Study on copper ferrite dissolution in sulphuric acid

In this research, dissolution of synthesized copper ferrite in aqueous sulphuric acid was investigated where temperatures were varied from 323 K to 343 K and sulphuric acid concentration from 1 M to 3 M. Effects of Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺ and SO₄ ^2- were also studied. The experimental results have shown that in the initial period of dissolution, the rate of copper was greater than the of iron, leaving the Fe₂O₃ layer outside. After a long dissolution period, the stoichiometric dissolution of copper and iron was attained as CuFe₂O₄ + 8 H⁺ = Cu⁺ +2 Fe³⁺ + 4 H₂O. Increase is temperature and acid concentration lead to an increase in the dissolution rate. However, increases in Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺ or SO₄ ^2- decreased the dissolution rate due to the decrease in hydrogen ion activity.