• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.183-188
• /
• 1983

The catalytic oxidation of $SO_2$ has been investigated in the presence of vacuum-activated 10 mol % Ni-doped ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ under various partial pressures of $SO_2\;and\;O_2$ at temperatures from 320 to $440{\circ}C$. Over the temperature range $320{\sim}440{\circ}C$, the activation energy is 13.8 $kcal{\cdot}mol^{-1}$. The oxidation rates have been correlated with 1.5 order kinetics; first order with respect to $SO_2$ and 0.5 order with respect to $O_2$. From the kinetic data and conductivity measurements, the adsorption, oxidation mechanism of $SO_2$ and the defect structure of vacuum-activated 10 mol % Ni-doped {\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ are suggested. $O_2\;and\;SO_2$ appear to be adsorbed essentially as ionic species. Two surface sites, probably an $O^{2-}$ lattice and an oxygen vacancy which is induced by Ni-doping, might be required to adsorb $SO_2\;and\;O_2$. The conductivity measurements and kinetic data indicate that the adsorption process of $SO_2\;{(SO_2+O^{2-}}_{(latt)}{\rightleftharpoons}{{SO_3}^-}_{(ads)}+e')$ is the rate-determining step.