Homogeneous precipitation of magnesium phosphates from seawater solutions

International audienceHomogeneous (unseeded) nucleation of Mg phosphate from modified Ca-free seawater solutions was investigated at 20°C and pH of 8. Precipitated solid phase was characterized using chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and IR-spectroscopy. Effect of aqueous phosphate and ammonia concentrations and the intensity of stirring on the induction period time ( τ) of Mg phosphates nucleation were studied. A linear relationship between logarithm of bobbierite (Mg 3(PO 4) 2 · 8H 2O) saturation index and log τ was established with a slope close to 2. Aqueous NH 4+ (up to 0.002 M) has no effect on the nucleation kinetics and does not incorporate in the precipitated solid phase. Stirring of solution has a dramatic effect on nucleation kinetics: the induction period decreases by a factor of 100-10 000 in unstirred solutions compared to stirred ones. The relative diffusion/chemical reaction control mechanism of Mg phosphates precipitation from supersaturated solutions is discussed. It is shown that spontaneous inorganic precipitation of Mg-(ammonium) phosphates (struvite and bobbierite) in modern marine environment is impossible because of very sluggish kinetics

Crystal structure, magnetic properties and conductivity mechanisms of La0.7Ca0.3Mn0.5Fe0.5O3

La0.7Ca0.3Mn0.5Fe0.5O3 (LCMFO) ceramic samples were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction. X-Ray diffraction investigations show that samples have orthorhombic space group Pnma (a = 5.447(2) Ǻ, b = 7.709(3) Ǻ, c = 5.467(3) Ǻ). During the neutron powder diffraction measurements of LCMFO in the temperature range of 10 ÷ 300 K the antiferromagnetic long-range ordering of G-type was seen. It has been established that 50% substitution of Mn/Fe leads to a complete suppression of the ferromagnetism in LCMFO samples. Investigations of temperature dependence of the magnetization, M(T), suggests the frustration of magnetic ground state and the existence of a spin-glass or a cluster-glass phase below the magnetic transition temperature close to 350 K. The temperature dependences of conductivity for La0.7Ca0.3Mn0.5Fe0.5O3 sample investigated in magnetic fields B = 0 and 1 T. According to the research, the mechanisms of hopping conductivity were established. Micro parameters in density of localized states were calculated for LCMFO samples. The width of the Coulomb gap Δ = 0.67 eV, rigid gap δ = 0.324 eV and the localization radii of charge carriers were estimated. © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Crystal structure, magnetic properties and conductivity mechanisms of La0.7Ca0.3Mn0.5Fe0.5O3

La0.7Ca0.3Mn0.5Fe0.5O3 (LCMFO) ceramic samples were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction. X-Ray diffraction investigations show that samples have orthorhombic space group Pnma (a = 5.447(2) Ǻ, b = 7.709(3) Ǻ, c = 5.467(3) Ǻ). During the neutron powder diffraction measurements of LCMFO in the temperature range of 10 ÷ 300 K the antiferromagnetic long-range ordering of G-type was seen. It has been established that 50% substitution of Mn/Fe leads to a complete suppression of the ferromagnetism in LCMFO samples. Investigations of temperature dependence of the magnetization, M(T), suggests the frustration of magnetic ground state and the existence of a spin-glass or a cluster-glass phase below the magnetic transition temperature close to 350 K. The temperature dependences of conductivity for La0.7Ca0.3Mn0.5Fe0.5O3 sample investigated in magnetic fields B = 0 and 1 T. According to the research, the mechanisms of hopping conductivity were established. Micro parameters in density of localized states were calculated for LCMFO samples. The width of the Coulomb gap Δ = 0.67 eV, rigid gap δ = 0.324 eV and the localization radii of charge carriers were estimated. © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC