Structure of aluminum hydroxide gel I: initial precipitate.

The initial aluminum hydroxide gel precipitate resulting from the reaction of aluminum chloride or aluminum sulfate with ammonium hydroxide is shown by potentiometric titration, chemical analysis, and the ratio of bound hydroxide to aluminum to fit a polymer model described previously. The formation of polynuclear hydroxyaluminum particles is treated as a stepwise process involving a deprotonation-dehydration mechanism, which results in the formation of six-membered rings; these rings may further coalesce by the same mechanism. The aluminum hydroxide gel precipitated from aluminum chloride can be represented by the formula Al(OH)2.55(Cl)0.45 and probably exists as a polymer of 10 fused six-membered rings. The aluminum hydroxide gel precipitated from aluminum sulfate can be represented by the formula Al(OH)2.30(SO4)0.35. This species probably exists as a polymer of three fused six-membered rings.