What is iron oxide?
Magnetite and hematite are the main minerals of iron oxide with the chemical formula of Fe3O4 and Fe2O3, respectively, that are the most widely used chemical compounds. Magnetite and hematite either occur naturally or can be synthesized industrially; and sixteen different types of iron oxides are identified. Also, limonite with the chemical formula of FeO(OH).nH2O is one of the three principal iron ores. It consists of a mixture of hydrated iron (III) oxide-hydroxides in various compositions, which is used as a pigment in dye manufacturing.
Hematite and magnetite are the main source of iron for industrial production of steel and cast iron. Pure and high-quality hematite minerals, like the hematite mine of Hormuz Island in Iran, are used for cosmetic production.
For the iron and cast iron extraction, the iron ore must consist of 40% of Fe to be efficient economically.
Generally, synthetic Fe3O4 has higher purity because of using pure reactants, and it is possible to produce iron oxides with different colors.
Synthetic iron oxide, without silica impurity, is used for the production of different ferrite magnets which are ceramic materials made by mixing iron (III) oxide with one or more divalent metal elements such as strontium, barium, manganese, nickel, and zinc.
Iron oxide production method
Iron hydroxide heating
This method is suitable for manufacturing of high quality iron oxide, which is required for cosmetics production. In the first step, the temperature of iron sulfate solution is increased to 65° C in a mixing tank and then the liquid sodium hydroxide is added to the tank and increases pH to 6. In this chemical condition, iron oxide-hydroxide (limonite) is produced. Increasing temperature to 90 °C and pH to 9, in the presence of air flow, lead to magnetite production. These two products are separated and filtrated, and after drying and grinding are ready for sale. In this reaction, sodium sulfate is a byproduct that can be extracted by crystallization.
Heating the limonite in the furnace, results in different colors at different temperatures range. The yellow limonite changes to orange, red, brown, and black with increasing the temperature.
Drying iron chloride
The iron chloride solution is sprayed into a spray dryer at 300 °C and due to drying, iron chloride is converted to Fe3O4. The quality of this product is unsatisfactory because of chloride contamination and limited its application in medical and cosmetic productions, however it can be used as pigment.
The Fe3O4, which is used in dye production, must be completely powdered to fine particles. In order to pulverize Fe3O4 particles, grinding equipment such as ball mill, Raymond mill, or jet mill are generally applied.
Applications of iron oxide
- Used in steel and cast iron production
- Pigment and dye production
- Used in production of refractory mortars and bricks
- Used in dying tiles, ceramics, mosaics, and production of colored floors and paving
- Production of body lotions
- Production of livestock and poultry feed
- Production of ferrite magnets
Hamun industrial group, manufacturer of powdered iron oxide, with desirable industrial and agricultural quality and with the lowest amount of impurities, is ready to produce, supply and sell iron oxide.
- Purity: higher than 98%
- Seeding: Powder 600 – 1500 mesh
- packing:25 kg and 1000 kg big bags.
