Thermodynamic and Kinetic Studies for Intensifying Selective Decomposition of Zinc Ferrite

A novel method to intensify the selective decomposition of zinc ferrite by a roasting process including reduction and magnetization stages was proposed. The relevant thermodynamic analysis with HSC [enthalpy (H), entropy (S) and heat capacity (C)] Chemistry 5.0 and experimental research on a laboratory scale were investigated. The thermodynamic calculations show that increasing the temperature and the CO amount promote not only the decomposition of zinc ferrite but also the formation of wustite, which can be converted to magnetite using sufficient CO2 at 823 K. The experimental results indicate that the zinc ferrite was decomposed into zinc oxide and wustite by reduction roasting under a gas mixture of 20% CO, 20% CO2 and 60% N2 at 1023 K for 90 min, and the decomposition degree of zinc ferrite reached 94%. Then, the generated wustite was transformed into magnetite by magnetization roasting under CO2 atmosphere at 823 K for 75 min, after which the selective extraction of zinc from zinc ferrite could be well achieved by low acid leaching. Increasing temperature and time were conducive to the magnetization within low temperature range, but when the temperature was above 823 K the zinc ferrite could be regenerated.