What Is Magnesium Phosphate?
Magnesium phosphate is the general term for phosphates formed by magnesium and phosphoric acid. Magnesium phosphate is commonly known as primary, secondary, and tertiary magnesium phosphate, magnesium pyrophosphate, and magnesium metaphosphate. All magnesium phosphates are usually white powders in appearance and are stable compounds under normal handling. The most commonly used method of producing magnesium tertiary phosphate is to react to magnesium ammonium phosphate in an alkaline ammonia solution to obtain octahydrate.
Uses of Magnesium Phosphate
Magnesium phosphate has a wide variety of compositions, and various uses are known for magnesium phosphate depending on its composition. For example, ferrous magnesium phosphate is used as a raw material for ceramics and as a dental burial agent.
Diphosphoric magnesium phosphate is used in refractory binders and petrochemical catalysts, and tertiary magnesium phosphate is used in toothpaste stabilizers and phosphorus and magnesium supplements.
One particularly familiar use of magnesium phosphate, monophosphate, is widely used in dietary supplements that provide magnesium and as a pH adjuster in foods.