Mechanism and Rate of Dilute Iodine Vapor Absorption by Aqueous Sodium Hydroxide Solution

Abstract

The rates of absorption of iodine vapor contained in air by aqueous sodium hydroxide solutions were measured at 298 K using a liquid jet column that established a contacting time between 0.006 and 0.025 sec. The overall mass transfer coefficient varies in a complex manner depending on the concentrations of both iodine in the feed gas and sodium hydroxide in the absorbent solution. This results from the variation of the rate controlling step in the chemical reactions taking place in the liquid film. It was concluded from the present experimental work that the mechanism of iodine vapor absorption is as follows: Iodine in air dissolves into the aqueous phase through the gas liquid interface in conformity with Henry's law. This iodine in the aqueous phase forms hypoiodous acid and iodide ions through base catalytic hydrolysis, and then the resulting iodide ions react with the iodine to generate tri-iodide ions. The instantaneous dissociation reactions of water and of sodium hydroxide have to be taken into acc...