Humidity controlled calorimetric investigation of the hydration of MgSO4 hydrates

The isothermal heat of hydration of MgSO₄ hydrates was studied by humidity controlled calorimetry. Two hydrates, starkeyite (MgSO₄·4H₂O) and a mixture of MgSO₄ hydrates with summary 1.3 mol H₂O were investigated. The solid-gas reactions were initiated at 30°C and 85% relative humidity. The heat of hydration was determined in a circulation cell in the calorimeter C80 (Setaram). The crystal phases formed after the hydration process were analyzed by thermogravimetry (TG) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Starkeyite reacted with the water vapour to the thermodynamic stable epsomite and the MgSO₄ hydrate mixture with 1.3 mol water to hexahydrite. The hydration heats of starkeyite and the mixture were determined to be −169±3 and −257±5 kJmol⁻¹, respectively.