Robert B. Perkins

Solubility of ettringite (Ca6[Al(OH)6]2(SO4)3 · 26H2O) at 5–75°C

Abstract The solubility of ettringite (Ca6[Al(OH)6]2(SO4)3 · 26H2O) was measured in a series of dissolution and precipitation experiments at 5–75°C and at pH between 10.5 and 13.0 using synthesized material. Equilibrium was established within 4 to 6 days, with samples collected between 10 and 36 days. The log KSP for the reaction Ca6[Al(OH)6]2(SO4)3 · 26H2O ⇌ 6Ca2+ + 2Al(OH)4− + 3SO42− + 4OH− + 26H2O at 25°C calculated for dissolution experiments (−45.0 ± 0.2) is not significantly different from the log KSP calculated for precipitation experiments (−44.8 ± 0.4) at the 95% confidence level. There is no apparent trend in log KSP with pH and the mean log KSP,298 is −44.9 ± 0.3. The solubility product decreased linearly with the inverse of temperature indicating a constant enthalpy of reaction from 5 to 75°C. The enthalpy and entropy of reaction ΔH°r and ΔS°r, were determined from the linear regression to be 204.6 ± 0.6 kJ mol−1 and 170 ± 38 J mol−1 K−1. Using our values for log KSP, ΔH°r, and ΔS°r and published partial molal quantities for the constituent ions, we calculated the free energy of formation ΔG°f,298, the enthalpy of formation ΔH°f,298, and the entropy of formation ΔS°f,298 to be −15211 ± 20, −17550 ± 16 kJ mol−1, and 1867 ± 59 J mol−1 K−1. Assuming ΔCP,r is zero, the heat capacity of ettringite is 590 ± 140 J mol−1 K−1.