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AssigneeEltech Systems Corporation
InventorsVittorio de Nora, Jurgen F. Gauger, Jean-Marie Fresnel, Iudita L. Adorian, Jean-Jacques R. Duruz
Estimating the term…
In the electrolytic production of aluminum by electrowinning or electrorefining processes, cell components such as cathode current feeders which in use are normally covered with molten aluminum are made of a composite material of aluminum or an aluminum alloy or intermetallic compound with an aluminum oxycompound, usually alumina, and possibly containing minor amounts of additives such as borides carbides, nitrides or oxides. The composite material, which remains mechanically stable and electrically conductive at 1000.degree. C., may be prepared by hot pressing powders at 1000.degree.-1700.degree. C. possibly after surface treating the alumina to improve wettability by molten Al. The components are optionally coated, e.g. with TiB.sub.2. The composite materials are also useful as non-current carrying components, including separator walls, weirs, packing elements and baffles.
A method of electrorefining aluminum comprising cathodically forming purified molten aluminum in an electrorefining cell, characterized in that at least a part of the cell in contact with the purified aluminum is made of a composite alumina-aluminum material composed of alumina and aluminum of pure grades.
An aluminum production cell comprising a component which in use is normally covered with molten aluminum, said component comprising at least one body having a surface and/or an inner part made of a composite aluminum-alumina material consisting essentially of 10-50 % by weight of essentially pure aluminum in the metallic state and the balance alumina of at least 98.5% purity.
An aluminum production cell comprising a component which in use is normally covered with molten aluminum, said component comprising at least one body having a surface and/or inner part made of a composite material consisting essentially of:
An aluminum production cell comprising a component which in use is normally covered with molten aluminum, said component comprising at least one body having a surface and/or inner part made of a composite material consisting essentially of:
The method of preparing a component which in use is normally present in an aluminum production cell and covered with molten aluminum, said component comprising at least one body having a surface and/or an inner part made of a composite aluminum-alumina material, which method comprises:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.