iron(II) oxide
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Iron(II) oxide or ferrous oxide is the
inorganic compound In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemi ...
with the formula FeO. Its mineral form is known as wüstite. One of several iron oxides, it is a black-colored powder that is sometimes confused with rust, the latter of which consists of hydrated iron(III) oxide (ferric oxide). Iron(II) oxide also refers to a family of related non-stoichiometric compounds, which are typically iron deficient with compositions ranging from Fe0.84O to Fe0.95O.


Preparation

FeO can be prepared by the thermal decomposition of iron(II) oxalate. :FeC2O4 → FeO + CO2 + CO The procedure is conducted under an inert atmosphere to avoid the formation of iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3). A similar procedure can also be used for the synthesis of
manganous oxide Manganese(II) oxide is an inorganic compound with chemical formula MnO.Arno H. Reidies "Manganese Compounds" Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology 2007; Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. It forms green crystals. The compound is produced on a large s ...
and stannous oxide. Stoichiometric FeO can be prepared by heating Fe0.95O with metallic iron at 770 °C and 36 kbar.Wells A.F. (1984) ''Structural Inorganic Chemistry'' 5th edition Oxford University Press


Reactions

FeO is thermodynamically unstable below 575 °C, tending to disproportionate to metal and Fe3O4: :4FeO → Fe + Fe3O4


Structure

Iron(II) oxide adopts the cubic, rock salt structure, where iron atoms are octahedrally coordinated by oxygen atoms and the oxygen atoms octahedrally coordinated by iron atoms. The non-stoichiometry occurs because of the ease of oxidation of FeII to FeIII effectively replacing a small portion of FeII with two thirds their number of FeIII, which take up tetrahedral positions in the close packed oxide lattice. In contrast to the crystalline solid, in the molten state iron atoms are coordinated by predominantly 4 or 5 oxygen atoms. Below 200 K there is a minor change to the structure which changes the symmetry to rhombohedral and samples become antiferromagnetic.


Occurrence in nature

Iron(II) oxide makes up approximately 9% of the Earth's
mantle A mantle is a piece of clothing, a type of cloak. Several other meanings are derived from that. Mantle may refer to: *Mantle (clothing), a cloak-like garment worn mainly by women as fashionable outerwear **Mantle (vesture), an Eastern Orthodox ve ...
. Within the mantle, it may be electrically conductive, which is a possible explanation for perturbations in Earth's rotation not accounted for by accepted models of the mantle's properties.


Uses

Iron(II) oxide is used as a
pigment A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic comp ...
. It is FDA-approved for use in cosmetics and it is used in some
tattoo A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several tattooing proc ...
inks. It can also be used as a phosphate remover from home aquaria.


See also

* Iron(II) hydroxide * Iron(II)


References


External links


Wustite Mineral Data
{{oxygen compounds Iron(II) compounds Iron oxide pigments Non-stoichiometric compounds Transition metal oxides Rock salt crystal structure Glass dyes