Kinetics of crystal growth of strontium tungstate from solutions in sodium tungstate melts by continuous cooling

The crystallisation kinetics of strontium tungstate from unstirred saturated solutions in sodium tungstate melts was studied by continuous cooling from initial crystallisation temperatures T₀ = 1000° to 800°C to room temperature at cooling rates R_T = 0.67° to 3.3°C min⁻¹. The main crystal growth was diffusion rate-controlled; the final crystal growth was rate-controlled by the development rate of excess solute concentration. The estimated diffusion rate constant (k_D) values increased with cooling rates and initial crystallisation temperatures. They are higher than the rate constants for diffusion-controlled growth of calcium tungstate from sodium tungstate melts, but very much smaller than those for strontium tungstate from lithium chloride melts.     

The annealing of alkaline-earth metal polymetaphosphate powders (I). Crystallisation and sintering processes

Amorphous barium, strontium, calcium and magnesium polymetaphosphate powders (MP₂O₆)_n, n = 20 were prepared by dehydration of the corresponding polymetaphosphate hydrate precipitates. These powders were annealed by different continuous and isothermal heat treatments over the temperature range 450° to 700 °C, the glass transition temperatures T_g to above (T_g + 120) °C. The morphologies at different degrees of crystallisation were studied by scanning electron microscopy. For the main crystallisation process (ten to sixty-seventy percent crystallisation), the powder particles retained their original pea-pod form; then after seventy percent crystallisation, these crystallised particles sintered laterally to lozenge-shaped twin-hexagonal crystals of lengths 0.5 to 3 μm. Differential thermal analysis confirmed that a markedly exothermic crystallisation process (overall enthalpy changes from about 30 to 45 kJ mol⁻¹) was occurring within the powder particles. Crystallisation rates varied from < 0.005 min⁻¹ at temperatures near T_g to > 0.5 min⁻¹ at higher temperatures; the activation energies for this process varied from 360 to 560 kJ mol⁻¹. The completely annealed crystals were studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and further differential thermal analysis to 1000 °C. The X-ray diffraction d value patterns, the fusion temperatures and the enthalpies of fusion were all in close agreement with the literature values for the corresponding beta alkaline-earth metal polymetaphosphates prepared by melt crystallisation.     

The Crystallisation of Calcium Molybdate and Tungstate from Lithium Chloride Melts by Continuous Cooling. The Kinetics of Crystal Growth in Alumina Crucibles

The kinetics of crystallisation of calcium molybdate and tungstate from unstirred supersaturated solutions in lithium chloride melts — in alumina crucibles — was studied by continuous cooling from initial temperature T₀ = 800°C down to room temperature at cooling rates R_T = 20° to 200°C hr⁻¹. The solutions were analysed chemically and the crystals were examined by optical microscopy. Crystal growth started practically immediately after the onset of cooling: at first, the amount of material deposited onto crystals was far less than the amount of excess solute developed within the supersaturated solutions but crystallisation rates then increased as the crystal sizes increased. Then, after some time t* (at about seventy percent crystallisation), all excess solute was deposited onto growing crystals.     

The crystallisation of alkaline-earth metal tungstates (molybdates,chromates, and sulphates) from metal chloride melts

This paper presents studies on the crystallisation of alkaline-earth metal tungstates, molybdates, chromates and sulphates by slow cooling of solutions in lithium chloride and alkaline-earth metal chloride melts at 600° to 1100°C. Solubility — temperature diagrams were prepared for this temperature range. The effects of solute — solvent interaction, crystallisation temperature range and rate of cooling on crystal form and size were investigated. Final crystal size increases with reduced rate of cooling and with increasing crystallisation temperature; barium sulphate crystallisation from lithium chloride melt is anomalous.     

The crystallisation of alkaline-earth metal tungstates from sodium tungstate melts

This paper presents studies on the crystallisation of alkaline-earth metal tungstates by slow cooling of saturated solutions in sodium tungstate melts at 700 to 1000 °C. Solubility-temperature diagrams were prepared for this temperature range. The effects of variation in the initial crystallisation temperature, cooling rate and metal salt structure on crystal number and size were investigated. Final crystal lengths increased with increase in the initial crystallisation temperature and decreased with increasing rate of cooling. Crystals grown from sodium tungstate melts at any temperature were generally smaller than those grown from lithium chloride melts (at the same temperature): they were similar in size to crystals grown from the metal chloride melts but crystallised at temperatures 150 ° to 250 °C lower.     

The crystallisation of chromite-magnesiochromite spinels from a calcium magnesium aluminosilicate glass: Nucleation,crystal growth and final crystal sizes

The crystallisation of chromite-magnesiochromite spinels was studied from a calcium magnesium aluminosilicate glass (a simulated slag) containing 3 to 12 percent total iron oxides and 0.3 to 1.5 percent chromium(III) oxide, at temperatures from 1400° to 700 °C. – Spinel crystallisation occurred in glasses with 3–7 percent FeO and 0.7–1.1 percent Cr₂O₃. At temperatures 1100 °C and above, the nucleation was rapid and crystal numbers very high, at FeO contents above 3 percent and Cr₂O₃ contents above 0.7 percent; at 1056° and 1000 °C however, the crystal numbers reached some optimum values but then decreased as clinopyroxene crystals grew onto and enveloped the spinel microcrystals. In these glasses, the crystal lengths varied with growth time according to the relation, l_t = 2 k_g t^α = R_g1 t^α, where α = 0.7–1.0: this time dependence was a compromise between a relation for dendritic growth and one for facetted growth. The growth rates generally increased about five to seven times for 160 °C temperature rise: the energy of activation for the spinel crystal growth was then estimated as 180 ± 60 kJ mole⁻¹. – No spinel crystals were observed in glasses with more than 7 percent FeO content, only clinopyroxene crystals. Probably, these latter had nucleated rapidly and grown onto spinel microcrystals, while the spinel microcrystals were still of < 0.1 μm size.     

Evaluation of degree of crystallization by optical microscopy and chemical analysis in crystallization of alkaline-earth metal tungstates from solutions in lithium chloride melts

A comparative study of the accuracy of optical microscopy and chemical analysis of residual solutions for evaluation of degree of crystallisation was carried out to ascertain their suitability for kinetics study of CaWO₄ and BaWO₄ crystallisation from LiCl melts (i) by continuous cooling at a constant cooling rate, and (ii) at constant temperature from a supersaturated solution. Chemical analysis of residual solution does not give desirable accuracy for the case (i) for α_t values <0.30, and for the case (ii) for α_t values <0.60. Optical microscopy was more accurate and suitable for both cases.     

The crystallisation of alkaline-earth metal molybdates and tungstates from lithium chloride melts by continuous cooling. Nucleation mechanism and kinetics and induction periods

Calcium, strontium and barium molybdate (and tungstate) solutions in lithium chloride melts were crystallised in alumina and in platinum crucibles; saturated solutions were cooled from initial temperatures 700° to 800°C down to room temperature at cooling rates 40° to 200°C hr⁻¹. The nucleation and early crystal growth were investigated by chemical and differential thermal analysis and by optical microscopy studies. Crystallisation occurred through heterogeneous nucleation at low supersaturations. Heterogeneous nuclei formed slowly onto metal aluminate (and platinate) particles within the solution during induction periods from < 0.2 to 14 hr. The main growth surge then started and few new nuclei were formed. The nucleation probably terminated at times just after the times for maximum rate of formation of nuclei. Then, at any temperature, the induction periods (t ) varied inversely with cooling rate and with the rate (R_c) of development of excess solute concentration according to the relation, The parameters k₁ were related to the rate constants (k_n) for the heterogeneous nucleation. These constants in turn probably dependend on the free energy for formation of critical heterogeneous nuclei and thence on some nucleator vs solute surface energy ‘wetting’ function. The k₁ and k_n values at any temperature decreased in the order : they increased from 2 to 4 times for 100°C rise in temperature.     

The crystallisation of alkaline-earth metal oxides from metal chloride melts: Solubility-temperature phase diagram analyses and preliminary experimental studies

The solubility v temperature phase diagrams for magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium oxide solutions, in lithium, sodium and potassium chloride melts and in the alkaline earth metal chloride melts, have been analysed. The solutions in the alkali metal chlorides are pseudo-binary reciprocal ternary mixtures; the more soluble barium and strontium oxides showed small deviations, calcium oxide showed larger deviations while the extremely sparingly-soluble magnesium oxide showed extensive deviations from ideality. These deviations were related to electrostatic interactions in solution, that depended in turn on some function of reciprocal solute and solvent caiton radii. The solutions in the alkalineearth metal chlorides are binary mixtures with MO · 4 MCl₂ solvate formation. — Some preliminary crystallisation experiments were carried out, by slow cooling of saturated solutions in the metal chloride melts: calcium and strontium oxide crystallisation from lithium chloride melts and barium oxide crystallisation from all three alkali metal chloride melts would be worth further investigation.     

Differential thermal analysis studies on the crystallization of strontium tungstate melts. Variation of rate constants with crystallization temperatures and cooling rates

Kinetics of strontium tungstate crystallization from sodium tungstate melts were studied in platinum crucibles (by DTA) by continuous cooling from initial crystallization temperatures T₀ = 800° to 1000° to below the eutectic temperature at cooling rates R_T = 0.67° to 3.3° min⁻¹. Heterogeneous nuclei first formed slowly onto metal platinate particles within the solution during induction periods (t ); the main crystal growth then started after the development of some exces solute concentration (ΔC ) at the induction temperature (T ). The actual growth after t was diffusion rate-controlled. The diffusion rate-constants (k_Dt) for growth after the induction periods along the major axis were estimated; the increased with T₀ and R_T. These values were higher than those for diffusion-controlled crystal growth of strontium tungstate from sodium tungstate melts in alumina crucibles but much smaller than the real diffusion rate-constants (k_Dl)_real.     

Single crystal synthesis and properties of lithium-gallium-, lithium-aluminium-oxide and mixed compounds (I) growing of LiGaO2-, LiAlO2- and LiAlxGa1−x crystals from fluxes

LiGaO₂ forms a single eutectic with PbO/B₂O₃ (molar ratio 9:4). A nearly linear slope of the liquidus curve is followed by a steep rise of the temperature coefficient of solubility. The solvent power at 1300°C is 0.35 g LiGaO₂/g PbO, B₂O₃; from 1000 to 1300°C there exist only poor differences in solubility of LiGaO₂ and LiAlO₂ in PbO/B₂O₃. LiGaO₂ crystals up to 1 p in weight grew spontaneously by slow cooling from fluxes or by evaporation of the solvent, those of about 1–1.5 p from seeds by cooling stirred fluxes. LiAlO₂ crystals are essentially smaller (6 mm). – By partial substitution of Ga₂O₃ by Al₂O₃ mixed crystals LiAl_xGa_1−xO₂ result. In the case of x ≦ 0.5 the coefficient of segregation remains ≦1. The al concentrations along the polar axis decrease by more than 25 p.c., perpendicular to [001] they keep constant till to the crystal surface. – Crystals show hypermorphism from mm2 to mmm. With high initial exceedings only {110} and {011}, with lower ones also {120}, {130}, {210} and {310} as well as the reduced {100}, {010} combinations are observed. – LiGaO₂ crystals grow by nucleous, sceletal or faceted growth resp. during the cooling period. – Primarily at 1270°C formed nuclei up to 1150°C grow to critical dimensions (≈0.5 mm) and develop to the main branch along [001]. Primary branches deflect to [010]. The convex secondary branches intergrow along (110), often including flux. With decreasing temperature a new crystallisation front is formed at the periphery leading to a stable faceted growth at about 1000°C.     

Growth of single crystals of the high-pressure phase of α-PbO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The technique and results of hydrothermal growth of single crystals of the high-pressure phase of α-PbO₂ are described. Dark brown crystals of predominantly prismatic habit with characteristic sizes of 550 × 100 × 150 μm³ were obtained at p = 4 GPa by cooling an aqueous solution in the temperature range t = 600–300°C.     

The Precipitation of Strontium and Lead Sulphates from Aqueous Solution. Kinetics of the Crystal Growth

The precipitation of strontium and lead sulphates from well-stirred supersaturated aqueous solutions, of initial solute concentrations C₀ = 0.001 to 0.020 M and C₀ = 0.0002 to 0.003 M respectively, was studied at 20° and 40°C by chemical analysis and optical microscopy. Nucleation occurred during induction periods and continuous regular growth then took place onto the nuclei formed during these periods. Crystallisation was complete after 4 to 48 hr. The crystal growth was rate-controlled by the rate of deposition of metal salt ions onto the growing crystal surfaces. This rate (dC/dt), at any growth time, then depended on both the overall surface area (A_t) and on the residual excess solute concentration (ΔC_t) in solution according to the relation while the growth rate (dα/dt), expressed in terms of degree of crystallisation, was . The rate constants (k_α) for the crystal growth of strontium and lead sulphates at 20°C were 22 and 4200 sec⁻¹ M⁻² respectively — that is, greatest for the salt with least cation hydration –; these constants increased 4 to 6 times for 20°C temperature rise. The rate-determining process for the metal salt deposition was probably the ion dehydration.     

The effect of the in-situ sublimation in the growth of HgI2 platelets from vapour

The Quality of HgI₂ platelets grown from the vapour phase has been studied, varying different growth parameters, i.e. starting material, addition of polyethylene, source/crystallisation temperature, in-situ sublimation. It has been found that the in-situ sublimation at high temperature is the essential factor for the production of HgI₂ platelets. This in-situ sublimation was made in the same growth ampoule at temperatures over 200 °C and prior to the growth process. All the other growth parameters studied in this work influenced the quality of the platelets although they did not affect their production. Finally, the grown platelets have been characterised by optical observation and by differential scanning calorimetry.     

Crystal structure,thermal and compositional deformations of β‐CsB5O8

The crystal structure of β‐CsB₅O₈ has been determined from X‐ray powder diffraction data using synchrotron radiation: Pbca, a = 7.8131(3) Å, b = 12.0652(4) Å, c = 14.9582(4) Å, Z = 8, ρ_calc = 2.967 g/cm³, R‐p = 0.076, R‐wp = 0.094. β‐CsB₅O₈ was found to be isostructural with β‐KB₅O₈ and β‐RbB₅O₈. The crystal structure consists of a double interlocking framework built up from B‐O pentaborate groups. The crystal structure exhibits a highly anisotropic thermal expansion: α_a = 53, α_b = 16, α_c = 14 · 10^‐6/K; the anisotropy may be caused by partial straightening of the screw chains of the pentaborate groups. The similarity of the thermal and compositional (Cs‐Rb‐K substitution) deformations of CsB₅O₈ is revealed: increasing the radius of the metal by 0.01 Å leads to the same deformations of the crystal structure as increasing the temperature by 35°C. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The precipitation of barium chromate from aqueous solution (with rapid mixing): Kinetics of the crystal growth

The kinetics of precipitation of barium chromate from well-stirred aqueous solutions of initial solute concentrations C₀ = 0.0001 to 0.0010 M (supersaturations 8 to 80) was studied at 25 °C by conductivity measurements and chemical analysis. Nucleation occurred during induction periods and regular crystal growth then took place onto the crystallites formed during the induction periods. The crystal growth was rate-controlled, in this range, by the rate of deposition of metal salt ions onto the growing crystal surfaces. This rate, at any time, then depended on both the overall surface area (A_t) and on the residual excess solute concentration (ΔC_t) in solution according to the relation, the growth rate expressed in terms of degree of crystallisation was then The rate constant (K_α) for the crystallisation of barium chromate at 25 °C was 1.5 10⁶ sec⁻¹ M⁻².     

On the position of the upper limit temperature of homogeneous nucleation of precipitates in low concentrated Al?Zn alloys

The upper limit temperature T_hn of the onset of homogeneous nucleation of Guinier-Preston (GP) zones was determined for three Al Zn alloys with xZn = 4.5, 6.0 and 8.0 at.% by SAXS investigations (cooling from the range of homogeneity to various temperatures T_a and ageing at T_a). The results are T_hn = (95 ± 3) °C for xZn = 4.5 at.%, (118 ± 3) °C (6.0 at.%) and (154 ± 3) °C (8.0 at.%), respectively. The obtained results fit well the data known for the alloys with higher contents of Zn. It is stressed that one has to distinguish between T_hn, determined by isothermal measurements after a direct quench or cooling to the respective T_a, and the upper limit temperature T_rhn of the onset of the rapid homogeneous nucleation of GP zones (continuous cooling).     

Polymorphic composition and morphology of calcium carbonate as a function of ultrasonic irradiation

This paper reports on the precipitation of CaCO₃ polymorphs, having various crystal morphologies under different conditions. In particular, systems that were subject to ultrasonic irradiation were compared to the corresponding reference systems in the absence of such a treatment. The application of ultrasonic irradiation predominantly resulted in a change of particle size distribution and polymorphic composition of the precipitate, in comparison to the reference systems. Thus, it was found that the supersaturation and temperature influenced the size distribution, in both the reference and sonicated systems. A mixture of calcite, vaterite and aragonite was obtained in all reference systems, at 25 °C. At this temperature, the sonication caused the vaterite content to increase, while aragonite was not detected. In reference and sonicated systems at 80 °C, only aragonite precipitated. The results also indicate that the principle parameter responsible for the morphology of vaterite was the initial supersaturation: at higher supersaturation spherical vaterite particles precipitated, while at lower supersaturation hexagonal platelets were obtained. The morphological investigations also indicated different mechanisms of vaterite formation in the systems in which precipitation was initiated at higher supersaturation: spherulitic growth of vaterite was observed in sonicated systems, while the aggregation of primary particles was predominant in the reference systems. At lower supersaturation, the effect of c(Ca²⁺)/c(CO₃²⁻) on the morphology of hexagonal platelets of vaterite was observed as well. By varying the c(Ca²⁺)/c(CO₃²⁻), significant changes of the polymorphic composition were observed only in the sonicated systems, at 25 °C.     

Synthesis of Layered-Structure LiFeO2

Abstract

LiFeO₂, with a layered rocksalt structure of α-NaFeO₂-type was prepared by ion exchange reaction from Na⁺ ion to Li⁺ ion using α-NaFeO₂. α-NaFeO₂-type LiFeO₂ was synthesized by using the mixture of LiI and KI in the temperature range 220 to 480 °C. The heat treatment temperature of 600 °C gave α-LiFeO₂-type LiFeO₂ as a main product. As a result of Rietveld analysis, the structure of LiFeO₂ which assigned to α-NaFeO₂-type by an XRD measurement, was the mixture of α-NaFeO₂-type and Li-intercalated spinel-type structures.     

Investigation of zirconium phosphate Zr<Subscript>3</Subscript>(PO<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript> during heating

Zirconium phosphate Zr₃(PO₄)₄ has been synthesized by the sol-gel technique and investigated using X-ray powder diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. It has been established that the symmetry of the unit cell, R \(\bar 3\) c, which is characteristic of the NaZr₂(PO₄)₃ (NZP) family, is lowered to P \(\bar 3\) c. The behavior of the zirconium phosphate during heating has been examined using high-temperature X-ray diffraction at temperatures ranging from 25 to 575°C. It has been revealed that the structure of the zirconium phosphate is hardly subjected to expansion due to heating in the temperature ranges 25–125°C (α _a < 1 × 10^?6 K^?1, α _c < 1 × 10^?6 K^?1, Δα < 1 × 10^?6 K^?1) and 325–575°C (α _a = ?1.4 × 10^?6 K^?1, α _c < 1 × 10^?6 K^?1, Δα < ?2.4 × 10^?6 K^?1). In the temperature range 125–325°C, the synthesized compound undergoes a second-order phase transition (upon heating), which is accompanied by the contraction of the structure along all crystallographic directions. Upon cooling in the range from 75 to 25°C, the phase transition is accompanied by the expansion of the structure.