Mechanism Research for the Influence of TiO2 Content on the Shape Transformation of Rutile Crystals

The isothermal precipitation kinetics of rutile crystals was studied to clarify the mechanism for the influence of TiO2 content on the shape transformation of rutile crystals. The results indicate that the growth index n values were about 2, 3, and 4 when the TiO2 contents of the raw materials were 27, 37, and 47%, indicating that the precipitation of the rutile crystal had a one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional growth. Thus, the shapes of the rutile crystals were a cuboid, a cube, and a sphere when the TiO2 contents of the raw materials were 27, 37, and 47%. An increase in the TiO2 content of raw materials can encourage the transformation of rutile crystals into spheres, which is beneficial to the settling of rutile crystals in molten slag. It realizes the conversion of rutile from a lean ore to a rich ore and avoids subsequent beneficiation processes.