Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/220498

Title

Thermal separation of arsenic and antimony oxides

Author(s)

Brooks, Geoffrey A.;  Rankin, W. J.;  Gray, N. B.

Abstract

Experiments were carried out to remove arsenic from antimony trioxide by two techniques: first, by selectively volatilizing the more volatile arsenic trioxide from a mixed oxide sample; and, second, by selectively condensing the less volatile antimony tetroxide at high temperatures, leaving arsenic trioxide to condense out at a lower temperature. Thermodynamic analysis of the As-Sb-O system indicated that if arsenic and antimony oxides behave like pure solid phases, then there is no limitation to producing pure antimony oxide by these proposed techniques. The selective volatilization experiments were carried out at 379 degrees Celsius to 587 degrees Celsius, using both nitrogen and air as carrier gases and an industrial antimony trioxide fume containing 13.8 wt pct As. The results showed it is difficult to achieve an arsenic content below 5.0 wt pct using either air or nitrogen, and formation of solid solutions between arsenic and antimony trioxides appears to be the main barrier to the removal of arsenic. Selective condensation experiments were carried out in which a mixed oxide vapor was progressively cooled through a series of condensers over a controlled temperature profile. Injection of oxygen into the vapor improved separation, and antimony tetroxide containing as low as 0.23 wt pct As was obtained. The recovery of antimony tetroxide in the experiments seems to have been limited by kinetic factors, and the results suggest that high conversions to antimony tetroxide are likely to be achieved only in antimony-rich vapors.

Publication type

Journal article

Source

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, Vol. 25, no. 6 (Dec 1994), pp. 873-884

Publication year

1994

FOR Code(s)

0904 Chemical Engineering;  0914 Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy

Keyword(s)

Antimony;  Arsenic;  Kinetics;  Thermal separation

Publisher

Springer

ISSN

1073-5615

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02662769

Copyright

Copyright © 1994.

Peer reviewed