Reduction kinetics of Fe2MoO4 fine powder by hydrogen in a fluidized bed

Iron molybdate (Fe2MoO4) powders with an average particle size of 100 mum were reduced by hydrogen using a fluidized-bed batch reactor in the temperature range of 923 to 1173 K. The extent of the reaction was followed as a function of time by gas chromatography. The fluidizing-gas velocity was set at about 1.5 times the minimum fluidization velocity. The ratio of the height of the static bed to its diameter is about 1. Under the prevailing experimental conditions, it was found that the chemical reaction was the rate-controlling factor. The activation energy for this process was 158 +/- 17 kJ/mol. The crystal size of the Fe2Mo powder produced at lower temperatures was in the nanometer range, indicating the possibility of mass production of alloys and intermetallics in the nanorange, using a fluidized bed.