Titanium tetrachloride production
Metal chlorination and oxide carbochlorination

Carbochlorination of titanium oxides

The rutile (95% TiO₂) carbochlorination process was developed and then started in 1958 by Du Pont de Nemours.

Ilmenite, an ore less rich in TiO₂ and containing more iron oxide, is also used.

Fixed-bed or fluidized-bed carbochlorination of a rutile/coke mixture with chlorine gas takes place between 800 and 1,100°C. After gas filtration, the gaseous mixture is cooled, volatile chlorides such as T iCl₄, SiCl₄, FeCl₃ are condensed to the liquid state for the first two, then separated by distillation or filtration for FeCl₃.

T iCl₄ is then oxidized to T iO₂ by oxygen in a torch at temperatures above 1,500°C, and Cl₂ is recycled to the rutile etching section.

Applications of T...