Influence of supersaturation on structure of sodium aluminate solutions with medium concentration: a solution X-ray diffraction study

Influence of supersaturation on the structure of a series of freshly prepared supersaturated sodium aluminate solutions with medium concentration was investigated by solution X-ray diffraction. Experimental results show that the basic Al-containing species in all kinds of supersaturated solution is four-coordinated ions. Opposite to Al-O distance contracted in highly concentrated solution, a little expand of the Al-O distance from 1.75 Angstrom to 1.85 Angstrom occurs with increasing supersaturation, which is consistent with the occurrence of oligomeric aluminate species. Meanwhile, O-O distance in the first shell of H(2)O-H(2)O(OH) in supersaturated sodium aluminate solution is obviously longer than in hydroxide sodium solution and becomes longer and longer with increasing supersaturation. Na-O bond length is about 2.4 Angstrom and changes little with supersaturation. The reason for Al-O bond expanding with supersaturation and its influence on the stability of solution was discussed.