Strontium Sulfate Properties: Chemical and Physical

Iran Celestite > Strontium Sulfate Properties: Chemical and Physical

Strontium sulphate (SrSO₄), commonly known as celestine, is formed when strontium ions combine with sulfate ions; due to this fact, it is the sulfate salt of strontium. Other strontium sulfate properties are its white crystalline powder form or orthorhombic crystal shape. Giving its appearance, it is found naturally as the mineral celestine. Confining ourselves to strontium sulfate properties allows us to configure its uses in various industries. Strontium sulfate is valued for its stability and specific properties that make it useful for those applications. In this article, we go over its physical and chemical features and review its impact and challenges that faces to its properties. Please enjoy it.

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Chemical Properties of Strontium Sulfate

Strontium sulfate comprises a single strontium ion (Sr²⁺) along with a sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻). Each sulfur atom occupies the center adjacent to four oxygen atoms, making a tetrahedron out of it. An entire ionic conjunction results from two oxygen atoms being double bonded to sulfur (S=O) and the remaining two being singly bound (S-O⁻). A precipitation reaction between a soluble sulfate salt, such as sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), and an easily soluble strontium salt, such as strontium chloride (SrCl2), produces strontium sulfate. The formula for a reaction is:

〖”SrCl” 〗_2+〖”Na” 〗_2 〖”SO” 〗_4→〖”SrSO” 〗_4↓+2″NaCl” 

In this reaction, strontium sulfate precipitates out of the solution as a sturdy solid, as suggested by the downward arrow (↓), while sodium chloride remains dissipated in the solution.

It is believed that sodium sulfate, or (Na2SO4), is chemically inert and neutral to the majority of oxidizing and reducing agents. But in certain situations, like high-temperature reduction, it exhibits some amazing responses. Sodium sulfate can undergo carbothermal reduction at high temperatures to produce sodium sulfide (Na₂S). It involves heating with a carbon source such as charcoal.

〖”Na” 〗_2 〖”SO” 〗_4+2″C”→〖”Na” 〗_2 “S”+2〖”CO” 〗_2

Among strontium sulfate properties, high thermal stability is a recognized one. It does not fall apart until it exceeds about 1,606 °C (2,923 °F), and its decomposition threshold is stable at elevated temperatures. Because of its extremely high melting point, it does not melt readily; rather, it preserves its state of solidity and acts as such until it reaches the temperature at which it actually starts to decompose. The elevated decomposition temperature of strontium sulfate indicates stronger thermal stability in contrast to other sulfates such as calcium sulfate and barium sulfate. Strontium sulfate is an excellent pick for situations where materials have to withstand high temperatures without degradation because of its great thermal stability. 

  • Among other strontium sulfate properties, the low water solubility is well-known to have an impact on its behavior and usage in a variety of settings. At 25 °C, strontium sulfate has a solubility of about 0.0135 g/100 mL, which indicates that it is relatively insoluble in water and can only dissolve in small amounts at room temperature. 
  • The solubility product constant (Ksp) of it is 3.44 x 10-7. The low Ksp value indicates that the compound has a very low tendency to dissolve in water, forming a saturated solution with minimal dissolved ions. 
  • It is relatively stable but is comparably more soluble in acids such as hydrochloric acid (HCl) and nitric acid (HNO₃). 
  • Because of the prevalent ion effect, which takes place when a presence of chloride ions in a solution assists in the disintegration of more strontium sulfate, strontium sulfate becomes easier to dissolve in alkali chloride solutions, such as sodium chloride (NaCl). In acidic solutions, the strontium sulfate properties are such that the sulfate ions respond with the hydrogen ions from the acid, boosting the solubility of strontium sulfate.
  • It is non-flammable.
  • Strontium sulfate is itself neutral.
  • In strontium sulfate, strontium is in the +2 oxidation state.
  • It is chemically stable and does not readily decompose or react with other substances.
  • It is not corrosive. Which means that it does not cause damage to metals or other materials through chemical reactions.

Strontium Sulfate Solubility

Among the strontium sulfate properties, the most important one is strontium sulfate solubility, which is comparable to barium sulfate (BaSO₄) and calcium sulfate (CaSO₄). It is more soluble than barium sulfate and less soluble than calcium sulfate. It is more hydrophilic than barium sulfate, though less so than calcium sulfate. It is famous for its unique attributes and versatility in a variety of applications in industry. Overall, its consistency, small solubility in water, and capacity to serve as a filler and stabilizer make it an advantageous molecule in a variety of purposes. 

 

Physical Properties of Strontium Sulfate

For many applications, including material selection, performance and durability, manufacturing procedures, safety and compliance, research and development, and quality control, the physical characteristics of strontium sulfate are significant. We shall thus categorize them for you. The first are its primary physical characteristics, including appearance, density, melting temperature, refractive index, and Mohs hardness. Second, a few other characteristics, including its optical, magnetic, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and crystal structure. In the course of this section, we will briefly go into further detail on each of these topics.

  • The density of strontium sulfate, which is the degree of compactness of its substance, is 3.96 g/cm3. 
  • Among strontium sulfate properties, we indicate its high melting point, which is the temperature at which its solidity transforms into liquid, of 1,606 °C (2,923 °F). 
  • The refractive index is mathematically expressed as n=c/v where (c) is the speed of light in a vacuum and (v) is the speed of light in the medium, resulting in (n) its refractive index equal to that of strontium sulfate as 1.622. 
  • On the Mohs scale of hardness, strontium sulfate has a moderate hardness, typically around 3 to 3.5 somewhere between calcite and fluorite. 

Strontium sulfate properties make it suitable for various industrial applications, which we will explain it inother article.

The following are some other physical characteristics of strontium sulfate: 

  • The crystal structure of strontium sulfate is a rectangular prism with discrete lengths along each axis, which is a result of the orthorhombic crystal system in which it crystallizes. 
  • The thermal conductivity of strontium sulfate is usually low, much like that of other sulfate minerals; however, precise numbers are rarely provided. 
  • Since strontium sulfate has a limited capacity for specific heat, altering its temperature of s not require a lot of energy. 
  • In addition to its refractive index, strontium sulfate has advantages in some optical applications due to its transparency to specific wavelengths of light.
  • Lastly, strontium sulfate has diamagnetic conduct, which implies that magnetic fields refuse it.

 

Environmental and Health Impact Regarding Strontium Sulfate

Because of strontium sulfate properties such as:

  • limited solubility in water,
  • being non-toxic
  • and non-bioaccumulative,

This material has a minimal environmental effect and lowers the possibility of: 

  1. contamination, 
  2. causing harm, 
  3. or accumulation in the tissues of living organisms. 

Being a natural occurrence, it is a component of the geochemical cycle and won’t be a major concern in normal circumstances. To avoid any possible hazards, it is imperative to adhere to standards for the treatment and disposal of chemical waste. It does not cause any health dangers when used properly. 

If there is an inhalation or skin or eye contact, safety gear can be used, or any irritation can be relieved by washing with water. For big industrial usage, regulatory compliance is necessary.

 

Challenges and Future Prospects Regarding Strontium Sulfate

Strontium sulfate properties, such as its limited solubility, which might be a restriction in some applications, is a challenge where more solubility is required and is one of the present hurdles in its usage. Aside from strontium sulfate properties, in celestine mining and processing there is another raised issue that faces us with certain environmental impacts as well since they may have negative effects on the environment, such as pollution and disturbance of natural habitats. In addition, appropriate safety precautions must be taken to reduce the danger of inhalation. Other than this, getting hold of high-purity strontium sulfate at a reasonable price might be difficult.

Future research paths and possible advancements include improving the strontium sulfate properties, such as its solubility, through the use of novel chemical treatments or composite materials. Conversely, it would be beneficial to use sustainable mining techniques to improve the prospect of its industry and to lessen waste production, minimize habitat impact, and enhance waste management. Its market demand and usefulness may increase with enhanced applications in developing technologies, including biological devices, sophisticated ceramics, and optical materials, which all may advance by the improvement of strontium sulfate properties. Additionally, several innovative features and applications in the disciplines of materials science, electronics, and medicine might be targeted by looking into its utilization at the nanoscale. Furthermore, improving resource efficiency and minimizing environmental effects may be achieved by creating techniques for recycling and reusing strontium sulfate from industrial waste streams.

 

Conclusion

It is essential to comprehend the distinction between chemical and physical attributes. In addition to describing molecular behavior and interactions, chemical characteristics play a role in compositional changes and chemical reactions that are critical to forecasting stability and reactivity. Physical properties, on the reverse side, are tangible and apparent qualities that are primarily relevant for material efficacy in a variety of applications and are unaffected by changes in chemical composition. In this article, we tried to describe strontium sulfate properties; I hope you enjoyed it.