Low-Cost Synthesis and Morphology Control of Magnesium Oxysulfate Hydrate Whiskers

Abstract

A low-cost raw material, bittern obtained from the production process of sea salt, was used to prepare magnesium oxysulfate hydrate (MgSO4·5Mg (OH)2·2H2O, abbreviated as 152MOS) whiskers via hydrothermal synthesis with ammonia and magnesium sulfate as the other starting raw materials. The bittern was firstly filtered and then used directly without de-coloring. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were employed to investigate the composition and morphology of the products. It was found that the 152MOS whiskers synthesized from bittern at 190°C for 3 hours exhibited fanlike morphology. The formation of the fanlike whiskers was inhibited and most of the whiskers presented as single fibers when ethanol was used as crystal control agent in the hydrothermal process. From the two-dimensional steps observed at tips of the whiskers, a possible growth mechanism was speculated that it was the extension of dislocations that made the growth of the whiskers.