Industry Knowledge
Aluminum hydroxide is an essential raw material for the production of aluminum salts, such as barium aluminate and aluminum sulfate. Additionally, it is utilized in the manufacturing of calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, sodium oxide, and sodium sulfate. The abundance of raw materials, high purity of the product, and its solubility in acids and alkalis make aluminum hydroxide widely applicable in the chemical industry.
Aluminum hydroxide powder is an ideal flame-retardant filler for plastics, unsaturated polyesters, rubbers, and other organic polymers due to its filling, flame-retardant, and smoke-suppressing properties and non-toxicity. Its flame-retardant mechanism is as follows: when the temperature exceeds 200℃, aluminum hydroxide begins to absorb heat and decompose, releasing three crystalline water molecules. The decomposition rate is the highest at around 250℃. This reaction is highly endothermic, which inhibits the temperature rise of the polymer, reduces its decomposition rate, and only produces water vapor without generating toxic or harmful gases.
Aluminum hydroxide, when calcined at high temperatures, forms alumina, which has high thermal and chemical stability, thermal strength, creep resistance, dielectric properties, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion, making it an important material for synthesizing ceramics. During the ceramic synthesis process, aluminum hydroxide activates and controls the crystallization process, thereby controlling the phase formation of the composite material.
Aluminum hydroxide can neutralize stomach acid and is non-toxic, making it a traditional remedy for stomach ailments. Its chemical reaction with hydrochloric acid in stomach acid is represented by the equation: Al(OH)3+3HCl = AlCl3+3H2O. Moreover, aluminum hydroxide can enhance the immunogenicity of vaccines as an adjuvant. The mechanism involves adsorbing antigens onto the surface of aluminum hydroxide for slow release, thereby prolonging the duration of the drug's effect.
Due to the ability to control the temperature, concentration, and pH of reactants during the preparation process, aluminum hydroxide can be produced with different specific surface areas, pore volumes, pore structures, and crystal structures. This makes it an effective catalyst carrier for applications such as the hydrogenation of unsaturated carbonyl compounds and the synthesis of fullerenes.
Aluminum hydroxide features high whiteness, ultra-fine particle size, complete crystal form, and good compatibility with optical brighteners. When used as an additive in coatings and resins, it can effectively enhance the whiteness, opacity, smoothness, and ink absorption of coated paper.
Aluminum hydroxide can also be used as a raw material for manufacturing cement and bricks, as an electrolyte in the electrolytic cells of aluminum smelting plants, and as an additive for producing aluminum compounds, such as aluminum hydroxide and aluminate salts. In the rubber industry, it serves as a promoter with good aging resistance properties. Additionally, aluminum hydroxide is used in the production of refractory bricks, as a deoxidizer and desulfurizer in aluminum plants, and as a component in glass manufacturing.
