Crystallization of carnallite from KCl-MgCl<sub>2</sub> brine solutions by solvent evaporation process and its structural and mechanical characterization

Authors

  • Jiban Podder Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
  • Shaoyu Gao Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • Richard W. Evitts Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
  • Robert W. Besant Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • D. Matthews PCS Pilot Plant, Innovation place, Saskatoon, University of Saskatchewan

Keywords:

Carnallite crystal, Potassium-magnesium chloride solution, Solvent evaporation; X-ray diffraction, Orthorhombic structu

Abstract

Carnallite crystals have been synthesized from brine solutions at room temperature (23°C) by solvent evaporation growth technique to show the effect of the concentration of potassium chloride (KCl) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) on the growth, structural and mechanical properties of the crystal. Transparent and pseudo-hexagonal shape carnallite crystals with the dimension of 4 ´ 5 ´ 2 mm to 16 ´ 13 ´ 3 mm were grown. The crystals were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and the lattice parameters were found to be a = 9.598Å, b = 16.141Å and c = 22.519Å, space group: Pnna, Z: 12, ? = ? = ? = 90° with the unit cell volume, V = 3488.67Å3. The lattice parameters are found to be in good agreement with the standard values and the structure of the crystal is orthorhombic. A Vickers micro hardness test was carried out to determine the hardness number and work hardening coefficient of the carnallite crystals.

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Author Biography

Jiban Podder, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

Department of Physics, Professor

References

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Published

2013-12-31

How to Cite

[1]
J. Podder, S. Gao, R. W. Evitts, R. W. Besant, and D. Matthews, “Crystallization of carnallite from KCl-MgCl<sub>2</sub> brine solutions by solvent evaporation process and its structural and mechanical characterization”, J Met Mater Miner, vol. 23, no. 2, Dec. 2013.

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 2 (2013)

Section

Original Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2013 Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

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