Sorbitol → Aluminum Citrate Sorbitol Hydroxide

Participants

Reaction Steps

800 g of sorbitol, 600 g of aluminum chloride hexahydrate, and 250 g of citric acid monohydrate were dissolved in 3000 g of water at 70° C. with stirring to produce a solution. The pH of the solution was raised to about 8 by adding an aqueous solution containing 20 wt % of sodium hydroxide. After the addition of NaOH, a colorless and transparent nanocluster solution having a strong laser scattering characteristic was then obtained instantly. This strong laser scattering property indicated formation of magnesium citrate sorbitol hydroxide nanoclusters. The nanoclusters were further isolated by adding ethanol into the solution to precipitate the magnesium citrate sorbitol hydroxide nanoclusters. Or the nanoclusters were isolated from the solvent and free ions through a cross-flow membrane filtration device using a membrane with a molecular weight cut-off at 3500 Dalton. The isolated nanoclusters were further dried in an oven at 80° C. to form a solid.

Provenance & Evidence