Solute Clusters Formation in Supersaturated Solutions

Solute clustering in supersaturated solutions

“…Column experiments showed that significant concentration gradients developed even in undersaturated molybdate solutions. This observation is not consistent with the results of previous studies of other systems [33,44] where no concentration differ ences were observed in undersaturated solutions. One reason for this could be that ammonium paramolybdate (used in this work) has a higher molecular weight than sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and citric acid (which have been studied in the past) and this could have some affect on the magnitude of the concentration gradients that formed in these solutions.…”

“…One reason for this could be that ammonium paramolybdate (used in this work) has a higher molecular weight than sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and citric acid (which have been studied in the past) and this could have some affect on the magnitude of the concentration gradients that formed in these solutions. For example, in the supersaturated region of solutions (where concentration gradients were observed for all systems), the maximum density differences found in previous studies [44] were about 5.0 X 10"^ gm/cc as compared to 58.0 X 10""^ gm/cc observed in this study. Possibly, the concentration gradients present in undersaturated solutions of the other systems [33,44] were too small to be rneasured.…”

“…For example, in the supersaturated region of solutions (where concentration gradients were observed for all systems), the maximum density differences found in previous studies [44] were about 5.0 X 10"^ gm/cc as compared to 58.0 X 10""^ gm/cc observed in this study. Possibly, the concentration gradients present in undersaturated solutions of the other systems [33,44] were too small to be rneasured.…”