Mordant
Aluminum Sulfate is used in the dying industry to produce bright colors on fabrics. A mordant is a substance that helps dyes stick to the fabric fibers. To use it, the alum is dissolved in hot water with colored dye. Then the fabric is submerged into the dye for a period of time. When the fabric is washed, the color is retained. Back in egyptian times, it helped the dyeing process as well.
Water Purification
Aluminum sulfate is added to water to remove impurities. It makes the impurities clump together and fall to the bottom of the container holding the water in a process called flocculation. The impurities are removed when the water is filtered. This is commonly used in ponds and pools to remove algae and in sewers to remove pollutants. Through this same process (flocculation) wastewater treatment centers can also help remove pollutants.
Leather Tanning
When hides of animals are processed to make leather, they are treated with chemicals in a process called tanning. During this process, aluminum sulfate is mixed with sodium chloride (common table salt), flour, and another salt called sodium carbonate and rubbed on the hides. The mixture sits on the hides for 24 hours before it is removed. This entire process is repeated several times. The mixture containing aluminum sulfate prevents the hides from decaying.
Fire Extinguishers
Some fires are so intense like an oil fire, water won’t be enough to put it out. You’ll need a foam to extinguish the fire instead. Aluminum sulfate reacts with sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) producing foam with carbon dioxide in it. The carbon dioxide extinguishes the fire.
Other use
- Helps control algae growth
- Adjust pH level in the soil to acidify the soil (reduce pH level)
- Create paper
- Fertilizer gardens
- Treat wastewater
Post time: Jun-24-2019