Decomposition of Carbon Dioxide to Carbon with Active Wustite at 300°C

Active wustite (FeδO, with a δ value of 0.98) was prepared by keeping normal wustite (δ value of 0.94) in a N2 atmosphere at 300°C for 10 min. This reaction is given by (4δ2–3)Feδ1O→(4δ1–3)Feδ2O + (δ2–δ1)Fe3O4 where δ1= 0.94 and δ2= 0.98. The equation indicates that the normal wustite undergoes eutectoid decomposition into active wustite and stoichiometric magnetite (Fe3O4). Carbon dioxide (1.013 × 105 Pa) was almost completely (100%) decomposed into carbon (zero valence) by the active wustite at the low temperature of 300°C, which was associated with the transformation of the active wustite into the stoichiometric magnetite. The internal pressure of the reaction cell eventually became a vacuum.