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CHAPTER 9:

INDUSTRIAL INORGANIC
CHEMISTRY
(9.1 and 9.2)

EXTRACTION OF METALS
- Iron
using reduction by
carbon
- Zinc
using reduction by carbon and
- Copper - purified using electrolysis
- Aluminium - using electrolysis

EXTRACTION OF IRON
- Use of iron ore (hematite
or Fe2O3 ).
- Furnace is loaded with
charge , which consists of
iron ore, coke (a form of
carbon made from coal) and
limestone (calcium
carbonate).
- Limestone is used to
remove impurities (sand as
slag of calcium silicate).
- Ore is sintered or heated
with coke and limestone.
- Carbon burns with the hot
air sent into the furnace.

REMOVING IMPURITIES

The major impurities of iron ore (hematite)


which is silica ( SiO2).

Limestone (CaCO3) is used and decomposed to


lime ( CaO) to react with the silica (SiO2) to
produce calcium silicate (CaSiO3) or the slag on
top of the iron.
REACTIONS:

STEEL MAKING
- Uses pig iron or
cast iron produced
by the blast furnace
which is not pure and
contains about 4%
carbon (making iron
brittle) and other
impurities.
- Carbon content is
reduced by burning it
off as CO2 and sulfur
contamination is
oxidised to SO2 (The
basic oxygen process)

Rusting of iron and its prevention


Rust
- a red-brown powder
consisting mainly of
hydrated iron (III) oxide.
- Caused by water,
oxygen and salt.
- Seawater and acid rain
can increase the rate at
which iron objects rust.

Rust prevention
-Painting
-Oiling and greasing
-Plastic coatings
-Electroplating
-Galvanising
-Sacrificial protection
-Electrolytic
protection

EXTRACTION OF ZINC
- Use of zinc ore: zinc blende ZnS
- Converting zinc blende to
sulfide by heating.

- ZnO is heated in a blast


furnace with coke to reduce
oxide to metal Zn.

EXTRACTION OF COPPER
- Use of copper ore : copper pyrites
CuFeS2.
- The concentrated ore is heated in
excess supply of air in the furnace:
2CuFeS2 + O2 Cu2S + 2FeS + SO2
- Then oxidation of the sulfide:
2Cu2S + 3O2 2CuO + 2SO2

- Reduction of oxide with carbon:


2CuO + C 2Cu + CO2
- Purified copper used specifically for
electrical wiring must be refined or
purified by electrolysis.

EXTRACTION OF METALS
- Iron
using reduction by
carbon
- Zinc
using reduction by carbon and
- Copper - purified using electrolysis
- Aluminium - using electrolysis

EXTRACTION OF ALUMINIUM
BY ELECTROLYSIS

Three- stage process ( The HallHroult process):


1. mining the ore
2. purification of the molten ore
3. electrolysis of the molten ore

Industrial electrolysis is used for


extracting aluminum from its
mineral ore, bauxite.
The bauxite ore is first treated
with sodium hydroxide NaOH to
obtain pure aluminium oxide
Al2O3 or alumina.
Al2O3 is dissolved in molten
cryolite or sodium aluminium
fluoride Na3AlF6 to lower the
working temperature of the
electrolytic cell.

Cryolite can reduce to melting


point of alumina form 2030oC to
9000C thus provides a
considerable saving in energy
costs.

The mixture is electrolysed


between graphite electrode.

Molten aluminium is attracted to


the cathode:

Oxygen is released at the anodes:

At the high temperature of the cell


oxygen reacts with carbon of the
anode to form CO2

Aluminium
Copper
- Used for overhead - Used for domestic
power (strengthen
with steel core)
cables because it
conducts electricity
well, has low
density very
resistant to
corrosion.
- Leakage of power
is prevented by
ceramic materials

cables because it is
a very good
conductor of
electricity .
- Covered or
sheathed in plastic
as insulation.

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