Dec. 30, 2024
Chemicals
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Is magnesium oxide soluble in water, and what are the reasons behind its solubility or insolubility? This article deep dives into the reasons explaining the water solubility of MgO.
Introduction:
Magnesium oxide MgO is considered quite an important compound in both industrial and pharmaceutical applications. It is known for its stability and high melting points which is why there is a common query whether is magnesium oxide soluble in water or not. Generally, MgO is considered insoluble or sparingly soluble in water and below we will explore why it shows such behavior.
Molecular Properties of MgO:
MgO exists as a white, crystalline powder, which is a simple ionic compound consisting of magnesium ions Mg²&#; and oxide ions O²&#;. MgO is a binary ionic compound which is known for its high lattice energy and stability. The reason behind this is its molecular structure; each magnesium ion in this compound is surrounded by six oxide ions, and each oxide ion is further surrounded by six magnesium ions.
This structure gives it a strong &#;lattice energy&#; where tightly bound magnesium Mg²&#; and oxygen O²&#; ions are hard to interact within normal conditions. To break these strong bonds, one needs to compensate for the &#;solvation energy&#; (energy released when ions are surrounded by water molecules) for the reaction to occur. In this case, the salvation energy of magnesium is not enough to overcome the lattice energy.
Moreover, MgO also has a very high melting point of about 2,852°C and a boiling point of about 3,600°C! This spectacular thermal stability makes MgO ideal for high-temperature applications but also reduces its solubility in water, especially at room temperatures.
As mentioned above, this compound is sparingly soluble in water, i.e., it shows some solubility to form magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)&#;, which itself has low solubility in water. This solubility can be increased with the help of the presence of chelating agents and changing the pH values of the solution. For example, acids like HCl can significantly increase the solubility of MgO to be used in certain industrial reactions.
So, to answer the question of &#;is magnesium oxide soluble in water&#; it can be said that it is not soluble or sparingly soluble due to its strong lattice energy and stable crystalline structure. Because of these two reasons, the lattice energy required to separate Mg²&#; and O²&#; ions is not adequately offset by the hydration energy provided by water as a solvent.
Applications of MgO solubility:
1. Its insolubility is quite useful in the pharm industry where it is extensively used for the production of antacid and laxative, over-the-counter medicines used for heart burns. When MgO reacts with excessive stomach acid it neutralizes it and helps to relieve indigestion and heartburn. Its limited solubility allows it to act gradually and prolongs its action in the stomach.
2. It is also used as a magnesium supplement as it dissolves slowly and provides a sustained release of magnesium in the digestive system. Recently, other forms of magnesium (like magnesium citrate) have been preferred due to its higher solubility when required.
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Further reading:3. Its gradual action of basic effect is also used in the agricultural sector to neutralize excessive acidity in the soil. Here, it reacts slowly with soil acids to release magnesium ions, which can be beneficial for plant growth.
4. MgO is also a concrete where it is more environmentally friendly than traditional Portland cement. It is also more stable against water and requires less time to settle.
5. It is also used for environmental remediation to treat heavy metals. Its limited solubility and high surface reactivity make it useful in adsorbing such metals from contaminated water and soil.
Due to its high significance in the current industrial landscape, MgO is a high-demand compound and is one of the most imported chemicals globally. If your business also involves the import of such compounds, then we recommend checking out the Echemi marketplace. A global platform for B2B procurement where every supplier is certified and procuring such compounds is extremely transparent and convenient.
Wrapping up:
To wrap up, we can state against the topic &#;Is magnesium oxide soluble in water?&#; that it is not soluble or sparingly soluble at best but can be made soluble in special situations. Its instability is explained by its strong lattice energy. This insolubility feature of MgO is quite useful in different industries.
Tateho has developed DISPERMAG® Highly-Dispersive Magnesium Oxide with our original technology. DISPERMAG® has a magnesium oxide purity of 99.9% and high dispersibility. So it is the most suitable magnesium oxide as a raw material for electronic materials. Besides an application for electronic materials, it can be used for a wide range of applications such as optical materials, catalyst materials and various additives.
The magnesium oxide purity of DISPERMAG® is 99.9% and it hardly contains metallic impurities.
DISPERMAG® exhibits high dispersibility in mixing with solvents or other powders.
DISPERMAG® is a submicron particle powder with a purity of 99.9%, and is the most dispersible powder in our magnesium oxide lineup.
The raw materials are required to have finer particles because of the recent trend toward smaller, thinner, and larger capacities in electronic devices.
DISPERMAG® is the best magnesium oxide additive for MLCCs (Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors) because of its ability to uniformly disperse fine primary particles.
Particle size: Laser diffraction scattering method
Specific surface area: Gas adsorption method
Chemical composition: X-ray fluorescence method
*The properties are the typical values and not the guaranteed value.
Tateho also offers PUREMAG® (99.99%) and TATEHOMAG® (99%). Please contact us for details.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Magnesium Carbonate Powder.
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