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We have a pilot atomization setup where we atomize molten tin to produce tin powder. Unfortunately a lot of tin is wasted and oxidized.

I have found this video on which looks promising. Is this the best way of reducing tin oxide? Or do you know of anything better / effective?

Thanks!

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The video shows the "purification" of zinc metal (probably covered with an oxide layer) by heating/reacting it with powdered carbon.

This is a very common process to reduce metal oxides to the corresponding metals. In turn, carbon is oxidized to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The most prominent example is the production of iron from iron oxide in a blast furnace.

However for some metals, this fails and metal carbides are formed instead.

For tin oxide, the reduction with carbon (or coke) is an established industrial process.

Alternatively, the reduction of tin oxide can can be achieved using hydrogen, see Materials Transactions, 2011, 52, 1814-1817 (PDF).

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you Klaus! Is there any acidic medium I can introduce this hydrogen by? Or should I stick to creating an atmosphere of hydrogen gas under high pressures and temperatures? $\endgroup$
    – DBTKNL
    Nov 28, 2016 at 11:41
  • $\begingroup$ @DBTKNL In the linked document, the reductions were performed at 500-750 °C in under a hydrogen atmosphere (= hydrogen gas) between 0.3 and 1 bar. However, that was on an analytical scale. $\endgroup$
    – Klaus-Dieter Warzecha
    Nov 28, 2016 at 11:59

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