Effect of aging on aluminum hydroxide complexes in dilute aqueous solutions

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Aqueous aluminum solutions containing 4 x 10/sup -5/ mole/liter aluminum and a constant total ionic strength of 10/sup -2/, but with varying ratios of hydroxide to aluminum (OH:AL), were prepared. Progress of these solutions toward equilibrium conditions over aging periods of as much as 2 years was studied by determining the composition and pH of the solutions at various time intervals. The solutions, after mixing, were supersaturated with respect to both crystalline and amorphous forms of aluminum oxides and aluminum hydroxides. The compositions of the solutions were determined by use of a timed colorimetric analytical procedure which allowed the estimation of three separate forms of aluminum that have been designated Al(a), Al(b), and Al(c). Form Al(a) appeared to be composed of monomeric species such as Al(H/sub 2/O)/sup 6 + + +/, Al(OH)(H/sub 2/O)/sup 5 + +/, Al(OH)/sub 2/(H/sub 2/O)/sup 4 +/ and Al(OH)/sup 4 -/. Form Al(b) was polynuclear material containing perhaps 20-400 aluminum atoms per structure. It appeared to be a metastable material. Form Al(c) remained constant with aging time, Al(b) decreased, and Al(c) increased. It appeared that Al(b) particles were increasing in size and ultimately were converted to Al(c) particles. After a few weeks' aging, Al(c) particles hadmore » the structure of gibbsite. In all solutions, equilibrium was only very slowly achieved, and the time required depended on the OH:AL ratio and how rapidly the solution was initially prepared (mixing time). From data determined during the aging study and by considering Al(b) material to consist of extremely small solid gibbsite particles, it was possible to estimate the gibbs free energy of the (001) crystal face (gamma (e), the gibbsite face) and the gibbs free energy of the (110) and (100) crystal faces (gamma (f), the gibbsite edge) of gibbsite in equilibrium with its saturated solution. These values were: gamma (f) = 140 plus or minus 24 ergs/cm2, and gamma (e) = 483 plus or minus 84 ergs/cm2.« less