Particle Size Variation and Prediction of Molecular Weight of Bi(III) Hydrolyzed Polymer Using Light Scattering Technique

Abstract

The present paper gives an overview of the hydrolysis reactions up to colloid formation of Bi(III) in aqueous nitric acid medium using light-scattering measurements. The hydrolysis products of Bi were polynuclear complexes such as dimers, pentamers, and the most important is the hexameric species. In the present investigation Bi3+ polymers were prepared by diluting different concentrations of Bi(NO3)3·5H2O solutions to pH 1 ± 0.1 by adding 0.1 M NaOH solution as it starts to precipitates at pH 1.4. The degree of polymerization was found to be 5-6 units. Particle size measurements were performed, and it has been found that particle size increases at high concentration of Bi due to aggregation. Refractive index measurements were also performed. The molecular weight of hydrolyzed polymeric species of Bi was determined by using Debye plot, and it was estimated as 1236 Da. The second virial coefficient was found to be 6.24 × 10−3 mLg−1 Da. The present investigation confirms that the predominant complex in the solution has 5-6 Bi atoms.