INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRYand all of the metaphosphates were dissolved by ammonium citrate and by dilute acids.Analytical constants were imposed in making direct molybdenum oxide precipitations to determine the speed of PO, to PO4 transition in metaphosphate extracts.The factors of time, temperature, and initial Po4 content of dilute nitric acid extracts were studied to determine their influence upon transition of PO8 to PO1.Wide variations in the aqueous extractability of the metaphosphates were attributed to variant amounts of solidphase PO3 in excess of the proportion CaO: Pz06, in relation to silicophosphates which dissolve and hydrolyze to give HP03 and soluble silica. The progressive hydrolysis induced by this engendered acid of the extracts was determined.Within the range of 5 to 50 grams per liter, the more acidic types yielded practically complete solvency and stable solutions of proportionate PzO5 concentrations to extended aqueous extractions; but the less acidic products did not, the pH of their extracts increasing with charge, and no solute phosphates were present in the 50-gram per liter systems.When the inherent acidities of the solids were bolstered by the acidities of 0.05 and 0.1 N nitric acid extractions, the 50gram charges of all metaphosphates were almost completely dissolved into stable systems. Adequate acidity prevented the precipitation of iron and aluminum phosphates and thus maintained the stability of the metaphosphate extracts.Transitions of PO3 to Pod, which were very slow in aqueous and in dilute acid solutions at room temperature, tended to increase slightly with salt additions, and increased decidedly with increases in temperature and concentration of acid, other than H3P04.Quenching of the metaphosphate melts resulted in greater solubility, through hydration of the solids, and also accelerated the hydrolytic transitions in the extracts, especially for products of high soluble-silica content.Variations in the technic of drying the quenched melts caused varying degrees of hydration in the solid, altered the silica solubility, and governed the initial amount of PO4 in the aqueous extracts.The hygroscopic tendencies of finely ground metaphosphates were completely overcome by laboratory admixtures of three parts of limestone or of dolomite in moist atmosphere of two temperature ranges; and corresponding one-ton admixtures were in good condition after 3 months.Suspensions of soil, subsoil, ferric oxide, and aluminum oxide in both aqueous and ammonium citrate solutions of meta-and of orthocalcium phosphates registered decidedly greater absorptions of POa in every parallel system, for each PzOs concentration and pH value of the initial solution.
Literature Cited