Vapour phase titanium production

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 90, No. 1008, 1997

D.G. Tisdale, Falconbridge Ltd., Falconbridge, Ontario and J.M. Toguri, Department of Metallurgy & Materials Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, W. Curlook, Goro Nickel, S.A., Nouma, New Caledonia

In this study, the vapour phase reduction of titanium tetrachloride conforms to the traditional Kroll chemistry, but employs argon as an inert carrier gas and requires a higher reaction temperature of 1150°C to 1250°C. A vapour phase reaction is advantageous because titanium is the only condensed phase present, and the metal can be collected free of magnesium or magnesium chloride, in marked contrast to the titanium sponge produced by the conventional Kroll process. The yield of metallic titanium from the reaction was determined as magnesium additions ranged from 36% to 168% of the stoichiometric requirement. Yields of over 99% were obtained when an excess of magnesium was present. Although the collection efficiency was low, metallic titanium was collected at the reaction site, where all other species were present as vapours. Magnesium and chlorine concentrations in the collected titanium were less than 0.3%.

Mots Clés: Metallurgy, Titanium.