Cathode component for an electrolytic aluminium production cell

Abstract

Described is a method for producing a cathode component for an electrolytic aluminium production cell, the cathode component includes a composite material that includes agglomerates, forming a matrix, and aluminium, said agglomerates comprising particulates of titanium diboride (TiB2) and particulates of aluminium nitride (AlN), said composite material further comprising pores such to allow the cathode component to be infiltrated by molten aluminium. The method includes the steps of: a) mixing precursor reagents that includes powder particles of Ti, B, BN, Al, and TiB2 to obtain a reaction mixture; b) pressing the reaction mixture into a desired shape to create a reaction body; c) optionally drying the reaction body; and d) uniformly heating the reaction body under inert atmosphere to ignite a self-sustaining exothermic reaction which propagates through the reaction body, thereby obtaining the cathode component.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.