Stabilization of aluminum hydroxide gel by specifically adsorbed carbonate

Ion-free aluminum hydroxide gel, prepared by the hydrolysis of aluminum tri-sec-butoxide, was observed by IR, X-ray analysis, and pH-stat titration to undergo rapid structural changes leading to the formation of pseudoboehmite and bayerite. The rate of development of order was directly related to the water-aluminum molar ratio. The Al--O bands at 625 and 470 cm-1 were the most sensitive indicators of the development of order in the gel structure. Direct evidence for the stabilizing effect of specifically adsorbed carbonate was obtained when carbon dioxide was introduced during the hydrolysis of aluminum tri-sec-butoxide. The resulting aluminum hydroxycarbonate gel possessed excellent antacid properties, retained its amorphous nature upon aging, and contained no cations other than aluminum. Hydrolysis of aluminum tri-sec-butoxide in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of sodium bicarbonate resulted in the immediate formation of crystalline sodium aluminum hydroxycarbonate (dawsonite).