Alumina from coal wastes through the formation of aluminum nitride

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Publication Type thesis
School or College College of Mines & Earth Sciences
Department Metallurgical Engineering
Author Dickson, Donna Myra
Title Alumina from coal wastes through the formation of aluminum nitride
Date 1982-12
Description The carbothermal reduction of coal wastes under a nitrogen atmosphere to form aluminum nitride and silicon carbide was carried out in the present study. The leaching of the aluminum nitride to subsequently produce aluminum hydroxide was also investigated. Thermodynamic and kinetic factors such as reaction time, temperature, particle size, mixing, pelletizing, excess carbon, and nitrogen flow rate were considered. A minimum temperature of 1350°C and a reaction time of 1-2 hours were needed to produce aluminum nitride. Up to 98% of the alumina originally present was converted to aluminum nitride. When the temperature became too high, or the reaction time too long, the formation of aluminum nitride dropped off. This hindered the ability to completely leach the aluminum nitride. Optimum reaction times at various temperatures were determined. The optimal leaching conditions were found to be one molar sodium hydroxide for two hours at boiling temperature. Approximately 70% of the aluminum nitride could be decomposed by leaching. Before precipitation of aluminum hydroxide, calcium hydroxide was added to remove the iron and silica impurities. The overall recovery of alumina was determined to range from 40-60%. Silicon carbide and ammonia are valuable by-products of the process.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Coal mine waste; Aluminum, Metallurgy.
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name MS
Language eng
Relation is Version of Digital reproduction of "Alumina from coal wastes through the formation of aluminum nitride." J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections, TN7.5 1982 .D53
Rights Management Donna Myra Dickson
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 3,169,115 bytes
Identifier undthes, 5399
Source Original: University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections
Master File Extent 3,169,115 bytes
ARK ark:/87278/s6gt5pxd
Setname ir_etd
ID 190695
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6gt5pxd