A MECHANISM OF HYDROXYALUMINOSILICATE FORMATION

The simple fractionation procedure membrane filtration was successfull y applied to the identification of the formation of hydroxyaluminosili cates. The mechanism of formation was shown to proceed through the inh ibition of the nucleation of aluminium hydroxide. The inhibition was t he result of silicic acid replacing hydroxylated aluminium at growth s ites on aluminium hydroxide lattices. The ability of silicic acid to p oison the growth of aluminium hydroxide lattices was dependent upon so lution pH and the silicic acid concentration. This may be the first fu lly supported observation of a reaction of this ilk involving the neut ral silicic acid molecule.