Abstract:
Thermal dehydration characteristics of hydrated salts have been critically reviewed. Structural characteristics of salts, especially the nature of bonding of water molecules wit h the metal ion, occurrence of melting, nucleation and growth of product phase, diffusional escape of water etc. which affect the rate of dehydration have been discussed. The dehydration characteristics of CuSO4 center dot 5H(2)O, Li2SO4 center dot H2O and CaC2O4 center dot H2O have been specially discussed as typical examples of widely studied salts.