Formation and Mechanism of Magnesium Titanate in the Process of Ilmenite Reduction

ABSTRACT

In this study, magnesium titanate was prepared through the high-temperature reaction of ilmenite and MgO in a reducing atmosphere, and its formation process and mechanism under different conditions were investigated. The results showed that a reducing atmosphere is necessary to prepare magnesium titanate. Although Mg could replace Fe and form magnesium titanate without reductant, the generated magnesium titanate contained large amounts of iron. While a reducing atmosphere promoted the formation of magnesium titanate and accelerated the reaction rate, this is because iron oxide in the reaction system is reduced to metal Fe under a reducing atmosphere. The effect of iron reduction improved, the content of iron in the magnesium titanate decreased with increasing temperature, and pure particles of magnesium titanate were generated at 1450°C. Magnesium titanate was transformed along MgTi₂O₅→MgTiO₃→Mg₂TiO₄ path with increasing MgO dosage. The magnesium titanate product, contains above 90% Mg₂TiO₄, was obtained by grinding and magnetic separation as non-magnetic product.

KEYWORDS:

• Ilmenite
• magnesium titanate
• carbonthermic reduction
• formation process

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the support of the Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51474018; 21906093) and the Postdoctoral Sustentation Fund, China (Grant No. 2018M631488).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.