Solubility of Ca6[Al(OH)6]2(CrO4)3·26H2O, the chromate analog of ettringite; 5–75°C

Ca6[Al(OH)6]2(CrO4)3·26H2O, the chromate analog of the sulfate mineral ettringite, was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyses, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and bulk chemical analyses. The solubility of the synthesized solid was measured in a series of dissolution and precipitation experiments conducted at 5–75°C and at initial pH values between 10.5 and 12.5. The ion activity product (IAP) for the reaction Ca6[Al(OH)6]2(CrO4)3·26H2Oright harpoon over left6Ca2++2Al(OH)−4+3CrO2−4+4OH−+26H2O varies with pH unless a CaCrO4(aq) complex is included in the speciation model. The log K for the formation of this complex by the reaction Ca2++CrO2−4=CaCrO4(aq) was obtained by minimizing the variance in the IAP for Ca6[Al(OH)6]2(CrO4)3·26H2O. There is no significant trend in the formation constant with temperature and the average log K is 2.77±0.16 over the temperature range 5–75°C. The log solubility product (log KSP) of Ca6[Al(OH)6]2(CrO4)3·26H2O at 25°C is −41.46±0.30. The temperature dependence of the log KSP is log KSP=A−B/T+D log(T) where A=498.94±48.99, B=27,499±2257, and D=−181.11±16.74. The values of ΔG0r,298 and ΔH0r,298 for the dissolution reaction are 236.6±3.9 and 77.5±2.4 kJ mol−1. the values of ΔC0P,r,298 and ΔS0r,298 are −1506±140 and −534±83 J mol−1 K−1. Using these values and published standard state partial molal quantities for constituent ions, ΔG0f,298=−15,131±19 kJ mol−1, ΔH0f,298=−17,330±8.6 kJ mol−1, ΔS0298=2.19±0.10 kJ mol−1 K−1, and ΔC0Pf,298=2.12±0.53 kJ mol−1 K−1, were calculated.