Aluminum Hydroxide - Properties, Uses
formula hydrated oxide compound
Aluminum hydroxide is a common compound of aluminum, hydrogen, and oxygen which can be considered either a base with the formula Al(OH)3, or an acid with the formula H3AlO3. In addition, the compound is frequently treated as a hydrate—a water-bonded compound—of aluminum oxide and designated variously as hydrated alumina, or aluminum hydrate or trihydrate, hydrated aluminum, or hydrated aluminum oxide, with the formula Al2O3(H20)x.
Additional Topics
Aluminum hydroxide is found in nature as the mineral bayerite or gibbsite (also called hydrargillite). A mixed aluminum oxide-hydroxide mineral is known as diaspore or boehmite. In a purified form, aluminum hydroxide is either a white bulky powder or granules with a density of about 2.42 g/mL. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in strong acids and bases. In water, aluminum hydroxide behaves as …
The ability of aluminum hydroxide to adsorb substances on its surface explains a number of its other applications. It is used in a number of chemical operations, for example, as a filtering medium and in ion-exchange and chromatography devices. Aluminum hydroxide is popular as an antacid. It behaves as a base, reacting with and neutralizing excess stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) to bring relief f…
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10 months ago
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