Aluminum sulfate is a precipitant for many rubber compounds. The principle of aluminum sulfate as a precipitant is that aluminum sulfate can form precipitates with many elements, including copper, iron, zinc, aluminum, etc.
When aluminum sulfate reacts with these elements, they form a precipitate that is insoluble in water. This process is called precipitation. The principle of aluminum sulfate as a precipitating agent is to use this precipitation characteristic to separate and purify substances in the solution.
For example, when aluminum sulfate reacts with metallic copper, a water-insoluble copper sulfate precipitate is formed. This precipitate can be used to obtain pure copper powder through filtration, dehydration, drying and other methods. Similarly, aluminum sulfate can also be used to separate and purify other metal elements, such as iron, zinc, aluminum, etc.
Aluminum sulfate itself does not precipitate in water. The chemical formula of aluminum sulfate is Al2(SO4)3. It is an inorganic compound that usually exists in the form of a white crystalline powder. However, when aluminum sulfate is dissolved in water, a hydrolysis reaction occurs, possibly forming aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) precipitate. In addition, aluminum sulfate precipitates in ethanol.
