Effect of Solution Stoichiometry on BaSO4 Crystallization from Turbidity Measurements and Modeling

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.3c03612
• Publication Date: 2023-12-22T18:06:33Z
• Authors: V. F. D. Peters; A. Baken; S. Y. M. H. Seepma; J. A. Koskamp; A. Fernández-Mart...; A. E. S. van Drie...; M. Wolthers
• Keywords: Nucleation and growth; Measurements and modeling; Semi-empirical; SO 4 2-; General Chemical Engineering; Crystallization modeling; Turbidity measurements; General Chemistry; Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering; Stoichiometry; Barium sulfate; Turbidity modeling; Rate models; Nucleation; Sulfur compounds

The impact of solution stoichiometry on the nucleation and growth of BaSO4 was studied by measuring solution transmittance and subsequent fitting to a crystallization model. Our results show that a large excess of either Ba2+ or SO42- ions inhibits both the nucleation and growth of BaSO4. However, for a small excess of Ba2+, the growth is enhanced. The dependence of nucleation and growth rates on supersaturation and solution stoichiometry was captured by a semiempirical rate model. Hence, the solution stoichiometry is a highly relevant parameter while studying all aspects of BaSO4 crystallization, and it could be worthwhile to examine other minerals similarly.