Metatitanic acid is an intermediate product in the production of titanium dioxide using the sulfuric acid method. It can also be used as a matting agent for chemical fibers, a catalyst and an adsorbent for uranium in seawater.
Ilmenite reacts with sulfuric acid to generate titanyl sulfate, which is purified, frozen to remove ferrous sulfate, filtered by pressure and concentrated, and then hydrolyzed by titanyl sulfate, washed with water, filtered and dried to give metatitanic acid.
FeTiO3+3H2SO4→FeSO4+Ti(SO4)2+3H2O
FeTiO3+2H2SO4→FeSO4+TiOSO4+2H2O
Ti(SO4)2+H2O→TioSO4+H2SO4
TiOSO4+2H2O→H2TiO3+H2SO4
