The dissolution of kaolin by acidic fluoride wastes

P. M. H. Kau, D. W. Smith, Philip John Binning

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearch

    Abstract

    The potential use of kaolin as a lining material for the storage of acidic and acidic fluoride wastes is investigated, No significant changes are observed gravimetrically or structurally for kaolin soaked under acidic conditions down to pH 2 for periods up to 90 days, Some release of aluminium was noted with decreasing pH, Severe kaolin dissolution was apparent, however, when soaked in solutions less than pH 3 to 4 with a fluoride concentration of 0.05 M. Aluminium-oxygen bonding in kaolin appears to be substantially more prone to hydrofluoric acid attack than does silicon-oxygen bonding, resulting in a preferential release of aluminium over silicon into solution. The solution pH was found to decrease with the dissolution reaction as fluorosilicic acid was produced during the kaolin breakdown.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalSoil Science
    Volume162
    Issue number12
    Pages (from-to)896-911
    Number of pages16
    ISSN0038-075X
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1997

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