The chlorination kinetics of zirconium dioxide in the presence of carbon and carbon monoxide

Abstract

Chlorination of zirconium dioxide, an important step in the commercial production of reactor grade zirconium metal, has been studied using carbon and carbon monoxide as reductants. Zirconium tetrachloride was produced when the oxide was reacted with chlorine alone above 1000°C; by introducing carbon the reaction temperatures could be lowered 200°C, and when carbon monoxide was used the reaction temperatures necessary for similar rates were even lower. With carbon monoxide the chlorination of zirconium dioxide is described by two regions differentiated by temperature and the dependence of reaction rate upon chlorine and carbon monoxide pressures.