Position in the crystal structure Some hydrogen-bonding contacts in FeSO 4♷H 2O.
The hydration and dehydration of salts is central to the use of phase-change materials for energy storage. The reactivity of many salt-like solids is sensitive to the presence of water. Knowledge of hydration is essential for calculating the masses for many compounds. A water content of 50% is not uncommon for proteins. Water of crystallization can generally be removed by heating a sample but the crystalline properties are often lost.Ĭompared to inorganic salts, proteins crystallize with large amounts of water in the crystal lattice.
Upon crystallization from water, or water-containing solvents, many compounds incorporate water molecules in their crystalline frameworks. Classically, 'water of crystallization' refers to water that is found in the crystalline framework of a metal complex or a salt, which is not directly bonded to the metal cation. In some contexts, water of crystallization is the total mass of water in a substance at a given temperature and is mostly present in a definite ( stoichiometric) ratio. Water is often incorporated in the formation of crystals from aqueous solutions. In chemistry, water(s) of crystallization or water(s) of hydration are water molecules that are present inside crystals.
