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Strontium phosphate

Strontium phosphate is the phosphate salt of strontium, with the molecular formula Sr<sub>3</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>. It is a white solid insoluble in water.

Preparation and properties

Strontium phosphate is commonly produced by the reaction of soluble strontium compounds, such as strontium nitrate, and a phosphate source, such as phosphoric acid or tripotassium phosphate, in water, resulting in a white precipitate of the tetrahydrate:

3 Sr(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub> + 2 K<sub>3</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> + 4 H<sub>2</sub>O → Sr<sub>3</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>·4H<sub>2</sub>O↓ + 6 KNO<sub>3</sub>

Under water, the tetrahydrate slowly hydrolyses to strontium hydroxyapatite (Sr<sub>10</sub>(PO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>6</sub>(OH)<sub>2</sub>). The tetrahydrate decomposes to the anhydrous form when heated to 900 °C.

The anhydrous form can be produced without the presence of water, to avoid hydrolysis, by the heating of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate and strontium carbonate at 1030 °C and 30 MPa of pressure.

References