Thermodynamic studies on gas-based reduction of vanadium titano-magnetite pellets

Numerous studies have focused on the reduction thermodynamics of ordinary iron ore;by contrast, the literature contains few thermodynamic studies on the gas-based reduction of vanadium titano-magnetite (VTM) in mixed atmospheres of H2, CO, H2O, CO2, and N2. In this paper, thermodynamic studies on the reduction of oxidized VTM pellets were systematically conducted in an atmosphere of a C–H–O system as a reducing agent. The results indicate that VTM of an equivalent valence state is more difficult to reduce than ordinary iron ore. A reduction equilibrium diagram using the C–H–O system as a reducing agent was obtained;it clearly describes the reduction process. Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of the reduction temperature, the gas composition, and two types of iron ores on the reduction of oxidized VTM pellets. The results show that the final reduction degree increases with increasing reduction temperature, increasing molar ratio of H2/(H2 + CO), and decreasing H2O, CO2, and N2 contents. In addition, the reduction processes under various conditions are discussed. All of the results of the reduction experiments are consistent with those of theoretical thermodynamic analysis. This study is expected to provide valuable thermodynamic theory on the industrial applications of VTM.

Influence of microwave treatment on grinding and dissociation characteristics of vanadium titano-magnetite

The effect of microwave treatment on the grinding and dissociation characteristics of vanadium titano-magnetite(VTM) ore were investigated using scanning electron microscopy(SEM), nitrogen absorption measurements, particle size distribution measurements, X-ray diffraction(XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR) spectroscopic analysis, and magnetic separation. SEM analysis showed that microfractures appeared in the microwave-treated VTM, which is attributed to the microwaves' selective heating characteristic and the differential expansion between minerals and gangues. Nitrogen absorption showed that the microfractures were more pronounced when the microwave heating time was increased. Particle size distribution analysis showed that microwave treatment could improve the grindability of the VTM, thus increasing the weight percent of the fine-ground product. The increase in grindability was more significant with prolonged heating time. Moreover, the particle size distribution of the fine-ground product changed only slightly after the microwave treatment. XRD analysis showed that the crystallinity of the microwave-treated VTM increased with increasing microwave heating time. The magnetic separation tests revealed that the separation efficiency increased as a result of the intergranular fractures generated by microwave treatment. The Fe grade of the magnetic fraction of microwave-treated VTM was 1.72% higher than that of the raw ore. We concluded that the microwave treatment was beneficial, especially for the mineral processing characteristics.

Gas-based reduction of vanadium titano-magnetite concentrate:behavior and mechanisms

The reduction of vanadium titano-magnetite pellets by H_2-CO at temperatures from 850 to 1050°C was investigated in this paper. The influences of pre-oxidation treatment, reduction temperature, and V_（H_2）/（V_（H_2） ＋ VCO） on the metallization degree were studied. The results showed that pre-oxidation played a substantial role in the reduction of vanadium titano-magnetite pellets. During the reduction process, the metallization degree increased with increasing temperature and increasing V_（H_2） /（V_（H_2） ＋ VCO）. The phase transformation of pre-oxidized vanadium titano-magnetite pellets during the reduction process under an H_2 atmosphere and a CO atmosphere was discussed, and the reduced samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy（SEM） in conjunction with back scatter electron（BSE） imaging. The results show that the difference in thermodynamic reducing ability between H_2 and CO is not the only factor that leads to differences in the reduction results obtained using different atmospheres. Some of Fe_（3-x）Ti_xO_4 cannot be reduced under a CO atmosphere because of the densification of particles＇ structure and because of the enrichment of Mg in unreacted cores. By contrast, a loose structure of particles was obtained when the pellets were reduced under an H_2 atmosphere and this structure decreased the resistance to gas diffusion. Moreover, the phenomenon of Mg enrichment in unreacted cores disappeared during H_2 reduction. Both the lower resistance to gas diffusion and the lack of Mg enrichment facilitated the reduction of vanadium titano-magnetite.

Influence and mechanism of Indonesia vanadium titano-magnetite on metallurgical properties of iron ore sinter

In order to provide a reliable reference for utilizing Indonesia vanadium titano-magnetite(VTM) in blast furnace(BF) economically, metallurgical properties of iron ore sinter with addition of Indonesia VTM in mixed sintering materials were investigated, including low-temperature reduction degradation index(RDI), reducibility index(RI), and softening/melting properties. Additionally, influenced mechanism of Indonesia VTM on metallurgical properties of sinter was studied. It is found that adding Indonesia VTM in sintering process quickly increases the RDI of sinters, and decreases the RI from 78.02% to 68.43%. Moreover, both beginning temperature(T_4) and final temperature(TD) of softening/melting increase gradually, and cohesive zone temperature range(T_D–T_4) enlarges from 219 oC to 315 oC. As a result, the permeability of cohesive zone gets worse, which is proven by the higher maximum pressure drop(δPmax) in softening/melting experiments. It is concluded that, after comprehensively considering all metallurgical properties mentioned above, the proper proportion of Indonesia VTM in sintering process is proposed in the new raw materials conditions.

Reduction Kinetics of Vanadium Titano-Magnetite Carbon Composite Pellets Adding Catalysts Under High Temperature

Experiments were carried out by adding CaF2 and NaF as catalysts in an Ar atmosphere to study the isothermal reduction kinetics of vanadium titano-magnetite carbon composite pellets under high temperature in the range from 1 473 to 1 673 K. The scanning electron microscope （SEM） was used to characterize the microstructure of product. By analyzing reduction mechanism, it was found that the rate controlling step was gas diffusion, and the activation energy was 178.39 kJ/mol without adding any catalysts. Adding CaF2 or NaF of 3% to vanadium titano-magnetite carbon composite pellets can decrease the apparent activation energy of reduction, and the decrease extent was 14.95 and 15.79 kJ/mol, respectively. In addition, temperature was an important factor influencing on reaction rate.

Influence of Coating MgO on Sticking and Functional Mechanism during Fluidized Bed Reduction of Vanadium Titano-magnetite

The vanadium titano-magnetite （VTM） iron ore fines of 110--150/xm in diameter were reduced in a trans- parent quartz fluidized bed by 70 %CO-30 % H2 （volume fraction） mixtures. MgO powders served as coating agent to solve sticking problem. Two coating methods were introduced in this experiment： high temperature injection method and briquetting→oxidizing roast→crushing method. According to the experimental results, the minimum effective coating amount of MgO was 0. 1 mass%. The metallization ratio （MR） of the product rose from around 58% to above 90% with the above treatments. To investigate the sticking mechanism of fine ore, the morphology evolution was in- vestigated. Instead of iron whiskers, an interlaced fibrous porous surface formed. The ulvospinel （2FeO ： TiO2 ） in VTM is more difficult to be reduced than FeO according to thermodynamic calculation. XRD results showed that MgO diffused into Fe203 lattice before forming pleonaste （MgO · Fe2O3 ） during oxidizing roast at 1273 K. The melting point of the pleonaste is 1986 K and that made contribution to prevent the sticking problem.

Formation of Hearth Sediment during Vanadium Titano-magnetite Smelting in Blast Furnace No.7 of Chengde Iron and Steel Company

The large quantity of sediment produced in the hearth during vanadium titano-magnetite smelting in a blast furnace（BF） affects the stability of the blast furnace operation. Testing and analysis of the sediment in the hearth of Chengde Iron and Steel Company？s BF No.7 revealed that it was mainly concentrated in the location below the tuyere and above the iron notch. Notably, some of the bonding material（sediment） consisted of greater than 50% pig iron, and the pig iron distributed in the slag was granular. It is proposed that a large quantity of Ti C and Ti（C,N） are deposited on the surface of the pig iron. These high melting point materials mix with iron drops, preventing the slag from flowing freely, thus leading to the formation of bonding materials. In addition, the viscosity and melting temperature of the slag in the tuyere areas fluctuate greatly, and thus the properties of the slag are unstable. Moreover, the slag contains large quantities of carbon, which results in the reduction of Ti O2. The resultant precipitation of Ti is followed by the formation of Ti C in the slag, which also leads to an increase in the viscosity of the slag and difficulty in achieving separation of the slag-iron. In fact, all of these factors interact with each other, and as a result, sediment is formed when the operating conditions in the hearth fluctuate.

Release kinetics of vanadium from vanadium titano-magnetite：The effects of pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and foreign ions

As part of a broader study of the environmental geochemistry behavior of vanadium（V）, the release kinetics of V from the dissolution of natural vanadium titano-magnetite under environmentally relevant conditions was investigated. In both the acidic and basic domains, the V release rate was found to be proportional to fractional powers of hydrogen ion and dissolved oxygen activities. The dependence of the rate on dissolved oxygen can also be described in terms of the Langmuir adsorption model. The empirical rate equation is given by： r= k′α（H＋）α（Kα（O2））/（1＋Kα（O2）） where, α = 0.099–0.265, k′ = 3.2 × 10-6–1.7 × 10-5, K =2.7 × 104–3.9 × 104 mol/L in acid solution（pH 4.1）, and α =-0.494-（-0.527）, k′ = 2.0 × 104–2.5 × 10-11, and K = 4.1 × 103–6.5 × 103 mol/L in basic solution（pH 8.8） at 20°C. Based on the effect of temperature on the release rate of V, the activation energies of minerals at p H 8.8 were determined to be 148–235 k J/mol, suggesting that the dissolution of vanadium titano-magnetite is a surface-controlled process. The presence of Na＋, Ca2＋, Mg2＋, K＋, NO3-, Cl-, SO42-and CO32-was found to accelerate the V release rates. This study improves the understanding of both the V pollution risk in some mine areas and the fate of V in the environment.

MIL-100(V) derived porous vanadium oxide/carbon microspheres with oxygen defects and intercalated water molecules as high-performance cathode for aqueous zinc ion battery

The development of aqueous zinc ion battery cathode materials with high capacity and high magnification is still a challenge.Herein,porous vanadium oxide/carbon(p-VO_(x)@C,mainly VO_(2) with a small amount of V_(2)O_(3)) core/shell microspheres with oxygen vacancies are facilely fabricated by using a vanadium-based metal-organic framework(MIL-100(V)) as a sacrificial template.This unique structure can improve the conductivity of the VO_(x),accelerate electrolyte diffusion,and suppress structural collapse during circulation.Subsequently,H_(2)O molecules are introduced into the interlayer of VO_(x) through a highly efficient in-situ electrochemical activation process,facilitating the intercalation and diffusion of zinc ions.After the activation,an optimal sample exhibits a high specific capacity of 464.3 mA h g^(-1) at0.2 A g^(-1) and 395.2 mA h g^(-1) at 10 A g^(-1),indicating excellent rate performance.Moreover,the optimal sample maintains a capacity retention of about 89.3% after 2500 cycles at 10 A g^(-1).Density functional theory calculation demonstrates that the presence of oxygen vacancies and intercalated water molecules can significantly reduce the diffusion barrier for zinc ions.In addition,it is proved that the storage of zinc ions in the cathode is achieved by reversible intercalation/extraction during the charge and discharge process through various ex-situ analysis technologies.This work demonstrates that the p-VO_(x)@C has great potential for applications in aqueous ZIBs after electrochemical activation.

Synergism of preintercalated manganese ions and lattice water in vanadium oxide cathodes for high-capacity and long-life Zn-ion batteries

Aqueous Zn-ion batteries(AZIBs)are recognized as a promising energy storage system with intrinsic safety and low cost,but its applications still rely on the design of high-capacity and stable-cycling cathode materials.In this work,we present an intercalation mechanism-based cathode materials for AZIB,i.e.the vanadium oxide with pre-intercalated manganese ions and lattice water(noted as MVOH).The synergistic effect between Mn^(2+)and lattice H_(2)O not only expands the interlayer spacing,but also significantly enhances the structural stability.Systematic in-situ and ex-situ characterizations clarify the Zn^(2+)/H^(+)co–(de)intercalation mechanism of MVOH in aqueous electrolyte.The demonstrated remarkable structure stability,excellent kinetic behaviors and ion-storage mechanism together enable the MVOH to demonstrate satisfactory specific capacity of 450 mA h g^(−1)at 0.2 A g^(−1),excellent rate performance of 288.8 mA h g^(−1)at 10 A g^(−1)and long cycle life over 20,000 cycles at 5 A g^(−1).This work provides a practical cathode material,and contributes to the understanding of the ion-intercalation mechanism and structural evolution of the vanadium-based cathode for AZIBs.

Mo Doping and Electrochemical Activation Co-Induced Vanadium Composite as High-Rate and Long-Life Anode for Ca-Ion Batteries

Calcium-ion batteries have been considered attractive candidates for large-scale energy storage applications due to their natural abundance and low redox potential of Ca^(2+)/Ca.However,current calcium ion technology is still hampered by the lack of high-capacity and long-life electrode materials to accommodate the large Ca^(2+)(1.00Å).Herein,an amorphous vanadium structure induced by Mo doping and in-situ electrochemical activation is reported as a high-rate anode material for calcium ion batteries.The doping of Mo could destroy the lattice stability of VS4 material,enhancing the flexibility of the structure.The following electrochemical activation further converted the material into sulfide and oxides co-dominated composite(defined as MoVSO),which serves as an active material for the storage of Ca^(2+)during cycling.Consequently,this amorphous vanadium structure exhibits excellent rate capability,achieving discharge capacities of 306.7 and 149.2 mAh g^(-1)at 5 and 50 A g^(-1)and an ultra-long cycle life of 2000 cycles with 91.2%capacity retention.These values represent the highest level to date reported for calcium ion batteries.The mechanism studies show that the material undergoes a partial phase transition process to derive MoVSO.This work unveiled the calcium storage mechanism of vanadium sulfide in aqueous electrolytes and accelerated the development of high-performance aqueous calcium ion batteries.

Bioleaching of vanadium from stone coal vanadium ore by Bacillus mucilaginosus:Influencing factors and mechanism

Vanadium and its derivatives are used in various industries,including steel,metallurgy,pharmaceuticals,and aerospace engineering.Although China has massive reserves of stone coal resources,these resources have low grades.Therefore,the effective extraction and recovery of metallic vanadium from stone coal is an important way to realize the efficient resource utilization of stone coal vanadium ore.Herein,Bacillus mucilaginosus was selected as the leaching strain.The vanadium leaching rate reached 35.5%after 20 d of bioleaching under optimal operating conditions.The cumulative vanadium leaching rate in the contact group reached 35.5%,which was higher than that in the noncontact group(9.3%).The metabolites of B.mucilaginosus,such as oxalic,tartaric,citric,and malic acids,dominated in bioleaching,accounting for 73.8%of the vanadium leaching rate.Interestingly,during leaching,the presence of stone coal stimulated the expression of carbonic anhydrase in bacterial cells,and enzyme activity increased by 1.335-1.905 U.Enzyme activity positively promoted the production of metabolite organic acids,and total organic acid content increased by 39.31 mg·L^(-1),resulting in a reduction of 2.51 in the pH of the leaching system with stone coal.This effect favored the leaching of vanadium from stone coal.Atomic force microscopy illustrated that bacterial leaching exacerbated corrosion on the surface of stone coal beyond 10 nm.Our study provides a clear and promising strategy for exploring the bioleaching mechanism from the perspective of microbial enzyme activity and metabolites.

Multiple-dimensioned defect engineering for graphite felt electrode of vanadium redox flow battery

The scarcity of wettability,insufficient active sites,and low surface area of graphite felt(GF)have long been suppressing the performance of vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs).Herein,an ultra-homogeneous multipledimensioned defect,including nano-scale etching and atomic-scale N,O codoping,was used to modify GF by the molten salt system.NH_(4)Cl and KClO_(3) were added simultaneously to the system to obtain porous N/O co-doped electrode(GF/ON),where KClO_(3) was used to ultra-homogeneously etch,and O-functionalize electrode,and NH4Cl was used as N dopant,respectively.GF/ON presents better electrochemical catalysis for VO_(2)+/VO_(2)+ and V3+/V2+ reactions than only O-functionalized electrodes(GF/O)and GF.The enhanced electrochemical properties are attributed to an increase in active sites,surface area,and wettability,as well as the synergistic effect of N and O,which is also supported by the density functional theory calculations.Further,the cell using GF/ON shows higher discharge capacity,energy efficiency,and stability for cycling performance than the pristine cell at 140 mA cm^(−2) for 200 cycles.Moreover,the energy efficiency of the modified cell is increased by 9.7% from 55.2% for the pristine cell at 260 mA cm^(−2).Such an ultra-homogeneous etching with N and O co-doping through“boiling”molten salt medium provides an effective and practical application potential way to prepare superior electrodes for VRFB.

Unraveling high efficiency multi-step sodium storage and bidirectional redox kinetics synergy mechanism of cobalt-doping vanadium disulfide anode

Sodium-based storage devices based on conversion-type metal sulfide anodes have attracted great atten-tion due to their multivalent ion redox reaction ability.However,they also suffer from sodium polysul-fides(NaPSs)shuttling problems during the sluggish Na^(+) redox process,leading to"voltage failure"and rapid capacity decay.Herein,a metal cobalt-doping vanadium disulfide(Co-VS_(2))is proposed to simulta-neously accelerate the electrochemical reaction of VS_(2) and enhance the bidirectional redox of soluble NaPSs.It is found that the strong adsorption of NaPSs by V-Co alloy nanoparticles formed in situ during the conversion reaction of Co-VS_(2) can effectively inhibit the dissolution and shuttle of NaPSs,and ther-modynamically reduce the formation energy barrier of the reaction path to effectively drive the complete conversion reaction,while the metal transition of Co elements enhances reconversion kinetics to achieve high reversibility.Moreover,Co-VS_(2) also produce abundant sulfur vacancies and unsaturated sulfur edge defects,significantly improve ionic/electron diffusion kinetics.Therefore,the Co-VS_(2) anode exhibits ultrahigh rate capability(562 mA h g^(-1) at 5 A g^(-1)),high initial coulombic efficiency(~90%)and 12,000 ultralong cycle life with capacity retention of 90%in sodium-ion batteries(SIBs),as well as impressive energy/power density(118 Wh kg^(-1)/31,250 W kg^(-1))and over 10.000 stable cycles in sodium-ion hybrid capacitors(SIHCs).Moreover,the pouch cell-type SIHC displays a high-energy density of 102 Wh kg^(-1) and exceed 600 stable cycles.This work deepens the understanding of the electrochemical reaction mechanism of conversion-type metal sulfide anodes and provides a valuable solution to the shuttlingofNaPSs inSIBsandSIHCs.

Vanadium oxide nanospheres encapsulated in N-doped carbon nanofibers with morphology and defect dual-engineering toward advanced aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Vanadium-based electrodes are regarded as attractive cathode materials in aqueous zinc ion batteries(ZIBs)caused by their high capacity and unique layered structure.However,it is extremely challenging to acquire high electrochemical performance owing to the limited electronic conductivity,sluggish ion kinetics,and severe volume expansion during the insertion/extraction process of Zn^(2+).Herein,a series of V_(2)O_(3)nanospheres embedded N-doped carbon nanofiber structures with various V_(2)O_(3)spherical morphologies(solid,core-shell,hollow)have been designed for the first time by an electrospinning technique followed thermal treatments.The N-doped carbon nanofibers not only improve the electrical conductivity and the structural stability,but also provides encapsulating shells to prevent the vanadium dissolution and aggregation of V_(2)O_(3)particles.Furthermore,the varied morphological structures of V_(2)O_(3)with abundant oxygen vacancies can alleviate the volume change and increase the Zn^(2+)pathway.Besides,the phase transition between V_(2)O_(3)and Zn_XV_(2)O_(5-m)·n H_(2)O in the cycling was also certified.As a result,the as-obtained composite delivers excellent long-term cycle stability and enhanced rate performance for coin cells,which is also confirmed through density functional theory(DFT)calculations.Even assembled into flexible ZIBs,the sample still exhibits superior electrochemical performance,which may afford new design concept for flexible cathode materials of ZIBs.

Revealing the role of calcium ion intercalation of hydrated vanadium oxides for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Exploring suitable high-capacity V_(2)O_(5)-based cathode materials is essential for the rapid advancement of aqueous zinc ion batteries(ZIBs).However,the typical problem of slow Zn^(2+)diffusion kinetics has severely limited the feasibility of such materials.In this work,unique hydrated vanadates(CaVO,BaVO)were obtained by intercalation of Ca^(2+)or Ba^(2+)into hydrated vanadium pentoxide.In the CaVO//Zn and BaVO//Zn batteries systems,the former delivered up to a 489.8 mAh g^(-1)discharge specific capacity at 0.1 A g^(-1).Moreover,the remarkable energy density of 370.07 Wh kg^(-1)and favorable cycling stability yard outperform BaVO,pure V_(2)O_(5),and many reported cathodes of similar ionic intercalation compounds.In addition,pseudocapacitance analysis,galvanostatic intermittent titration(GITT)tests,and Trasatti analysis revealed the high capacitance contribution and Zn^(2+)diffusion coefficient of CaVO,while an in-depth investigation based on EIS elucidated the reasons for the better electrochemical performance of CaVO.Notably,ex-situ XRD,XPS,and TEM tests further demonstrated the Zn^(2+)insertion/extraction and Zn-storage mechanism that occurred during the cycle in the CaVO//Zn battery system.This work provides new insights into the intercalation of similar divalent cations in vanadium oxides and offers new solutions for designing cathodes for high-capacity aqueous ZIBs.

Insights into the hydrogen evolution reaction in vanadium redox flow batteries:A synchrotron radiation based X-ray imaging study

The parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in the negative half-cell of vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs)causes severe efficiency losses.Thus,a deeper understanding of this process and the accompanying bubble formation is crucial.This benchmarking study locally analyzes the bubble distribution in thick,porous electrodes for the first time using deep learning-based image segmentation of synchrotron X-ray micro-tomograms.Each large three-dimensional data set was processed precisely in less than one minute while minimizing human errors and pointing out areas of increased HER activity in VRFBs.The study systematically varies the electrode potential and material,concluding that more negative electrode potentials of-200 m V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)and lower cause more substantial bubble formation,resulting in bubble fractions of around 15%–20%in carbon felt electrodes.Contrarily,the bubble fractions stay only around 2%in an electrode combining carbon felt and carbon paper.The detected areas with high HER activity,such as the border subregion with more than 30%bubble fraction in carbon felt electrodes,the cutting edges,and preferential spots in the electrode bulk,are potential-independent and suggest that larger electrodes with a higher bulk-to-border ratio might reduce HER-related performance losses.The described combination of electrochemical measurements,local X-ray microtomography,AI-based segmentation,and 3D morphometric analysis is a powerful and novel approach for local bubble analysis in three-dimensional porous electrodes,providing an essential toolkit for a broad community working on bubble-generating electrochemical systems.

Weakly Polarized Organic Cation-Modified Hydrated Vanadium Oxides for High-Energy Efficiency Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries

Vanadium oxides,par-ticularly hydrated forms like V_(2)O_(5)·nH_(2)O(VOH),stand out as promising cathode candidates for aqueous zinc ion batteries due to their adjustable layered structure,unique electronic characteristics,and high theoretical capacities.However,challenges such as vanadium dissolution,sluggish Zn^(2+)diffusion kinetics,and low operating voltage still hinder their direct application.In this study,we present a novel vanadium oxide([C_(6)H_(6)N(CH_(3))_(3)]_(1.08)V_(8)O_(20)·0.06H_(2)O,TMPA-VOH),developed by pre-inserting trimethylphenylammonium(TMPA+)cations into VOH.The incorporation of weakly polarized organic cations capitalizes on both ionic pre-intercalation and molecular pre-intercalation effects,resulting in a phase and morphology transition,an expansion of the interlayer distance,extrusion of weakly bonded interlayer water,and a substantial increase in V^(4+)content.These modifications synergistically reduce the electrostatic interactions between Zn^(2+)and the V-O lattice,enhancing structural stability and reaction kinetics during cycling.As a result,TMPA-VOH achieves an elevated open circuit voltage and operation voltage,exhibits a large specific capacity(451 mAh g^(-1)at 0.1 A g^(-1))coupled with high energy efficiency(89%),the significantly-reduced battery polarization,and outstanding rate capability and cycling stability.The concept introduced in this study holds great promise for the development of high-performance oxide-based energy storage materials.

Research and prospect on extraction of vanadium from vanadium slag by liquid oxidation technologies

A series of innovative green metallurgical processes using novel reaction media including the NaOH/KOH sub-molten salt media and the NaOH-NaNO3 binary molten salt medium, for the extraction of vanadium and chromium from the vanadium slag have been developed. In comparison with the traditional sodium salt roasting technology, which operates at 850 ℃, the operation temperatures of these new processes drop to 200-400 ℃. Further, the extraction rates of vanadium and chromium utilizing the new approaches could reach 95% and 90%, respectively, significantly higher than those in the traditional roasting process, which are 75% and approximate zero, respectively. Besides, no hazardous gases and toxic tailings are discharged during the extraction process. Compared with the conventional roasting method, these new technologies show obvious advantages in terms of energy, environments, and the mineral resource utilization efficiency, providing an attractive alternative for the green technology upgrade of the vanadium production industries.

Extraction of vanadium from molten vanadium bearing slag by oxidation with pure oxygen in the presence of CaO

A novel process of vanadium extraction from vanadium slag in its molten state was conducted at the laboratory scale by oxidation with pure oxygen in the presence of CaO. The effect of mass ratio of CaO to V2O5 on the recovery of vanadium was studied. The sintered samples were leached by H2SO4 solution and characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM and EDS techniques. Compared with the roasting process, the energy saving effect of the proposed process was also discussed. The results showed that vanadium-rich phases were formed and vanadium mainly existed in the forms of CaV2O5 and Ca2V2O7. The formation mechanism of calcium vanadates in the molten vanadium bearing slag was explained. The XRD and XPS results implied that there was a limit to the oxidation reaction of V(IV) to V(V) under the high temperatures even though oxygen-supply was sufficient. An increase in the CaO content led to an increase in the formation of Ca2V2O7. About 90%of the vanadium recovery was obtained under optimal experiment conditions (mass ratio of CaO to V2O5 of 0.6, particle size 120 to 150μm, leaching temperature 90 °C, leaching time 2 h, H2SO4 concentration 20%, liquid to solid ratio 5:1 mL/g, stirring speed 500 r/min). The energy of 1.85×106 kJ could be saved in every 1000 kg of vanadium bearing slag using the proposed process from the theoretical calculation results. Recovery of vanadium from the molten vanadium bearing slag and utilisation of its heat energy are important not only for saving metal resources, but also for energy saving and emission reduction.