Rates of reaction of SO2 with metal oxides

Rates of sorption of SO₂ from synthetic flue gas by 14 metal oxides were determined. These oxides had been selected for their potential applicability to processes for removing SO₂ from flue gas using thermal regeneration of sorbent. Measurements were performed using thermogravimetric analysis, and rates were fitted to semi-empirical expressions; CeO₂, Co₃O₄, Cr₂O₃, CuO, Fe₂O₃, and NiO displayed measurable rates in the range 200° to 500°C, and were converted to sulphates. Rates were immeasurably small at 25° to 800°C for Al₂O₃, Sb₂O₅, SnO₂, TiO₂, V₂O₅, WO₃, ZnO, and ZrO₂, CuO and CeO₂ showed the highest rates