Magnetite dissolution behaviour

Duncan and Frankenthal report on the effect of pH on the corrosion rate of gold in sulphate solutions in terms of the polarization curves. It was found that the rate of anodic dissolution is independent of pH in such solutions and that the rate controlling mechanism for anodic film formation and oxygen evolution are the same. For the open circuit behaviour of ferric oxide films on a gold substrate in sodium chloride solutions containing low iron concentration it is found that the film oxide is readily transformed to a lower oxidation state with a Fe /Fe ratio corresponding to that of magnetite . 

As the radical tends to disproportionate, the rate of dissolution gradually decreases. Addition of EDTA to the system greatly enhances the dissolution owing to the formation of Fe -EDTA which dissolves the oxide via a thermal pathway. In the presence of 2-propanol, the Fe -EDTA is continually regenerated and thus acts as a catalyst. Similar behaviour has been observed for magnetite particles (Segal Sellers, 1984). 

Blesa, M.A. Maroto, A.J.G. (1986) Dissolution of metal oxides. J. chim. phys. 83 757—764 Blesa, M.A. Matijevic, E. (1989) Phase transformation of iron oxides, oxyhydroxides, and hydrous oxides in aqueous media. Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 29 173-221 Blesa, M.A. Borghi, E.B. Maroto, A.J.G. Re-gazzoni, A.E. (1984) Adsorption of EDTA and iron-EDTA complexes on magnetite and the mechanism of dissolution of magnetite by EDTA. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 98 295-305 Blesa, M.A. Larotonda, R.M. Maroto, A.J.G. Regazzoni, A.E. (1982) Behaviour of cobalt(l 1) in aqueous suspensions of magnetite. Colloid Surf. 5 197-208... 

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