Iron oxide

Description

Ferric oxide as a catalyst in solid propellant and pyrotechnic compounds, reduces the degradation temperature and act as a high- rate burning catalyst.

Iron oxide

Iron oxide is a compound made from iron and oxygen. There are 16 known iron oxides and oxyhydroxides, the most famous of which is rust, a type of ferric oxide. Iron oxides and oxyhydroxides are widespread and play important roles in many geological and biological processes. They are used in iron ore, pigments, catalysts, thermites and are contained in hemoglobin. Iron oxide is a cheap and permanent pigment found in paints, coatings, and colored concrete. Commonly available colors are on the “soil” edge of the yellow / orange / red / brown / black range. When used as a food coloring, the E number is E172.

Iron(III) oxide

Iron(III) oxide is the oxidation of the iron products, where it can be prepared in the laboratory by electrolyzing sodium bicarbonate solution, which is an inert electrolyte including an iron anode:4Fe+3O2+2H2O→4FeO(OH)

Iron (III) oxide, otherwise called ferric iron, is one of the three main oxides of iron. It is abbreviated as Fe2O3 and is actually a naturally-occurring mineral known as hematite. Readily attacked by acids, Iron (III) oxide is what most people know as rust.

Iron oxides are commonly used components in a wide variety of manufacturing process. They’re integral for several high-throughput applications that result in some of today’s most prominent commercial goods. Noah Chemicals supplies a wide variety of iron oxides to manufacturers all over the country in various purities and amounts.

Here are three common manufacturing applications for these unique compounds.

1. Iron/Steel Feedstock Ferric iron is the main source of iron for the entire steel industry. Steel itself is an alloy made of iron, carbon, and several other elements, but iron is the base metal and makes up over 95% of the atomic structure of steel. The process of ironmaking also utilizes iron (III) oxide as a base metal. As construction and building continue to rebound, use of iron oxides to manufacture structural components for use within the industries is expected to grow significantly.

1. Pigment Production Because of its striking red color, iron (III) oxide is considered a valuable pigment for use in a wide variety of manufacturing processes. Known within the industry as “pigment 6,” “pigment 7,” or “pigment red 101,” the material can be derived naturally from hematite or produced synthetically in a lab. Some iron oxide pigments have been approved by the FDA for use within cosmetics manufacturing; other pigments are primarily used within the construction industry for coatings, paints, and other industrial finishes. Transparent iron oxide pigments are also sold commercially as staining products, such as wood stain for decking. Iron oxide pigments can easily be blended to create a wide array of earth-toned colors.

3. Magnetic Tape Manufacturing Magnetic tape energizes an electromagnet to affect a recording medium. In practice, the magnetic medium readily “picks up” the polarity transferred onto it but does not easily lose that polarity after the fact. These tapes have applications in video recording, data recording, and particularly within auto recording, as well as on the back of credit cards. Iron (III) oxide is the most common magnetic particle used for making magnetic storage tape; it was once the most commonly used medium for computer data storage but has been overtaken by cobalt alloys and other thinner, higher-storage solutions.

Iron (III) oxide and other iron oxides are crucial to the success of a staggering number of modern manufacturing processes. Industrial demand for iron oxides is expected to increase dramatically over the coming years as industries like construction continue to thrive.

Other Uses of Iron Oxide Fe2O3

Let us look at the uses of iron oxide in various industries, listed below.

Polishing

A very fine powder of the ferric oxide is called “red rouge,” “jeweler’s rouge,” or just as a rogue. It can be used to put the final polish on the lenses and metallic pieces of jewelry, and historically, as a cosmetic. This rouge cuts more slowly than a few modern polishes, like cerium(IV) oxide, but still, it is used by jewelers for the superior finish it can produce and in the optics fabrication. The rouge slightly stains the gold when polishing gold, which contributes to the appearance of the finished piece.

PigmentIron

oxide can also be used as a pigment, under the names “Pigment Brown 6”, “Pigment Brown 7”, “Pigment Red 101”. A few of them as examples are Pigment Brown 6, Pigment Red 101, which are approved by the US Food & Drug Administration – FDA, for cosmetics use. In addition, iron oxides can be used as pigments in dental composites alongside titanium oxides.

Hematite is one of the characteristic components of the Swedish paint color Falu red.

Medicine

Calamine lotion, which is used to treat mild itchiness, is chiefly composed of a combination of zinc oxide, by acting as an astringent, and around 0.5% iron(III) oxide, the active ingredient of the product, acting as an antipruritic. The red color iron(III) oxide is also primarily and widely responsible for the familiar pink color lotion.

Ako as your Iron oxide supplier:

AKO7 is a leading supplier of iron oxide to manufacturers worldwide. We sell iron oxides in a wide range of purities and quantities, and our in-house quality assurance programs ensure that the product is as described every time.

For questions about the role of iron oxide and its products in your manufacturing process or our other chemical products, contact our experienced team today!