- Aluminium phosphate
Chembox new
Name = Aluminium phosphate
ImageFile =
ImageName = Aluminum phosphate
OtherNames = Aluminium monophosphate
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
CASNo = 7784-30-7
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = AlPO4
MolarMass = 121.952 g/mol
Appearance = white, crystalline powder
Density = 2.566 g/cm3, solid
Solubility = insoluble
MeltingPt = decomposes
BoilingPt =
Section7 = Chembox Hazards
EUClass = Xi
NFPA-H = 2
NFPA-R = 0
NFPA-F = 0
RPhrases = R36/37/38
SPhrases = S26LD50 >5000mg/kg mouse oral Aluminium phosphate (AlPO4) is a
chemical compound . It is used in cake mixes and in somebaking powder s as a leavening agent to help baked goods rise.It is also used industrially as a high-temperature dehydrating agent. When strongly heated, aluminium phosphate decomposes into
aluminium oxide andphosphorus pentoxide , the latter of which is very effective at absorbing water. Thus, aluminium phosphate can be used to dehydrateacetic acid through the following series of reactions:: 4AlPO4 → 2Al2O3 + P4O10: 6CH3COOH + P4O10 → 4H3PO4 + 6CH2CO: CH2CO + CH3COOH → (CH3CO)2O
Occurrence
Although it is unstable to heat, in geologically stable regions like
Australia andSouthern Africa , alumiunium phosphate is generally the most common form of phosphorus insoil s, as it forms when phosphate in rainwater reacts with dissolved aluminium in the soil. Although it is not as insoluble as many other components of soils in those regions, aluminium phosphate can form exceedingly insolubledouble salt s known as taranakites with many essential elements for plant growth that are normally highly soluble in water, such aspotassium andnitrogen .In coastal areas of
South Africa andNamibia , the combination of exceedingly old soils and a high input of phosphate from very fertile oceans due to theBenguela Current causes aluminium phosphate to accumulate to form a concentrated mineral, known as aluminium phosphate rock. Only in recent years has there been any interest in the mining of these considerable deposits as a source of phosphorus foragriculture , but there could be considerable economic value if low-cost treatment becomes possible.The mineral form of aluminium phosphate, berlinite, is rarely found in the nature. It possess quartz-like structure, which makes these 2 minerals often hard to distinguish by standard laboratory methods (like Powder X-Ray Diffraction).
References
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