D. I. Mendeleev Russian University of Chemical Technology (Moscow, Russia)

Kuzin E. N., Head of Chair, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor, kuzin.e.n@muctr.ru

The processing of titanium minerals is a strategically important sector of modern industry. Aerospace, medical, and food industries are major consumers of titanium compounds, driving the need for increased efficiency in processing ilmenite, the primary feedstock for titanium dioxide production. Depending on the processing stage and the raw material, titanium oxysulfate solutions may contains ubstantial iron(II) sulfate impurities, which significantly affect both the production process and the quality of the final titanium dioxide product. This study investigated the stability of sulfuric acid solutions of titanium oxysulfate, including both pure solutions and process solutions obtained during ilmenite processing. Hydrolysis processes were examined using spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP–AES). Particle size distribution was determined by dynamic light scattering. It was found that titanium-containing sulfate solutions exhibit significantly lower stability compared to hydrochloric acid solutions, even when the latter are contaminated with silicon tetrachloride. The rate of hydrolysis of titanium oxysulfate solutions decreases as their concentration increases, a phenomenon attributed to the high acidity and increased surface charge of the resulting meta- and orthotitanic acid nanoparticles. Furthermore, the presence of iron(II) sulfate impurities in titanium oxysulfate solutions was shown to inhibit the hydrolysis of titanium compounds, due to additional acidification of the medium and the high surface charge of iron hydroxide particles. These findings can be applied to the production of titanium dioxide via sulfuric acid processing of ilmenite, as well as to the processing of minerals such as pseudobrookite and arizonite for the development of advanced titanium-containing reagents.

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