Carbon reduction and thermite process are two essential metallurgical procedures. As such, we make use of these procedures primarily for industrial requirements. The carbon reduction is described as a phase of smelting; smelting has to do with the use of heat applied to a metal ore in the reality of deduction metabolism, which is carbon. The significant difference between the carbon reduction and thermite process shows that in carbon reduction, we can take out a base metal from its ore through the deduction of fused metal oxide, making use of carbon. In contrast, in the thermite process, we make use of aluminium powder rather than carbon. Although in the thermite process, the same procedure is applied with aluminium powder rather than carbon.
What is Carbon Reduction?
Carbon reduction is described as a procedure by which we can remove a metal from a fused metal oxide with carbon. Here, carbon functions as a deduction metabolism. In this procedure, we can acquire free metal from the metal oxide in the ore. Also, this technique is eligible for metals like iron, zinc, copper, etc. First, in this procedure, we are required to combine the burnt or calcined ore with an eligible amount of coke or charcoal, which are the best bases of carbon. After that, we are required to apply heat. It needs an increased temperature. It will ultimately deteriorate the metal ore by removing other chemical components through slag or gases and allowing the metal behind in a complementary form. Primarily, we are required to carry out this procedure in a blast furnace in the presence of a regulated air supply. If we intend to separate the metal zinc from its ore, the carbon reduction response follows ZnO + C > Zn +CO.
Furthermore, we are required to put in an extra reagent to the ore to take out the adulterant still available in the ore. We refer to it as” Flux”. Also, this flux can mix with the impurities and produce a fusible product described as slag.
What is Thermite Process?
The thermite process is described as a method whereby we can remove metal from its ore using aluminium powder. Further, this procedure lessens the metal oxide into free metal. The lessening metabolism is aluminium. However, manganese and chromium are the significant metals we can take out from this pattern.
Difference Between Carbon Reduction and Thermite Process
Carbon reduction and thermite process are two methods we can use to separate a metal from its oxide compound. The significant difference between the carbon reduction and thermite process shows that, in carbon reduction, we can take out a based metal from its ore through the deduction of fused metal oxide, making use of carbon. In contrast, in the thermite process, we can make use of aluminium powder rather than carbon. When we consider their response tenets, the difference between carbon reduction and the thermite process shows that in carbon reaction, carbon accesses its indictments to the metallic cations, modifying the charge of the metal from positive to zero. Therefore, we can finally acquire the free metal. In thermite, aluminium is more highly electropositive than manganese and chromium. Consequently, it can supersede the metal in the oxide compound. Iron, copper, and zinc are the types of metals we can remove from the carbon reduction procedure. In contrast, the metals we can remove from the thermite process are chromium and manganese.
