Precipitation (chemistry)

: "Precipitate" redirects here, for the Interpol EP see Precipitate (EP)

Related Topics:
Interpol - EP - Precipitate (EP)

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Precipitation is the condensation of a solid from a solution during a chemical reaction. This occurs when the solution is supersaturated (this includes the obvious case that an insoluble compound is present). In this situation, the solid forms from the solute phase, and usually sinks to the bottom of the solution(though it will float if less dense than the solvent).

Related Topics:
Solid - Solution - Chemical reaction - Supersaturated - Insoluble

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This effect is useful in many industrial and scientific applications whereby a chemical reaction may produce a solid that can be collected from the solution by various methods (e.g. filtration, decanting, centrifuging). Precipitation from a solid solution is also a useful way to strengthen alloys.

Related Topics:
Solid solution - Strengthen - Alloy

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An important stage of the precipitation process is the onset of nucleation. The creation of a hypothetical solid particle includes the formation of an interface, which requires some energy based on the relative surface energy of the solid and the solution. If this energy is not available, and no suitable nucleation surface is available, supersaturation occurs.

Related Topics:
Nucleation - Surface energy - Supersaturation

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