THE KINETICS OF SILICA REDUCTION

Abstract

In thia thesis an attempt has been made to resolve the existing ambiguity regarding the nature of silica reduction reaction, that is, to determine whether the reaction is chemically controlled or transport controlled. A review of the research work on the kinetics of silica reduction has been presented, leading to a postulated reaction mechanist!. Iha experiments were performed in a critically designed apparatus in which the reduction of solid silica by carbonsaturated iron was studied in the temperature range of 1300 to 1COO°C. The rate of evolution of carbon monoxide due to the reaction was measured. The results are in accord with a transport control mechanism in which the diffusion of oxygen in the iron was assumed to be the rate limiting factor.