Influence of Gas Atmosphere on Removal of Sulphate Groups From Titanium Oxide

The studies were devoted to determination of the effect of gas atmosphere and its pressure on the second step of decomposition of hydrated titanium dioxide (HTD) promoted by sulfate groups. It has been found that thermal decomposition of HTD at temperatures above 300°C consists of a number of processes such as dehydroxylation, desulfuration, recrystallization and sintering of solid grains, photochemical processes (if the decomposition proceeds in the presence of light) and adsorption of gas phase components (in the presence of air or SO₂). Kinetic parameters characterizing this step of decomposition have been determined for processes carried out in vacuum and in argon or air atmospheres (at a pressure of 13.33hPa). The kinetic curves of decomposition carried out in the presence of gases capable of being adsorbed on the surface of partly dehydrated HTD are featured by local extrema due to simultaneous processes of decomposition and adsorption of gas components. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.