Hexahydrite
Authors: Hans-Jürgen Schwarz, Tim Müller
English version by Christa Gerdwilker
back to Sulphate
| Hexahydrite[1][2] | |
| Mineralogical name | Hexahydrite, Magnesiumsulfate |
| Chemical name | Magnesiumsulfate Hexahydrite |
| Trivial name | |
| Chemical formula | MgSO4•6H2O |
| Other forms | Kieserite (MgSO4•H2O) Sanderite (MgSO4•2H2O) Starkeyite (MgSO4•4H2O) Pentahydrite (MgSO4•5H2O) Epsomite (MgSO4•7H2O) Meridianite (MgSO4•11H2O) Magnesium 12-Hydrate |
| Crystal system | monoclinic |
| Crystal structure | |
| Deliquescence humidity 20°C | |
| Solubility (g/l) at 20°C | 660 g/l |
| Density (g/cm³) | 1.72 g/cm3 |
| Molar volume | 132.6 cm3/mol |
| Molar weight | 228.46 g/mol |
| Transparency | transparent to opaque |
| Cleavage | perfect |
| Crystal habit | |
| Twinning | |
| Phase transition | |
| Chemical behavior | |
| Comments | can be produced from an aqueous solution between 48-69 °C |
| Crystal Optics | |
| Refractive Indices | α = 1.426 β = 1.453 γ = 1.456 |
| Birefringence | Δ = 0.030 |
| Optical Orientation | biaxial negative |
| Pleochroism | |
| Dispersion | 38° |
| Used Literature | |
| [Lide:1995]Title: CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics Author: Lide D.R. 
| |
Introduction[edit]
Hexahydrite is one of the more commonly found salts causing masonry damage. It occurs in many forms on different objects, both externally and internally.
Occurrence of hexahydrite[edit]
Hexahydrite is a hydration phase of magnesium sulfate. The presence of magnesium sulfates is particularly damaging to masonry due its different hydrate phases. The hydration and subsequent volume changes result in stresses within the masonry which eventually cause the material to break up during repeated solution crystallization and phase change processes. The properties, damaging effects, occurrence and the determination of hexahydrite are discussed and complemented with illustrations, microscopic images and practical examples. For further information see: epsomite.
Solution behavior[edit]
The water solubility of hexahydrite is 660 g/l at a temperature of 20 °C [Steiger and Asmussen, 2008], and subsequently belongs, like all discussed forms of magnesium sulphate with a solubility of clearly above 100 g/l (at 20 °C) to the group of easily soluble salts. This entails a high risk of salt mobility and frequent re-deposition of salts within the material matrix. Due to the influence of temperature on solubility, a rapid drop in temperature can result in the precipitation of salts [Mainusch:2001]Title: Erstellung einer Materialsammlung zur qualitativen Bestimmung bauschädlicher Salze für Fachleute der Restaurierung
Author: Mainusch, Nils
Crystallization pressure[edit]
Due to the high solubility of the salt, solution and recrystallization processes occur at corresponding humidity levels.
Compared to the hydration pressure, the crystallization pressure is rather low. The hydration of kieserite to hexahydrite at the relevant humidity level can result in an hydration pressure of 57 MPa [Steiger.etal:2008]Title: Crystallization of sodium sulfate phases in porous materials: The phase diagram Na2SO4–H2O and the generation of stress
Author: Steiger, Michael; Asmussen, Sönke.
Hydration behavior[edit]
The six hydrate forms of magnesium sulfate listed above are shown to be stable compounds. With the exception of magnesium sulfate-12-hydrates, all the above crystal water phases of magnesium sulfate have been identified on monuments. These predominantly occur as epsomite, hexahydrite, pentahydrite und kieserite.
Hexahydrite is the magnesium sulfate hexahydrate. It can be formed through the hydration of kieserite or the dehydration of epsomite. During the phase change, water intake causes an increase in volume whereas water loss leads to a reduction in volume. Increased relative humidity also results in increased hydrate-water content within magnesium sulfate. Kieserite is stable at room temperature (25°C) up to a RH of approx. 42 % , above this the change to hexahydrite or epsomite occurs. Hexahydrite is stable below 51 % RH, above this epsomite is formed. The phase changes can happen directly or via solution and re-crystallization. This results in the metastable existence of the lower hydration phase up to its deliquescence humidity. Above this RH the phase dissolves and a supercritical solution is formed, from which the hydrated phase crystallizes [Steiger.etal:2008]Title: Crystallization of sodium sulfate phases in porous materials: The phase diagram Na2SO4–H2O and the generation of stress
Author: Steiger, Michael; Asmussen, Sönke.
Weblinks[edit]
Literatur[edit]
| [Dana:1951] | Dana E.S. (eds.) Dana J.D. (1951): Dana's System of Mineralogy, 7, Wiley & Sons | |
| [Lide:1995] | Lide D.R. (eds.) Lide D.R. (1995): CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, CRC Press | |
| [Mainusch:2001] | Mainusch, Nils (2001): Erstellung einer Materialsammlung zur qualitativen Bestimmung bauschädlicher Salze für Fachleute der Restaurierung, Diplomarbeit, HAWK Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen, file:Diplomarbeit Nils Mainusch.pdf |  |
| [Steiger.etal:2008] | Steiger, Michael; Asmussen, Sönke (2008): Crystallization of sodium sulfate phases in porous materials: The phase diagram Na2SO4–H2O and the generation of stress. In: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 72 (17), 4291-4306, Url | |