Studies on Nucleation from Aqueous Solution

Abstract

<p> The major part of the present work dealt with adapting the droplet technique to the study of nucleation from solution of some analytically important metal chelates. Precipitation from homogenous solution was introduced as the means of gradually increasing the supersaturation in the droplets. This new method of producing supersaturation enabled the extention of the droplet technique to nucleation studies of sparingly soluble substances. </p> <p> In addition, a second novel way of achieving supersaturation in the droplets was devised. In contrast to the first method, which increased the amount of solute at constant droplet volume, the second method maintained the amount of solute constant, while gradually reducing the volume of the droplet. This permitted studies on nucleation from solution of soluble substances to be carried out isothermally. </p> <p> The two techniques mentioned above were applied successfully to the study of nucleation from solution of four analytically important metal chelates and to several inorganic salts, respectively. </p>