Reaction mechanism of gold dissolution with bromine

Abstract

The dissolution of gold with elemental bromine was studied by using a rotating disc technique. The main parameters studied were bromine and bromide concentrations, stirring speed, pH, and temperature. The effect of various salts, manganese, and hydrogen peroxide was also examined. The dissolution kinetics of gold with Br2 and NaBr mixture is complex. The reaction mechanism is a function of solution composition, which determines the kind of adsorbing species. For an excess concentration of bromide ions, the rate expression is Rate = (2k cl7 k al6)1/2 K 15 [Br 3 − ] and for an excess concentration of bromine, the rate expression is Rate = (2k c27 k a29)1/2 [Br−]1/2 {K25 [Br2]3/(1 +K 25 [Br2]3)}1/2 Gold in bromine solutions dissolves according to electrochemical/chemical (EC) mechanisms. The electrochemical component of the mechanism is responsible for the formation of AuBr2. In the chemical component of the mechanism, this monovalent gold bromide disproportionates into gold and stable AuBr 4 − , which reports into solution. With respect to pH, there are two characteristic dissolution regions. In the pH range of 1 to 7, gold dissolution rates were insensitive to pH. Above pH 7, gold dissolution rates decreased with increase of pH.