Rapid Vanadium Extraction from Roasted Vanadium Steel Slag via a H(2)SO(4)–H(2)O(2) System: Process and Mechanism

[Image: see text] A H(2)SO(4)–H(2)O(2) system was developed to enhance the efficacy of vanadium extraction from roasted vanadium steel slag. The optimum parameters and the behavior of vanadium extraction were investigated systematically. When 1 mL of H(2)O(2) per gram of vanadium slag was added to a leaching mixture at 50 °C, along with 30% H(2)SO(4), 80.5% of vanadium extraction was achieved within 15 min. However, without H(2)O(2), only 58.5% of vanadium extraction was achieved at the same leaching time. The H(2)SO(4)–H(2)O(2) system facilitated the dissolution of metallic ions in a short time and then triggered the production of strong oxidizing substances, such as HO(•) and O(2)(–•), via the Fenton reaction and Fenton-like reaction. Subsequently, the low-valence vanadium, existing in the leaching solution or located on the surface of the particle, was converted to pentavalent vanadium by strongly oxidizing substances, such as H(2)O(2) and its derivatives HO(•) and O(2). The complex oxides on the surface of the particle were destroyed, after which the vanadium inside the particle was gradually exposed to the acid leaching solution. The vanadium was oxidized to pentavalent vanadium, which then entered the leaching solution. Finally, a pathway of vanadium extraction via the H(2)SO(4)–H(2)O(2) system was proposed to gain insight into rapid vanadium leaching.