Q.The process of purification of metal represented by the following equation is called: Ti + 2I2 --(773 K)--> TiI4 --(1675 K)--> Ti + 2I2
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Refining (Purification) of Metals
After a crude metal is extracted it must be refined to high purity; the method chosen depends on the metal.
- Distillation — for low-boiling metals such as zinc and mercury.
- Liquation — for easily fusible metals such as tin.
- Electrolytic refining — the impure metal is the anode and a pure strip the cathode in a solution of the metal salt; used for Cu, Ag, Au, Al (impurities collect as anode mud).
- Vapour-phase refining, which relies on forming a volatile compound that is later decomposed:
- Mond process for nickel — Ni + 4CO330–350K Ni(CO)4, which decomposes at higher temperature to pure Ni.
- van Arkel method for titanium and zirconium — the metal is converted to its volatile iodide (ZrI4) and decomposed on a hot tungsten filament to give the ultra-pure metal. …
The given reaction sequence shows an impure metal first converted into a volatile compound and then decomposed back to the pure metal on a hot filament, which names a specific refining method. …
Forming a volatile iodide and decomposing it back on a hot filament is the Van Arkel process.
The Van Arkel method purifies metals such as titanium and zirconium by converting them into a volatile, thermally unstable iodide and then decomposing that iodide on a hot filament:
Ti (impure) + 2 I2 --(773 K)--> TiI4 (volatile)
TiI4 --(1675 K, on hot W filament)--> Ti (pure) + 2 I2
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- CBSE 2025Set D1 markMCQQ.The process of purification of metal represented by the following equation is called: Ti + 2I2 --(773 K)--> TiI4 --(1675 K)--> Ti + 2I2(a) Cupellation(b) Poling(c) Van Arkel(d) Zone refining
›Reveal solutionSolution
Forming a volatile iodide and decomposing it back on a hot filament is the Van Arkel process.
The Van Arkel method purifies metals such as titanium and zirconium by converting them into a volatile, thermally unstable iodide and then decomposing that iodide on a hot filament:
Ti (impure) + 2 I2 --(773 K)--> TiI4 (volatile)
TiI4 --(1675 K, on hot W filament)--> Ti (pure) + 2 I2
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- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.In the electrolytic refining of copper, which one of the following is used as anode ?(a) Carbon rod(b) Pure copper(c) Platinum electrode(d) Impure copper
›Reveal solutionSolution
In electrolytic refining, the impure metal is always made the anode (so it dissolves into solution), while a strip of pure metal serves as the cathode where the purified metal deposits — for copper, impure ('blister') copper is the anode.
In the electrolytic refining of copper, a large block of impure copper (blister copper, obtained from the smelting/converter stage, typically ~98-99% pure) is made the anode, and a thin sheet of pure copper is made the cathode, both dipped in an electrolyte of acidified copper sulphate solution. On passing current, copper from the impure anode dissolves as Cu2+ ions (Cu→Cu2++2e− at the anode) and migrates through solution to deposit as pure metallic copper at the cathode (Cu2++2e−→Cu). More reactive impurities (e.g. Fe, Zn) dissolve into solution but stay in solution (not deposited, since Cu is more easily reduced), while noble/less-reactive impurities (Ag, Au, …
- CBSE 2022Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The pair of metals that can be purified by Van-Arkel method is:(a) Na, Al(b) Ga, Zn(c) Ni, Si(d) Zr, Ti
›Reveal solutionSolution
The van-Arkel (iodide) method purifies metals by converting the impure metal to a volatile iodide, which decomposes on a hot filament to deposit pure metal; it is used for metals like zirconium and titanium.
In the van-Arkel method, the crude metal is heated with iodine in an evacuated vessel to form the volatile metal iodide (e.g. ZrI4, TiI4). This vapour is then decomposed on a red-hot tungsten filament (around 1800 K), depositing pure metal on the filament while iodine is released and can react with more crude metal, continuing the cycle.
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- CBSE 2021Set TERM11 markQ.Mond's process is used for refining of _______.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Mond's process purifies nickel by converting it to a volatile carbonyl and then decomposing that carbonyl back to pure metal.
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- CBSE 2020Set 56/2/11 markQ.Give an example of a metal which can be purified by the process of distillation.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Distillation purifies metals that are volatile enough to vaporise at manageable temperatures, leaving non-volatile impurities behind. Zinc is the classic example — it boils at 907∘C, well below the melting points of its common impurities like iron and lead.
The idea is simple: if a metal turns into vapour easily (has a low boiling point) while its impurities stay solid or liquid, you can boil the impure metal, collect the vapour, and condense it back to pure metal. This is exactly how we purify zinc.
Zinc boils at 907∘C. Its typical impurities — iron (melts at 1538∘C, boils much higher), lead (boils at 1749∘C), and cadmium (boils at 767∘C) — behave differently. Cadmium is actually more volatile than zinc, so it distills off first; that’s a separate step. But the key point: iron and lead stay behind as a residue when zinc vaporises.
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Why distillation works here
The impure zinc is heated in a retort (a closed vessel) to about 1000∘C. At this temperature, zinc vaporises readily. The non-volatile impurities — iron, lead, copper — remain as a solid or molten residue in the retort. The zinc vapour is then passed into a condenser, where it cools and solidifies as pure zinc.
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The practical setup
In industry, this is done in vertical retort furnaces. The impure zinc is placed in the retort, heated externally. The vapour rises, passes through a condenser (often a water-cooled iron pipe), and collects as liquid zinc, which is then cast into ingots. The residue is periodically removed.
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Why not other metals?
Most metals have extremely high boiling points — iron boils at 2861∘C, copper at 2562∘C, aluminium at 2470∘C. Heating to those temperatures is impractical and energy-intensive. Only a few metals have low enough boiling points for distillation to be economical: zinc (907∘C), mercury (357∘C), cadmium (767∘C), and magnesium (1090∘C). Among these, zinc is the most commonly cited example in Indian textbooks. …
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- CBSE 2019Set HE1 markQ.Answer in one word: Write the name of the process used for refining of nickel.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Mond's process refines impure nickel by first converting it to volatile nickel tetracarbonyl, Ni(CO)₄, then thermally decomposing that vapour to deposit pure nickel.
Step 1 (formation of volatile complex, ~330–350 K):
Ni (impure) + 4CO → Ni(CO)₄ (volatile)
Step 2 (thermal decomposition at higher temperature, ~450–470 K):
Ni(CO)₄ → Ni (pure) + 4CO
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