A sustainable sulfate process to produce TiO2 pigments

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a widely used white pigment. TiO2 production in 2006 was about 1,400,000 metric tons in the USA. The two major processes to manufacture TiO2 are the chloride process and the sulfate process. Currently, the TiO2 industry finds the waste generated in the chloride process less than the waste generated in the sulfate process in its present design, despite generating large quantities of process-related carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. As a consequence, the sulfate process appears less economical, notably due to the production of green vitriol, FeSO4 center dot 7H(2)O, as a major waste. Here, we describe a more sustainable sulfate process based on an earlier study on thermal decomposition of iron(II) sulfates. In the sustainable sulfate process, FeSO4 center dot 7H(2)O waste is used for greener production of sulfuric acid, H2SO4, used in turn for the digestion of ilmenite. Theoretical and actual yields of waste byproducts per metric ton of TiO2 produced are used to show the environmental and economic advantages of the sustainable sulfate process.