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• Physical Properties

  Black cubic crystal or amorphous powder; refractive index 2.42; density 5.17 g/cm3; Moh’s hardness 6.0; melts at 1,597°C; insoluble in water, soluble in acids. ;

• Occurrence and Uses

  Triiron tetroxide occurs in nature as the mineral magnetite, the magnetic oxide of iron. This mineral along with hematite is used as the starting material for producing iron, steel and other ferro-alloys. ;

• Preparation

  Triiron tetroxide is obtained from its natural mineral magnetite. In the laboratory the compound may be prepared by adding sodium hydroxide solution to an aqueous solution of 1:2 molar mixture of ferrous and ferric salt. (i.e., 1 mol FeCl2 + 2 mol FeCl3). The resulting black precipitate of the hydroxide on heating dehydrates to gives triiron tetroxide:
  Fe2+(aq) + 2Fe3+(aq) + 8OH¯(aq) → Fe3(OH)8(s)
  Fe3(OH)8(s) → Fe3O4(s) + 4H2O(g)
  Also, the tetroxide may be produced by partial oxidation of iron or iron(II) sulfate by heating under limited amount of air. Another method of production involves heating iron metal with steam:
  3Fe + 4H2O → Fe3O4 + 4H2 ;

• Reactions

  Triiron tetroxide, when heated at elevated temperatures with a reducing agent such as hydrogen or carbon monoxide in the absence of air, produces metallic iron:
  Fe3O4 + 4H2 → 3Fe + 4H2O
  Partial reduction gives iron(II) oxide. When treated with concentrated acids, the tetroxide dissolves in acids forming mixtures of iron(II) and iron(III) salts:
  Fe3O4 + 8HCl → FeCl2 + 2FeCl3 + 4H2O
  Fe3O4 + 4H2SO4 → FeSO4 + Fe2(SO4)3 + 4H2O ;

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