Chloride Process:
The ilmenite or rutile ore is treated with coke and chlorine at a temperature of 950.C so as to form Titanium Chloride. The prepared Titanium Chloride is purified by distillation process. The distilled Titanium Chloride is oxidized with oxygen enriched air at a temperature of 1000.C. Rutile powder is formed as the final product.
The chemical reactions happening in the above process can be summarised as follows.
- Ore + C + Cl2 —> TiCl4 + CO2 + CO
- TiCl4 + O2 + N2 —> TiO2 + 2Cl2 + N2
Most of commercial grade Titania Powder is prepared by this process also.
To be contd…
