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US 2008/0190777 A1Published application
Electro-Deoxidation Method, Apparatus and Product
AssigneesBritish Titanium PLC., Cambridge Enterprise Limited
InventorsDerek John Fray, Carsten Schwandt, Greg Doughty
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The subject invention concerns an electro-decomposition process wherein a cathode comprising a metal compound is contacted with a fused salt electrolyte in an electrochemical cell. The metal compound is a compound between a metal and another substance, and a voltage is applied between the cathode and an anode such that the substance is removed from the metal compound. In the improved method, the applied voltage increases with time, either continuously or stepwise, up to a predetermined maximum voltage. In addition, or in the alternative, the fused salt composition is selected so as to maintain a predetermined concentration of the substance in the fused salt during electro-decomposition.
Claims54
A method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode which increases with time.
1 more element
A method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte comprising a second salt in solution in a first salt, the second salt but not the first salt comprising an anion which is the same as the substance;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode is less than a potential for deposition of cations from the electrolyte;
- the concentration of the second salt in solution in the first salt being greater than zero, and preferably greater than 1 mol %, during the application of the voltage.
2 more elements
A method for removing a substance from a solid metal compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid metal compound with a fused-salt electrolyte, the electrolyte comprising a corresponding salt which contains the substance as an anion;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode which is insufficient to cause continuous decomposition of the corresponding salt.
1 more element
A method for removing oxygen from a solid titanium oxide, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid titanium oxide with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting a carbon anode with the electrolyte;
- and c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode, as measured with respect to a carbon reference electrode, is more than 1.1 V, and preferably more than 1.3 V.
A method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode increases with time.
1 more element
(canceled)
A method for forming an alloy comprising two or more metal components, comprising the steps of forming a precursor material containing mixed solid compounds of each of the metal components with a substance or substances, and processing the precursor material to remove the substance or substances as defined in:
- i) a method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode which increases with time;
- or
- ii) a method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte comprising a second salt in solution in a first salt, the second salt but not the first salt comprising an anion which is the same as the substance;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode is less than a potential for deposition of cations from the electrolyte;
- the concentration of the second salt in solution in the first salt being greater than zero, and preferably greater than 1 mol %, during the application of the voltage;
- or
- iii) a method for removing a substance from a solid metal compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid metal compound with a fused-salt electrolyte, the electrolyte comprising a corresponding salt which contains the substance as an anion;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode which is insufficient to cause continuous decomposition of the corresponding salt;
- or
- iv) a method for removing a substance from a solid metal compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid metal compound with a fused-salt electrolyte, the electrolyte comprising a corresponding salt which contains the substance as an anion;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode which is insufficient to cause continuous decomposition of the corresponding salt;
- or
- v) a method for removing oxygen from a solid titanium oxide, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid titanium oxide with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting a carbon anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode, as measured with respect to a carbon reference electrode, is more than 1.1 V, and preferably more than 1.3 V;
- or
- vi) a method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode increases with time.
33 more elements
An apparatus for carrying out a method selected from:
- i) a method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode which increases with time;
- or
- ii) a method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte comprising a second salt in solution in a first salt, the second salt but not the first salt comprising an anion which is the same as the substance;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode is less than a potential for deposition of cations from the electrolyte;
- the concentration of the second salt in solution in the first salt being greater than zero, and preferably greater than 1 mol %, during the application of the voltage;
- or
- iii) a method for removing a substance from a solid metal compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid metal compound with a fused-salt electrolyte, the electrolyte comprising a corresponding salt which contains the substance as an anion;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode which is insufficient to cause continuous decomposition of the corresponding salt;
- or
- iv) a method for removing a substance from a solid metal compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid metal compound with a fused-salt electrolyte, the electrolyte comprising a corresponding salt which contains the substance as an anion;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode which is insufficient to cause continuous decomposition of the corresponding salt;
- or
- v) a method for removing oxygen from a solid titanium oxide, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid titanium oxide with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting a carbon anode with the electrolyte;
- and
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode, as measured with respect to a carbon reference electrode, is more than 1.1 V, and preferably more than 1.3 V;
- or
- vi) a method for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) contacting a cathode comprising the solid compound with a fused-salt electrolyte;
- b) contacting an anode with the electrolyte;
- and,
- c) applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode such that the potential at the cathode increases with time;
- or
- vii) a method for forming an alloy comprising two or more metal components, comprising the steps of forming a precursor material containing mixed solid compounds of each of the metal components with a substance or substances, and processing the precursor material to remove the substance or substances as defined in method (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), or (vi).
35 more elements
An apparatus for removing a substance from a solid compound comprising the substance and a metal, comprising;
- a) a cathode assembly for holding the solid compound;
- b) an anode;
- c) a reference electrode of carbon;
- d) a receptacle for holding a fused-salt electrolyte in contact with the cathode assembly, the anode and the reference electrode;
- e) a voltage source for applying a voltage between the cathode and the anode;
- and
- f) a means for monitoring the voltage between the cathode and the reference electrode and controlling the voltage source in response to the monitored voltage.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.