Electrolytic cell and process for metal reduction
AssigneeAluminum Company of America
InventorsAlfred F. LaCamera, Jan H. L. Van Linden, Thomas V. Pierce, James O. Parkhill
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Abstract
An improved electrolytic cell and process are provided wherein metals and metal alloys are formed from oxides or nitrides in a molten salt, without the evolution of halogen or halogen compounds, with less corrosion and reduced power consumption by the use of an electrode having an extended or substantially increased surface area effective for the evolution of oxygen and carbon oxide, and a molten salt electrolyte effective at low temperature.
Claims56
A metal reduction process of electrochemically producing electrode product from metal oxide during electrolysis in a molten salt composition, comprising providing an anode having an extended surface area for the selective evolution of gaseous electrode product, the metal oxide having a solubility <1 wt. % in the molten salt composition.
A metal reduction process of electrochemically producing oxygen or carbon oxide anode product from alumina during electrolysis in a molten salt composition, comprising providing an anode having an extended surface area for the selective evolution of such product, the alumina having a solubility <1 wt. % in the molten salt composition.
A metal reduction process of electrochemically producing electrode product from metal oxide during electrolysis in a molten salt composition, comprising providing an anode having an extended surface area for the selective evolution of a gaseous electrode product, the anode comprises carbon anode, said metal oxide has a concentrated .ltoreq.2 wt. %.
A metal reduction process of electrochemically producing electrode product from a metal oxide during electrolysis in a molten salt composition, comprising providing a carbon anode spaced in a chloride-containing molten salt from a cathode, said metal oxide having a solubility <1 wt. % in said molten salt composition;
- the carbon anode having, relative to the cathode, an extended surface area for the evolution of carbon oxide anode product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.