INVESTIGATION OF THE REACTION BETWEEN FE2O3 AND SI ACTIVATED BY BALL-MILLING

The path of the reaction between Fe2O3 and Si, activated by high energ y ball milling, has been investigated by X-ray diffraction and Mossbau er spectroscopy. Hematite reduction involves oxygen transfer from Fe t o Si with the formation of intermediate phases containing Fe(II), whic h are then reduced to Fe(0). A steady state is reached in the milling process where the reduction of stoichiometric amounts of Fe2O3 and Si is not complete and an amount of Fe(II) in an amorphous matrix still r emains. The same intermediate compounds are also observed in the milli ng process of mixtures with higher Fe2O3/Si molar ratio.