Exploring the electrochemical reduction: iron particle dissolution

New publication in Chemical Engineering Science

2024/03/04

The evolution of the particle morphology during dissolution follows three different phases.

Picture: Maximilian Lausch

Suspended iron oxide particles and shape detection (Lausch et al. 2024).
Picture: Maximilian Lausch

Evolution of the particle number and of shape parameters (Lausch et al. 2024).

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Electrochemical reduction of iron oxides is a promising route to storing renewable energy in iron. By dissolving the iron oxide and using electrolysis, higher overall efficiencies are possible than with thermochemical reduction using green hydrogen.

Lausch and collaborators at Clean Circles studied the dissolution behavior of ferric oxide particles using oxalic acid. It was found that the process can be separated into three phases, whose contribution to the dissolution depends on temperature, light exposure, hydrodynamic boundary conditions and morphological particle characteristics.

The pulications

M. Lausch, P. Brockmann, F. Schmitt, B. J. M. Etzold, and J. Hussong, “In-situ iron oxide particle size and shape evolution during the dissolution in oxalic acid,” Chemical Engineering Science, vol. 289, p. 119864, May 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.ces.2024.119864.