EFFECT OF LEAD CHLORIDE ON THE GROWTH AND SURFACE PROPERTIES OF POTASSIUM CHLORIDE CRYSTALS FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

摘要

Pure potassium chloride (KC1) and lead chloride (PbCl_2)-doped KC1 crystals were grown from saturated aqueous solutions by a solvent evaporation process. The effects of Pb~(2+) on the surface morphology, structural and mechanical properties of KC1 crystal were investigated. The surface morphology of the cubic structured crystals was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and the elemental mappings at the microstructural level were determined by energy dispersive X-ray. (EDX) spectroscopy. The mass growth rate was found to decrease when the Pb~(2+) ions were present and the volume growth flux was also found to decrease with time and initial concentration of impurity. A Vickers micro-hardness study shows that Pb-doped KC1 crystals are harder than pure KC1 crystals.