Abstract
In this study, I present experimental results on the equilibrium between boracite [Mg3B7O13Cl(cr)] and kurnakovite [chemical formula, Mg2B6O11·15H2O(cr); structural formula, MgB3O3(OH)5·5H2O(cr)] at 22.5 ± 0.5 °C from a long-term experiment up to 1629 days, approaching equilibrium from the direction of supersaturation, Mg3B7O13Cl(cr) + H+ + 2B(OH)4– + 18H2O(1) ⇌ 3MgB3O3(OH)5·5H2O(cr) + Cl–.
Based on solubility measurements, the 10-based logarithm of the equilibrium constant for the above reaction at 25 °C is determined to be 12.83 ± 0.08 (2s).
Based on the equilibrium constant for dissolution of boracite, Mg3B7O13Cl(cr) + 15H2O(l) = 3Mg2+ + 7B(OH)–4+ Cl– + 2H+ at 25 °C measured previously (Xiong et al. 2018) and that for the reaction between boracite and kurnakovite determined here, the equilibrium constant for dissolution of kurnakovite, MgB3O3(OH)5·5H2O(cr) = Mg2+ + 3B(OH)–4+ H+ + H2O(1) is derived as –14.11 ± 0.40 (2s).
Using the equilibrium constant for dissolution of kurnakovite obtained in this study and the experimental enthalpy of formation for kurnakovite from the literature, a set of thermodynamic properties for kurnakovite at 25 °C and 1 bar is recommended as follows:
Since kurnakovite usually forms in salt lakes rich in sulfate, studying the interactions of borate with sulfate is important to modeling kurnakovite in salt lakes. For this purpose, I have re-calibrated our previous model (Xiong et al. 2013) describing the interactions of borate with sulfate based on the new solubility data for borax in Na2SO4 solutions presented here.
Acknowledgments
Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA-0003525. SAND2019-4805J. This paper describes objective technical results and analysis. Any subjective views or opinions that might be expressed in the paper do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government. The author thanks two journal reviewers, the Associate Editor, Edward Grew, for their thorough and insightful reviews, which significantly improved the presentation. The author is grateful to the following colleagues and student interns for the laboratory assistance: Leslie Kirkes, Terry Westfall, Cassie Marrs, Jandi Knox, Heather Burton, Diana Goulding, Brittany Hoard, Chase Kicker, Danelle Morrill, Rachael Roselle, Mathew Stroble, William Sullvan, Kira Vicent, and Yoni Xiong.
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