Supplier of Calcium Sulfate from Dubai

Calcium Sulfate

WHAT IS CALCIUM SULFATE?

Calcium Sulfate, CaSO4, is a naturally occurring calcium salt available in three forms. This calcium compound is most recognized in its dihydrate form gypsum or calcium sulphate dihydrate (CaSO4∙2H2O). In its anhydrous form (CaSO4), it’s used as a desiccant (dries things out). The third form is The third form it can be found in is calcium sulphate hemihydrate (CaSO4·1/2H2O) which is known as the plaster of Paris. Calcium sulfate is a mineral compound with the formula CaSO4, which is used in anhydrous form and as a drying agent. One of its special hydrates is better known as plaster of Paris, and the other hydrate also exists in nature as mineral gypsum. All forms of calcium sulfate are white solids with low solubility in water. Calcium sulfate causes permanent hardness of water. This combination has many uses in industry.

TYPES OF CALCIUM SULFATE

Anhydrous or dry calcium sulfate: In the structure of this substance, there are no water molecules and it has a solid form.
Semi-aqueous calcium sulfate or gypsum: In the structure of this material, there is half a molecule of water. To produce gypsum, half a molecule of crystallized water and dry calcium sulfate are heated and the calcination reaction occurs.
Aqueous calcium sulfate: As a result of mixing water and gypsum, aqueous calcium sulfate is created.

HYDRATION AND DEHYDRATION REACTIONS

With reasonable heating, gypsum turns into a semi-melted mineral called bassanite or plaster of Paris. The heat-absorbing property of this reaction is related to the performance of dry wall and gives fire resistance to residential structures and other structures. In a fire, the structure behind a sheet of drywall remains relatively cool. At higher temperatures, calcium sulfate acts as an oxidizing agent.

This property is used in aluminothermy. Unlike many minerals, calcined gypsum has unusual properties. When mixed with water at normal temperature, it quickly de-forms but physically forms a hard and relatively strong gypsum crystal lattice.

This reaction is exothermic and makes it easy to cast plaster into various forms, including sheets for drywall, wood for chalkboard plaster, and molds for immobilizing broken bones or casting metal. When mixed with polymers, it is also used in bone repair.

Small amounts of calcined gypsum are added to the earth to create strong structures directly from the casting soil and are an alternative to clay. Natural anhydrite does not react with water even on geological timescales unless it is very finely ground. The combination of hemihydrate and anhydrite can contain variable amounts of water or other small molecules such as methanol.

METHOD OF PRODUCTION

The main sources of calcium sulfate are natural gypsum and anhydrite, which exist in many parts of the world in the form of evaporation. These may be mined from open or deep mines. The world production of natural gypsum is about 127 million tons per year. In addition to natural sources, calcium sulfate is produced as a byproduct in a number of processes:

In the desulfurization of flue gases, exhaust gases from fossil fuel power plants, and other processes, impure calcium sulfite is produced, which is oxidized to calcium sulfate in storage.
In the production of phosphoric acid from phosphate rock, calcium phosphate is purified with sulfuric acid and calcium sulfate deposits.
In the production of hydrogen fluoride, calcium fluoride is treated with sulfuric acid and calcium sulfate is precipitated.
In zinc refining, zinc sulfate solutions are treated with hydrated lime to precipitate heavy metals such as barium.
Calcium sulfate can be recycled from waste drywall on construction sites.

CALCIUM SULFATE USAGE

Gypsum and anhydrite are the biggest sources of calcium sulphate in the world. It can also be produced as a by-product of other processes.

Some of the main Uses:

Cement manufacturing
Filler in paper
Desiccant
Firming agent in foods
Paint pigment
Polishing powder production
Animal feed additive

HOW CALCIUM SULPHATE MADE

The abundant mineral gypsum naturally contains calcium sulphate. When natural gypsum is crushed and heated at temperatures between 100-125 degrees Celsius, for several hours, gypsum is converted to the hemihydrate form or anhydrous calcium sulphate, which depends on the specific reached temperature. It can also be produced as a by-product of other reactions as well as through synthetic processes.

APPLICATION OF CALCIUM SULFATE IN FOOD INDUSTRY

Calcium sulfate hydrates are used as coagulants in products such as tofu. It is allowed in cheese and similar products, it is also used in products such as cereal flour, bakery products, frozen desserts, artificial sweeteners such as jelly and preservatives, vegetable seasoning, tomato seasoning and candies. FAO of the United Nations recognizes calcium sulfate as a hardening agent, flour refining agent, separating agent and leavening agent.

APPLICATION IN MEDICINE

Calcium sulfate was first used in 1892 in a clinic in Bonn, Germany. Dirisman (1892) used CS to fill bony defects in eight patients. Six of these patients presented with tuberculous cavities. Three of these six patients showed extensive bone formation, and two of them had no signs of healing. One of the patients had two cavities, one of which healed very well and the other did not heal. In one patient with enchondroma, the tumor was removed and the resulting cavity was filled with CS pellets. This cavity showed significant bone growth and the osteomyelitis cavity healed well. Overall, CS performed very well as a bone graft material.

APPLICATION OF CALCIUM SULFATE IN DENTISTRY

Calcium sulfate has a long history in dental applications. This substance plays the role of grafting material in bone regeneration and is used in guided tissue regeneration like a barrier. This material is unusually biocompatible and fully absorbed after implantation, creating a calcium-rich environment at the implant site.

Dentistry requires special dental molds that are made of plaster. Molds of the repair components must be made outside the patient’s body and consist of molds with exact copies. Usually, these molds use materials that are initially liquid and then poured into the mold. After this, it hardens to become a hard replica. A dental model is a copy of the soft and hard tissues of a tooth. Normally, each model is made from one tooth. The most popular of these molds are made of gypsum materials and its products.

Dental plaster is a natural and white powder called calcium sulfate dihydrate or doabe, and standards have been considered for it. Gypsum products used in dentistry are created by removing part of the water from the gypsum crystal, which forms hydrated calcium sulfate. The process in which dental plaster is produced is called calcification. In this process, part of the crystallization water is heated up to 122 degrees Celsius to form irregular porous particles in the plaster.

Molds made of plasters are inexpensive in dentistry. They have good accuracy and stability and follow fine details and small molds, and they are also strong enough not to create holes in them. Of course, they are not mechanically ideal and sometimes suffer from cracking and breaking.

Dental stones are used for applications that require precision and care. These models are used for things like placing crowns or dentures and fillings, in addition, dental plaster is used for models of dental stone and for making teaching models.

Relatively strong dental stones are produced in two general ways. In the first method, gypsum is placed under water vapor and pressure in an autoclave and heated at about 125 degrees Celsius to produce alpha hemihydrate, which has less porosity. In the second method, plaster is boiled in a salt solution such as calcium chloride, and the result is a material similar to that produced by an autoclave, but its porosity is even lower than before. A little color is usually added to dental stone to distinguish it from dental plaster.

You may ask, what are the advantages and disadvantages of using models and molds that use dental plaster? The price of dental plaster is relatively cheap and it is easy to use. Molding has good strength and stability and can hold small details. Sometimes, using a plaster model together with an alginate mold causes problems. For example, plaster remains soft.

Dental stones are also used in cases where the need for hardness and resistance is felt. The steps of using gypsum products in dentistry are the hydration of calcium sulfate hemihydrate with water to produce calcium sulfate dihydrate. Dentistry is mixed with water so that excess water is absorbed by the pores of the plaster particles. Materials should be used quickly after mixing, as the viscosity becomes so high that it is no longer usable.

After use, the container containing the mixture should be washed carefully. During mixing, some air may enter and cause porosity in the final material. Shaking and shaking the mixture causes air bubbles to come out. After the preparation of the mixture, the gypsum drying process begins at a high speed until most of the hemihydrate is converted into dihydrate.

The drying of dental plaster is in the stage where the initial drying is when the mixture of plaster and water becomes solid and not fluid. Therefore, excess material can be removed with a knife. The final drying of the molds are very firm and can be worked on, which happens an hour or two after the previous step.

APPLICATION OF CALCIUM SULFATE IN BULDING MATERIALS

Gypsum has many different uses. Gypsum board is primarily used as wall or ceiling covering. In addition, it is used in construction as drywall or plasterboard. Plaster works in surgical splints, casting molds and modeling by using coagulation properties. Plasterboard is known as drywall, plasterboard or wallboard. In addition, it is used in the formation of panels made of gypsum, which is pressed between two sheets of thick paper. Gypsum board is used as a partition and lining of walls, ceilings, and floors. It has many features that make it a building material. Gypsum acts as a thermal insulator due to its low thermal conductivity. In addition, it has the ability to store heat.

APPLICATION OF CALCIUM SULFATE IN AGRICULTURE

Gypsum is used to improve the soil as a fertilizer and soil conditioner. Gypsum is often used as part of a strategy to amend compacted soils or soils with high amounts of clay, as well as to combat excessive salinity in soils. Gypsum does not affect soil pH. Calcium sulfate is a fertilizer known as a soil conditioner. This fertilizer is not considered as a source of nutrition, and calcium sulfate or agricultural chalk is used instead, which is used in crops such as cotton, soybeans, corn, and alfalfa. Calcium, sulfur and magnesium are secondary nutrients.

Calcium has an effect on the strength of the fruit tissue.
The presence of calcium is essential for many plant functions, including cell division, nitrate absorption, and enzyme activity.
Calcium sulfate additive is used as a way to prevent tomato blossom rot disease.
Chalk or calcium sulfate is an excellent source of sulfur for plant nutrition.
It is a balancing element in absorbing essential nutrients and improving plant growth conditions.
Gypsum reduces the apparent specific gravity of the soil.
It is used in some of the lands that become closed and cracked after surface irrigation.
It keeps the level of salt in balance with the passage of water in the soil.
It plays a role in improving soil structure, especially clay texture, and increasing aeration.
Agricultural gypsum is used to modify clay soils with a dense layer.
It prevents the loss of dissolved phosphorus and keeps it in the soil.
The use of gypsum increases the efficiency of irrigation water.
It reduces nutrient runoff and soil erosion.
Magnesium makes the soil non-toxic and prevents its dispersion.
Gypsum can also provide a very small part of the oxygen needed by the roots.
Calcium sulfate does not acidify the soil and makes sulfur easily available to the plant.
Calcium sulfate stabilizes urea nitrogen and reduces its evaporation rate.
Gypsum reduces the rate of erosion and runoff production in sloping land.
Plaster prevents the unpleasant smell of animal manure.
Gypsum helps the growth and development of earthworms in the soil.
As a pH buffer, calcium sulfate can help promote plant growth by neutralizing acidic and alkaline soils.
Calcium sulfate fertilizers are a rich source of sulfur and it is considered an essential element in all stages of plant growth.
It has soluble minerals and has the ability to limit harmful elements such as aluminum.
In areas where the amount of sodium element is extremely high, the application of calcium sulfate fertilizer in irrigation water is very common and efficient.
Calcium sulfate fertilizer should be added to the soil once or twice a year.

THE METHOD OF USING CALCIUM SULFATE FERTILIZER IN AGRICULTURE

For every three liters of water, add one to two tablespoons at the base of the plants. To use in the soil, mix one to two tablespoons in 3 liters of water and spray on the foliage of the plants to improve your plant. You can also use additional agricultural plaster for the next time.

APPLICATION OF CALCIUM SULFATE IN THE PRODUCTION OF SULFURIC ACID AND CEMENT CLINKER

Until the 1970s, commercial quantities of sulfuric acid were produced from anhydrous calcium sulfate. After mixing with shale or marl and roasting, sulfate releases sulfur trioxide gas, which is a precursor in the production of sulfuric acid. In this reaction, calcium silicate is also produced, which is an essential mineral phase in the production of cement clinker.

CaSO4 + SiO2 → CaSiO3 + SO3

APPLICATION OF CALCIUM CARBONATE IN PHARMACEUTICAL AND HEALLTH AND BEAUTY INUSTRIES

Calcium carbonate is used in cosmetics. That is, it is used as an additive pigment, long absorption, oil absorption in matting and whitening products. Carbonate salts are used in cosmetic and bath products, personal cleaners, shaving products, oral, skin and hair care products. Plus, it’s ideal in cosmetics. Since calcium carbonate powder absorbs moisture, it is used in face powder. It is used in skin protection and care. Makes cosmetics last.

CALCIUM SULFATE FALSE FOAM

Companies and organizations with sensitive equipment choose calcium sulfate panels. Server rooms with antistatic floors are very much in favor of calcium sulfate false floors. Electrical and telecommunication rooms should be resistant to static electricity. Operating room and medicine have sensitive conditions. With the establishment of this system, the concerns will be resolved. In addition, this product can also be used decoratively.

OTHER APPLICATIONS OF CALCIUM SULFATE

Application in construction
Application in decorative materials
As a mortar
Application in surgical splints, modeling, mold and casting
Fertilizers and soil conditioning, overcoming the corrosive effect of alkalinity
As alabaster in sculpture
The main source of dietary calcium
To add hardness to water
Color additive for medicines and cosmetics
Application in dentistry
Application in mushroom cultivation
To remove carcinogenic pollutants such as lead or arsenic from contaminated water
Additive to turbid water, especially ponds, to settle soil and clay particles without harming aquatic life.
in cooking
In Portland cement
One of the common ingredients in making yogurt
Application in foot creams, shampoos and other products
Application in leather making
Application in glass making and porcelain industries
Application in papermaking and paper transparency
Application in communication and power electronics
Application of bright calcium sulfide in phosphors, bright colors and varnishes
Additive of lubricants and flotation agent in stone mining
To produce lime sulfur as an insecticide
Production of CRT and flat screen

PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CALCIUM SULFATE (CaSO4)

Formula: CaSO4
Appearance: white solid and odorless
Molar mass: 136.14 g/mol (anhydrous)
Molar mass: 145.15 g/mol (hemihydrate)
Molar mass: 172.172 g/mol (dihydrate)
Density: 2.96 g/cm3 (anhydrous)
Density: 2.32 grams per cubic centimeter (dihydrate)
Melting point: 1460°C (2660°F or 1730K) (anhydrous)
Solubility in water: 0.26 g/100 ml at 25°C (dihydrate)
Other cations such as magnesium sulfate, strontium sulfate and barium sulfate
Related drying agents such as calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate
Related compounds such as gypsum

RELATED COMPOUNDS OF CALCIUM SULFATE

Hydration states and crystallographic structures

This compound exists in three hydration levels, corresponding to different crystallographic structures and minerals:

Anhydrite (anhydrous state)
Zirconium Orthosilicate (Zircon)
Gypsum and selenite
Basanite or Plaster of Paris

The main use of calcium sulfate is the production of gypsum and plaster of Paris. Calcium sulfate is powdered and calcined, after being hydrated, it forms a molding paste and becomes a hard crystalline form as calcium sulfate dihydrate. Calcium sulfate is slightly soluble in water, but it does not dissolve easily in water after freezing.

Calcium sulfate is insoluble in water. This compound is covered by two water molecules. According to the number of molecules that cover it, it is divided into different types.

CALCIUM SULFATE DIHYDRATE

This is commonly used in building materials for construction such as

Portland cement
Specialized wall plasters
Wallboard production
Cement blocks
Mortars
Soil conditioning agent

CALCIUM SULPHATE HEMHYDRATE

This calcium compound is best known for being the plaster of Paris. It’s a fast-setting gypsum plaster made of a fine white powder. It hardens when moistened and is allowed to dry. It got its nickname from the popularity of gypsum in the city of Paris. It’s suitable as a casting mould which makes it popular in building materials and the medical profession.

IS CALCIUM SULPHATE SOLUBLE IN WATER?

Calcium sulphate is insoluble or only partially soluble in water, depending on temperature conditions and which particular form of calcium sulphate we are talking about. Because calcium sulphate anhydrite is made from dehydrating calcium sulphate dihydrate, it is insoluble at high temperatures.

At room temperature, it will dissolve very slowly at .24g per 100 g of water as well as not absorbing moisture from the air. Finally, at temperatures below 300 degrees Celsius, soluble anhydrite will absorb water to form plaster of Paris (calcium sulphate hemihydrate).

CONSIDERATIONS AND DANGERS OF CALCIUM SULFATE

Fire and combustion: non-combustible, emits smoke and irritating or toxic gases in a fire.
If there is a fire in the surrounding area, use the appropriate extinguishers.
Inhaling it causes coughing. Use a local suction or respiratory protection for prevention. Fresh air, rest is useful.
Rinse the skin and then wash it with soap and water.
It makes the eyes red. Wear safety glasses. First, flush your eyes with plenty of water for a few minutes and remove contact lenses if possible, then seek medical attention.
Do not eat, drink or smoke while working with calcium sulfate. Rinse your mouth.
For personal protection, use a respirator (breathing mask) with a particle filter according to the airborne concentration of the substance.
Sweep spilled material into containers. If necessary, moisten first to prevent misting.
Based on the standards of the Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals of the United Nations (UN GHS), it has a safe classification based on the GHS criteria, and its transportation is also in the United Nations (UN) classification.
INHALATION HAZARD: When dispersed, it can quickly lead to disturbing concentrations of suspended particles.
Effects of short-term exposure: May cause mechanical irritation.
Effects of long-term or repeated exposure: Lungs may be affected by long-term or repeated exposure to dust particles.

CONCLUSION

Anhydrous and calcium sulphate and calcium hemihydrate appear as fine white powders and have no odour. Dihydrate can take on the form of a powder as well or as white lumps. The three main forms of calcium sulphate have a wide variety of uses extending across many different fields of industry.

If you’d like to enquire about calcium sulphate and its applications, contact us at RAHA Oil Co and our team of experts would be happy to offer some recommendations.