The Coprecipitation of Zinc Aluminium Hydroxide Powders from Aqueous Solution with Sodium Hydroxide: Precipitate Compositions and Coprecipitation Mechanisms

Zine aluminium hydroxides were coprecipitated from different mixed metal cation solutions, at C_{M tot} = 0.1 M and at Zn/Al₂ ratios from 1 to 4, with sodium hydroxide solution. The coprecipitations were monitored by potentiometrie (pH) titration and the final coprecipitate compositions were examined by chemical analysis, infra-red spectrophotometry and thermal analysis. Generally, microcrystalline aluminium hydroxide was first precipitated at pH about 4; this then partially redissolved on further addition of sodium hydroxide (to form hydroxoaluminate anion) and zinc aluminium hydroxide coprecipitates were formed continuously at pHs from 5.5–6 to above 9. Their compositions were similar to the magnesium hydroxoaluminate coprecipitated from magnesium aluminium solutions. At Zn/Al₂ ratio = 1, the main phase was probably Zn(H₂O)_n [Al(OH)₄]₂; at Zn/Al₂ ratio = 2, the main phase was probably Zn₂(H₂O)_n [Al₂(OH)₁₀], whereas at Zn/Al₂ ratio = 4, the main phase was probably Zn(H₂O)_n(OH)₄[Al₂(OH)₁₀].