The precipitation of barium chromate powders from aqueous solution at different pHs: Nucleation,final crystal numbers and sizes

Barium chromate precipitations were studied from equivalent aqueous solutions of initial overall metal salt concentrations from 0.00013 to 0.010 M at ambient temperature and at pHs from 8 to 3. At pHs from 8 to 5, precipitation mainly occurred through homogeneous nucleation: the reciprocal induction periods (and nucleation rates) and the crystal numbers generally decreased with reduction of pH but the values at any effective mean metal salt concentration increased appreciably with increasing acidity. Presumably, both M⁺⁺A and M⁺⁺HA⁻ species were taking part in the nucleation process. – At pHs below 5, heterogeneous nucleation predominated in most precipitations: the crystal numbers and nucleus numbers at any effective metal salt concentration increased with reduction of pH in these systems. Presumably, more active sites for heterogeneous nucleation were developed.