Arenn
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Registered: 25-3-2019
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Possible synthetic routes to TiO2 from Ti metal?
Hey all, I was trying to find a method that begins with elemental titanium metal, and would allow me to synthesize pigment-grade titanium dioxide.
I know that both the sulfate and chloride methods produce TiO2 of sufficient grade, but it seems that as for the sulfate process, besides buying
titanium minerals (where titanium is already oxidized) I'm kind of out of luck. The chloride method (convert to TiCl4, react with oxygen to make TiO2)
is probably more feasible.
In short, I wish to oxidize titanium metal either directly, or through the titanium tetrachloride process. I'm not seeing much literature about it -
I'm not after nanomaterials.
Thanks all in advance!
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unionised
International Hazard
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"I'm not seeing much literature about it -"
Tar's because it would make little sense.
White paint is much cheaper than titanium but...
Dissolve the Ti in warm conc HCl to get TiCl3
Add base to get Ti(OH)3
Oxidise to TiO2 with air.
More entertaining, but less sensible
React Ti with hot chlorine to get TiCl4
Open the container of TiCl4 to get clouds of TiO2 from reaction between moisture in the air and TiCl4
Is there some reason why simply burning the Ti to produce TiO2 is not good enough?
[Edited on 14-8-20 by unionised]
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Arenn
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D'oh, forgot that I could just do that... I certainly feel foolish.
In any case, that prep looks reasonable and is likely what I will end up going with. I am (hopefully) preparing pigment-grade TiO2, so chemical
precipitation will likely be of greater quality than just burning the titanium powder. Thank you very much!
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violet sin
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Lol, you could spend a pile of time to fabricate a nice place cathode for a bleach cell/chlorate cell... And put the MMO as cathode while digesting
your new plate electrode.... At least it looks cool. Water was all scummy with peach colored flocculent suspension of titanium hydroxide/oxides ...
Disappointing morning that was, but it could work for you
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unionised
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Pigment grade TiO2 is, I understand, carefully coated with SiO2 to prevent photocatalysed damage to the other components of the paint. It's also got a
carefully controlled particle size distribution and crystal form.
Good luck.
On the other hand, for a long time in spectroscopy labs a standard way to make a surface white was to hold it in the smoke from burning magnesium.
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AJKOER
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Heating/igniting a mix of metal titanium with NaO2 appears to be a path to TiO2 per Atomistry.com on TiO2 (see http://titanium.atomistry.com/titanium_dioxide.html), to quote:
"the metal is oxidised by sodium peroxide"
I would perform this path only in small amounts in an open vessel as mixing powdered metals and a good oxidizer can get energetic (which could be
quite an understatement).
Personally, I would first try a simple galvanic cell with Ti as a solid metal (low surface area) and Carbon (high surface area) in strong aqueous
bleach (or, if unsuccessful, weakly partially acidified NaOCl forming a HOCl presence but likely also resulting in some free Cl2 gas release, so
perform outdoors with safety equipment). Jump start the reaction in a microwave.
[Edited on 16-8-2020 by AJKOER]
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