to the map, the crystal growth in this system is controlled by bulk diffusion. The most probable subprocess of layer growth is surface diffusion (BCF model). This last experience is in accordance with the literature [Sh. Sudo et al., Kagaku Kogaku Ronbunshu 15 (1989) 1120] [4].