Acidic and reductive dissolution of magnetite in aqueous sulfuric acid: Site-binding model and experimental results

The open circuit dissolution of ionic metal oxides in mineral acids is modelled assuming that the rate is controlled by the transfer of metal ions in hydrolytic equilibrium with bulk metal ions, from the metal oxide surface to the Stern plane. The site-binding model of the double layer metal oxide/electrolyte solution is used to obtain the pH dependence of surface and Stern potentials. The nature of the active sites is discussed and their surface concentration is assumed to be proportional to suface charge σ₀. Again, the site-binding model is used to detemine the pH dependence of σ₀. It is thus shown that the rate order in c_H⁺ is essentially defined by the potential dependence of the charge transfer process, for oxides with points of zero charge near neutrality that dissolve in mildly or strongly acidic solutions. The role of surface complexation is also discussed in terms of the site-binding model and the difficulties in interpreting dissolution experiments under constant external applied potential are discussed in terms of the complexity of the semiconductor oxide/electrolyte solution interfacial region in magnetite.An experimental study of the open circuit dissolution of magnetite in sulfuric acid is presented and interpreted according to the proposed model.The reductive dissolution of magnetite is modelled by extension of the Valverde-Wagner model of oxide dissolution. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate that the reductive dissolution rate of magnetite in ferrous containing solutions is controlled by the rate of electron transfer from adsorbed Fe(II) to Fe(III) surface states of magnetite.