Trituration

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Trituration is the name of several different methods of processing materials. Trituration is also the name of the process for reducing the particle size of a substance by grinding, as by grinding of powders in amortar with a pestle. Trituration additionally refers to the production of a homogeneous material through mixing. For example, dental amalgam is formed by combining particles of an alloy with mercury.

Uses[edit]In organic chemistry

, trituration is a process used to purify crude chemical compounds containing soluble impurities. A solvent is chosen in which the desired product is insoluble and the undesired by-products are very soluble (or the other way around). The crude material is washed with the solvent and filtered away, leaving the purified product in solid form and any impurities in solution. In pharmacology, trituration can also refer to the process of grinding one compound into another to dilute one of the ingredients, add volume for processing and handling, or to mask undesirable qualities. For example, the amount of hormone in a dose of Levonorgestrel formulated as a progestogen-only contraceptive is only 30g, which is far too small to handle. In typical product the drug is triturated with c. 1700 times its mass of sugar before being compressed and coated to [1] produce the final tablet. In juicing, a triturating juicer is a style of juicer used to break down fresh produce into juice and fiber.

Calcination
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Calcination (also referred to as calcining) is a thermal treatment process in absence of air applied to ores and other solid materials to bring about a thermal decomposition, phase transition, or removal of a volatile fraction. The calcination process normally takes place at temperatures below the melting point of the product materials. Calcination is not the same process as roasting. In roasting, more complex gassolid reactions take place between the furnace atmosphere and the solids.
Contents
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1 Industrial processes 2 Calcination reactions 3 Oxidation 4 Alchemy 5 References

Industrial processes[edit source]

An oven for calcination of limestone

The process of calcination derives its name from the Latin calcinare (to burn lime)[1] due to its most common application, the decomposition of calcium carbonate (limestone) to calcium oxide (lime) and carbon dioxide, in order to produce cement. The product of calcination is usually referred to in general as "calcine," regardless of the actual minerals undergoing thermal treatment. Calcination is carried out in furnaces or reactors (sometimes referred to as kilns or calciners) of various designs including shaft furnaces, rotary kilns, multiple hearth furnaces, and fluidized bed reactors. Examples of calcination processes include the following:

decomposition of carbonate minerals, as in the calcination of limestone to drive off carbon dioxide; decomposition of hydrated minerals, as in the calcination of bauxite and gypsum, to remove crystalline water as water vapor;

decomposition of volatile matter contained in raw petroleum coke; heat treatment to effect phase transformations, as in conversion of anatase to rutile or devitrification of glass materials

removal of ammonium ions in the synthesis of zeolites.

Calcination reactions[edit source]

Calcination reactions usually take place at or above the thermal decomposition temperature (for decomposition and volatilization reactions) or the transition temperature (for phase transitions). This

temperature is usually defined as the temperature at which the standard Gibbs free energy for a particular calcination reaction is equal to zero. For example, in limestone calcination, a decomposition process, the chemical reaction is CaCO3 CaO + CO2(g) The standard Gibbs free energy of reaction is approximated as Gr = 177,100 158 T (J/mol).[2] The standard free energy of reaction is zero in this case when the temperature, T, is equal to 1121 K, or 848 C. Examples of chemical decomposition reactions common in calcination processes, and their respective thermal decomposition temperatures include: CaCO3 CaO + CO2; 848 C See also calcination equilibrium of calcium carbonate

Oxidation[edit source]
In some cases, calcination of a metal results in oxidation of the metal. Jean Rey noted that lead and tin when calcinated gained weight, presumably as they were being oxidized.

Alchemy[edit source]
In alchemy, calcination was believed to be one of the 12 vital processes required for the transformation of a substance. Alchemists distinguished two kinds of calcination, actual and potential. Actual calcination is that brought about by actual fire, from wood, coals, or other fuel, raised to a certain temperature. Potential calcination is that brought about by potential fire, such as corrosive chemicals; for example, gold was calcined in a reverberatory furnace with mercury and sal ammoniac; silver with common salt and alkali salt; copper with salt and sulfur; iron with sal ammoniac and vinegar; tin with antimony; lead with sulfur; and mercury with aqua fortis.[3] There was also philosophical calcination, which was said to occur when horns, hooves, etc., were hung over boiling water, or other liquor, until they had lost their mucilage, and were easily reducible into powder.