Thermal and electrochemical process for metal production
AssigneeMaterials & Electrochemical Research Corp.
InventorsJames C. Withers, Raouf O. Loutfy
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Abstract
A system for purification of high value metals comprises an electrolytic cell in which an anode formed of a composite of a metal oxide of the metal of interest with carbon is electrochemically reduced in a molten salt electrolyte.
Claims32
A method for the production of titanium metal which comprises electrochemically dissolving, in a molten salt electrolyte, an anode formed of a titanium suboxide/carbon composite, and reducing the dissolved titanium suboxide, at a cathode, to titanium metal.
A method for the production of purified titanium from rutile ore which comprises electrowinning from an anode formed of a mixture of titanium suboxide/carbon composite in a molten salt electrolyte, and depositing purified titanium onto a cathode.
A method for the production of purified titanium which comprises electrochemically dissolving an anode formed of a titanium suboxide/carbon composite in a molten salt electrolyte, and electrochemically reducing the dissolved titanium suboxide to purified titanium metal.
A method for the direct production of titanium metal in a particulate state which comprises electrochemically dissolving an anode, formed of a titanium suboxide/carbon composite, in a molten salt electrolyte in an electrochemical cell, and electrochemically reducing the dissolved titanium suboxide to particulate titanium metal.
A method for the production of titanium metal which comprises electrochemically dissolving, in a molten salt electrolyte, an anode formed of a titanium oxide/carbon composite, wherein the molten salt electrolyte comprises a strong Lewis acid, and electrochemically reducing the dissolved titanium oxide to titanium metal at a cathode.
A method for the direct production of titanium metal in a particulate state which comprises electrochemically dissolving an anode, formed of a titanium oxide/carbon composite, a molten salt electrolyte in an electrochemical cell, wherein the molten salt electrolyte comprises a strong Lewis acid, and electrochemically reducing the dissolved titanium oxide to titanium metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.