Oxides form iron

General corrosion involving water and steel generally results from chemical action where the steel surface oxidizes, forming iron oxide (rust). Many of the systems and components in the plant are made from iron. 

Chlorine reacts with most elements, both metals and non-metals except carbon, oxygen and nitrogen, forming chlorides. Sometimes the reaction is catalysed by a trace of water (such as in the case of copper and zinc). If the element attacked exhibits several oxidation states, chlorine, like fluorine, forms compounds of high oxidation state, for example iron forms iron(III) chloride and tin forms tin(IV) chloride. Phosphorus, however, forms first the trichloride, PCI3, and (if excess chlorine is present) the pentachloride PCI5. 

Reaction (13.4) is exothermic and reversible, and begins at about 700 K by Le Chatelier s Principle, more iron is produced higher up the furnace (cooler) than below (hotter). In the hotter region (around 900 K), reaction (13.5) occurs irreversibly, and the iron(II) oxide formed is reduced by the coke [reaction (13.6)] further down. The limestone forms calcium oxide which fuses with earthy material in the ore to give a slag of calcium silicate this floats on the molten iron (which falls to the bottom of the furnace) and can bo run off at intervals. The iron is run off and solidified as pigs —boat-shaped pieces about 40 cm long. 

Alkali metal haHdes can be volatile at incineration temperatures. Rapid quenching of volatile salts results in the formation of a submicrometer aerosol which must be removed or else exhaust stack opacity is likely to exceed allowed limits. Sulfates have low volatiHty and should end up in the ash. Alkaline earths also form basic oxides. Calcium is the most common and sulfates are formed ahead of haHdes. Calcium carbonate is not stable at incineration temperatures (see Calcium compounds). Transition metals are more likely to form an oxide ash. Iron (qv), for example, forms ferric oxide in preference to haHdes, sulfates, or carbonates. SiHca and alumina form complexes with the basic oxides, eg, alkaH metals, alkaline earths, and some transition-metal oxidation states, in the ash. 

Hydrogenis prevented from forming a passivating layer on the surface by an oxidant additive which also oxidizes ferrous iron to ferric iron. Ferric phosphate then precipitates as sludge away from the metal surface. Depending on bath parameters, tertiary iron phosphate may also deposit and ferrous iron can be incorporated into the crystal lattice. When other metals are included in the bath, these are also incorporated at distinct levels to generate species that can be written as Zn2Me(P0 2> where Me can represent Ni, Mn, Ca, Mg, or Fe. 

Nitric acid reacts with all metals except gold, iridium, platinum, rhodium, tantalum, titanium, and certain alloys. It reacts violentiy with sodium and potassium to produce nitrogen. Most metals are converted iato nitrates arsenic, antimony, and tin form oxides. Chrome, iron, and aluminum readily dissolve ia dilute nitric acid but with concentrated acid form a metal oxide layer that passivates the metal, ie, prevents further reaction. 

Hydrogen sulfide reacts with iron oxide [1317-61 -9] to form iron sulfide, according to the following chemical reaction ... 

The treatment units used for color removal are the same as those used for turbidity removal. However, the pH must be increased prior to filtration so that the metal hydroxides are removed by the filters. At low pH values, metal ions or their soluble complexes readily pass through the filters and form insoluble species in storage tanks and in the distribution system. For iron salts, it is important that the pH be greater than 6 as the oxidation of iron(II) to iron(III) occurs rapidly above this pH in the presence of dissolved oxygen or other strong oxidants (18). 

Figure 12.21 Cavitation damage on the internal surface of the condenser tube. Note longitudinal crack. The surfaces are covered with orange, air-formed iron oxides that formed subsequently to the removal of the condenser tube.

Figure 17.8 The black outer covering is corrosion product the reddish-hrown surface is coated with air-formed iron oxide.

The difference in stability between FeO and NiO is not as large as that between iron and copper oxides, and so the preferential oxidation of iron is not so marked in pentlandite. Furthermore, the nickel and iron monoxides form a continuous series of solid solutions, and so a small amount of nickel is always removed into die oxide phase (Table 9.2). 

Stable oxides, such as those of clrromium, vanadium and titanium cannot be reduced to the metal by carbon and tire production of these metals, which have melting points above 2000 K, would lead to a refractoty solid containing carbon. The co-reduction of the oxides widr iron oxide leads to the formation of lower melting products, the feno-alloys, and tlris process is successfully used in industrial production. Since these metals form such stable oxides and carbides, tire process based on carbon reduction in a blast furnace would appear to be unsatisfactory, unless a product samrated with carbon is acceptable. This could not be decarburized by oxygen blowing without significairt re-oxidation of the refractory metal. 

The hydrolysis (which in the case of Fe produces acidic solutions) is virtually absent, and in aqueous solution the addition of C03 does not result in the evolution of CO2 but simply in the precipitation of white FeC03. The moist precipitate oxidizes rapidly on exposure to air but in the presence of excess CO2 the slightly soluble Fe(HC03)2 is formed. It is the presence of this in natural underground water systems, leading to the production of FeC03 on exposure to air, followed by oxidation to iron(III) oxide, which leads to the characteristic brown deposits found in many streams. 

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