Preparation of High-Purity Iron by Means of Ammonium Chloride Complexes

A method for the preparation of high-purity iron via the chlorination of a mixture containing iron(III) oxide by ammonium chloride with the subsequent decomposition of the intermediate product to iron(III) chloride, its sublimation, and further reduction in a hydrogen flow was proposed. The reaction between ammonium chloride and iron(III) oxide and the thermal decomposition of the ammonium chloride complex were thermogravimetrically studied. The conditions and energetic characteristics of these reactions were determined. The method was tested on iron-containing raw materials. The impurities in the end product of reduction by hydrogen were 0.25%.