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Iron(III) sulfate (or ferric sulfate), is the chemical compound with the formula Fe2(SO4)3. Usually yellow, it is a salt and soluble in water. A variety of hydrates are also known. Solutions are used in dyeing as a mordant, and as a coagulant for industrial wastes. It is also used in pigments, and in pickling baths for aluminum and steel.

Production

Generally, ferric sulfate is used as a solution generated from iron wastes. The actual speciation is vague but its applications do not demand high purity materials.

Iron(III) oxide or ferric oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula Fe2O3. It is one of the three main oxides of iron, the other two being iron(II) oxide (FeO), which is rare; and iron(II,III) oxide (Fe3O4), which also occurs naturally as the mineral magnetite. As the mineral known as hematite, Fe2O3 is the main source of iron for the steel industry. Fe2O3 is readily attacked by acids. Iron(III) oxide is often called rust, and to some extent this label is useful, because rust shares several properties and has a similar composition.

Iron(III) nitrate, or ferric nitrate, is the chemical compound with the formula Fe(NO3)3. Since it is deliquescent, it is commonly found in its nonahydrate form Fe(NO3)3·9H2O in which it forms colourless to pale violet crystals. When dissolved, it forms yellow solution due to hydrolysis.

Preparation

The compound is prepared by treating iron metal powder with nitric acid.

Fe + 4 HNO3 → Fe(NO3)3 + NO + 2 H2O.

Applications

In the chemical laboratory