Effects of Reaction Temperature and Time on the Aluminothermic Reduction of Magnesia
The present paper focuses on the experimental investigation of the aluminothermic reduction of magnesia under vacuum condition with the fixed magnesia to aluminum molar ratio of 11:6. The influences of reaction temperature and time on the reduction ratio of magnesia were studied. The chemical composition, phase constitution and morphology of the condensed magnesium and the briquettes after thermal reduction were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry. The reduction ratio of magnesia increases with the increase in the reaction temperature and time. The briquettes after thermal reduction at 1050°C-1150°C are mainly composed of the spinel, unreacted magnesia and aluminum. The briquette after 1 hrs thermal reduction at 1200°C contains corundum, magnesium aluminium oxide, trace amount of spinel, unreacted MgO and aluminium.