| Abstract: | Available literature data on aggregation kinetics of crystals of a number of salts during their bulk crystallization from solutions have been analysed. The proposed earlier mechanism of aggregation and intergrowth of crystals during bulk crystallization owing to formation of nucleus‐bridges between crystals was tested and confirmed. The aggregation kinetics of crystals was described by the familiar Smoluchowski equation for coagulation of colloidal particles. However, in a bulk crystallization process, the aggregation constant in this equation decreased as supersaturation in a solution lowered. An expression for the aggregation constant in this equation was proposed. The proposed mechanism of crystal intergrowth duringt bulk crystallization allowed evaluating the specific surface energy of tested salts, which turned out to be in reasonable agreement with published literature data. It was concluded that the intergrowth of crystals during bulk crystallization from solutions proceeded via formation of nucleus‐bridges between crystals. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) |
