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Volume 115
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Agglomeration-abrasion-oriented strategy for spherical crystallization design: The case of aluminum fluoride
Shubo Liu a 1, Jiantao Yan a 1, Shengzhe Jia a, Ke Yu c, Huamin Yin c, Shulin Chen c, Weiwei Tang a b *, Junbo Gong a b *
a School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Low-Carbon Technology, The Co-Innovation Center of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Tianjin, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
b Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, Tianjin, 300192, China
c Yunnan Yuntianhua Fluorine Chemical Co., Ltd, Kunming, 650228, China
10.1016/j.partic.2026.04.025
Volume 115, August 2026, Pages 1-14
Received 12 February 2026, Revised 16 March 2026, Accepted 20 April 2026, Available online 12 May 2026, Version of Record 20 May 2026.
E-mail: wwtang@tju.edu.cn; junbo_gong@tju.edu.cn
Highlights

• Microcrystals spontaneously adhere and embed in solution to form dense AFT spheres.

• An additive-free agglomeration-abrasion strategy can be used to prepare AFT spheres.

• RSM quantified multi-factor interactions, yielding AFT spheres of 90.7% circularity.

• Synergy of temperature and stirring drives the AFT spherical crystallization process.

• Optimized spherical AFT exhibits significantly improved powder properties.


Abstract

Aluminum fluoride (AlF3) is an essential industrial material widely used in aluminum electrolysis and ceramics, yet its performance depends critically on the powder properties of its precursor, aluminum fluoride trihydrate (AFT). However, conventional AFT crystals suffer from irregular morphologies, leading to poor flowability, low bulk density, and severe caking. In this study, we successfully prepared highly spherical AFT particles in an additive-free aqueous solution. Through integrated offline and in-situ analyses, we elucidated the AFT spherical agglomeration mechanism dominated by an "agglomeration-abrasion" process. Guided by this mechanism, key process parameters, including temperature, stirring rate, and residence time, were systematically optimized using response surface methodology. Under the optimized conditions, the resulting AFT particles achieved an average circularity of 90.74% and a high yield of 85.7%. Compared to commercial powders, the optimized spherical AFT exhibited maximum improvements of 30.1% in bulk density and 41.4% in flowability, along with significantly enhanced anti-caking properties. The combination of spherical morphology and high yield enhances batch capacity while offering potential for continuous production, providing a green and cost-effective route for the industrial manufacturing of high-quality AFT powders.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Spherical particles; Aluminum fluoride trihydrate; Response surface methodology; Spherical agglomeration
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