Preparation of anhydrous magnesium chloride in a gas-solid reaction with ammonium carnallite

Abstract

Dehydrated ammonium carnallite was synthesized with bischofite from salt lake and ammonium chloride solution in a 1:1 molar ratio of MgCl₂:NH₄Cl, dehydrated at 160ºC for about 4 h. The yield was above 85%. The product was then mixed with solid-state ammonium chloride with a 1:4 mass ratio for the further dehydration at 410ºC. The decomposition of NH₄Cl made a pressure of NH₃ at 30.5 kPa to prevent the hydrolysis of ammonium carnallite. The anhydration of magnesium chloride was achieved at 700ºC. The results showed that anhydrous magnesium chloride contains magnesium oxide in an amount that was less than 0.1% by weight. XRD pattern and SEM micrograph showed a good dispersion of ammonium carnallite and anhydrous magnesium chloride crystals with well-distributed big grains, just enough to meet the need for the production of magnesium metal in the electrolysis process.