采用碱性水电解法并设计了相应的由氧化铁直接制备金属铁的实验装置。将氧化铁粉末压制成圆形薄片(Φ10 mm×1.6 mm),空气气氛下烧结后作为阴极,石墨碳棒作阳极。以质量分数50%的NaOH溶液为电解质,电解温度110℃,电解电压1.6 V,电解时间1~5 h。产物经过SEM、EDX和XRD等分析表明:通过碱性水电解可以直接制备得到金属铁。电解反应过程分两步进行,先由Fe2O3生成Fe3O4,然后再由Fe3O4得到金属铁。
Direct preparation of iron metal without greenhouse gas emission was performed by electrolysis in an aqueous alkaline medium.Sintered pressed cylindrical pellet of Fe2O3(Ф 10 mm×1.6 mm)was directly electrolyzed to purity iron at 110 ℃ and 1.6 V for 1~5 h in the NaOH solution.The laboratory scale experiments showed that the ferric oxide could be directly reduced to iron metal,the reduction process proceeded through two steps,i.e.,from Fe2O3 to Fe3O4 and then to Fe.The process offered an energy efficient alternative process for the production of iron metal from iron ore.