Radiochemical diagnostics of thermal hydrolysis of aluminum trichloride

Abstract

Thermal hydrolysis of aluminum chloride was studied using ³⁶Cl and ³H tracers in combination with energy-dispersive and morphological (scanning electron microscopy) analyses. Pure partially hydrated AlCl₃ or mixtures of AlCl₃ and AlCl₃ ⋅ 6H₂O were used as initial materials. It was found that Al₇O₁₀Cl ⋅ 2H₂O microtubes along with isometric microparticles are formed in the course of thermal hydrolysis due to evaporation and partial hydrolysis of the initial AlCl₃. In this case, AlCl₃ ⋅ 6H₂O acts as a source of water vapor, whereas chlorine atoms contained in this compound do not pass into the microtube material. The tests with water labeled with tritium also showed no incorporation of tritium in microtubes. Thus, thermal hydrolysis of AlCl₃ proceeds predominantly by the recrystallization mechanism.