KINETICS OF SOLID‐PHASE REACTIONS OF CERTAIN CARBONATES WITH MULLITE, SILICA, AND ALUMINA*

Abstract

ABSTRACT Quantitative measurements of the rates at several temperatures of reactions between carefully sized solids have been made by determining the amount of CO 2 evolved as a function of the time. While the absolute rate is a function of grain size and other factors, the temperature coefficient gives a constant characteristic of the chemical system involved. The reaction product is found to lessen the speed of reaction in accordance with the relation, dyjdt = k/y , where y is the thickness of the layer of reaction product. Under comparable conditions, sodium carbonate attacks mullite most easily, with less attack on quartz, and least on corundum. The activity of calcium carbonate on mullite, quartz, and corundum is considerably less marked. Applications to glass melting and to corrosion of refractories by alkali or alkali‐earth dusts are discussed. A table of values of the function, , for positive integral value of x form 1 to 100 is included.