The reaction between magnesium metaphosphate glass (MMP) and 85% H
3PO
4 was studied.. The products formed at 300°C in air were separated by centrifuging and subjected to X-ray powder diffractometry. The resulting Mg
2P
4O
12 was examined by scanning electron micrography and the measurement of grain size distribution.
Two kinds of MMPs (MMP-1 and MMP-2) were prepared. The content of residual water in MMP-1 was 1.07 mol%, while that in MMP-2 was 9.53 mol%. The mixing ratios of MMP to 85% H
3PO
4 in weight (g) were 10 : 0.2, 10 : 1, 10 : 3, and 10 : 10.
In the case of powder mixtures of 10 : 0.2, 10 : 1, and 10 : 3, the only product formed was the cyclic compound Mg
2P
4O
12. The Mg
2P
4O
12 grains were observed to be spherulite and most of those obtained from the (10 : 3) sample were about 1 pm in diameter.
In the case of a slurry mixture of 10 : 10, Mg
2P
4O
12 was formed by the condensation of MgH
2 P
2O
7. The Mg
2P
4O
12 grains were observed to be truncated bipyramids of 2 to 5 pm in diameter.
Mg
2P
4O
12 grains from MMP-2 were larger than those from MMP-1. This is attributed to the. effect of residual water in the original MMP.
Mg
2P
4O
12 obtained in this experiment had better crystallinity than those obtained in air. The grain size was controlled by changing the amount of H
3PO
4.
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