Abstract
The volatilization of stibnite (Sb2S3) in nitrogen and mixtures of nitrogen-oxygen was investigated in the temperature range 973 K to 1423 K (700 °C to 1150 °C). The overall volatilization reaction study was carried out using a thermogravimetric analysis technique under various gas flow rates. The results indicated that in an inert atmosphere, stibnite can be volatilized most efficiently as Sb2S3(g) with a linear rate up to about 1173 K (900 °C). At temperatures above 1223 K (950 °C), stibnite decomposes to antimony and sulfur gas, impairing the antimony volatilization. For linear behavior in nitrogen gas, kinetic constants were determined, and an activation energy of 134 kJ/mol was calculated for the volatilization reaction. However, in the presence of oxygen, antimony can be volatilized efficiently as valentinite (Sb2O3) at low oxygen concentrations (approximately 1 to 5 pct) at approximately 1173 K to 1223 K (900 °C to 950 °C); otherwise, at higher partial pressures of oxygen, the volatilization of antimony is limited by the formation of nonvolatile cervantite (SbO2). In highly oxidizing atmospheres, a high vaporization of antimony could be achieved only at temperatures higher than 1423 K (1150 °C) where cervantite becomes unstable and decomposes into SbO(g) and 0.5O2(g).
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Acknowledgment
The authors acknowledge the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FONDECYT) of Chile for the financial support of this research through Project #1080296.
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Manuscript submitted March 23, 2010.
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Padilla, R., Ramírez, G. & Ruiz, M.C. High-Temperature Volatilization Mechanism of Stibnite in Nitrogen-Oxygen Atmospheres. Metall Mater Trans B 41, 1284–1292 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-010-9429-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-010-9429-6