Crystallization in acidic media: from nanoparticles to macrocrystals

Crystallization in acidic media obeys the same rules and physico-chemical principles than in any other aqueous solution. However, the composition (mineralogy), particle size and crystallinity of the solids formed in these low pH systems are strongly determined by (i) the singular water chemistr y of...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Sánchez España, Francisco Javier
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2017
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/277186
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/277186
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:sulfates
sulfides
Nanoparticles
crystal growth
kinetics
mineral solubility
acidic waters
Descripción
Sumario:Crystallization in acidic media obeys the same rules and physico-chemical principles than in any other aqueous solution. However, the composition (mineralogy), particle size and crystallinity of the solids formed in these low pH systems are strongly determined by (i) the singular water chemistr y of the parent acidic solutions (highly concentrated, with presence of many dissolved metals, and usually dominated by the sulfate anion, SO42-), and (ii) the highly variable environmental conditions prevailing in the crystallization media (which may range from ver y fast to slow precipitation kinetics, from strong oversaturation to near solubility equilibrium, or from high to low density of nucleation centres). The most common mineral groups formed in acidic waters (e.g., acid mine waters, acid rock drainage) are usually metal sulfates, oxy-hydroxysulfates and sulfides, which expand largely in size (from nano-par ticles with diameters < 100 nm to large crystals of mm- to cm-scale) and crystalline order (nearly amorphous or short-range ordered to highly crystalline).