MY111230A - Process for making copper metal powder, copper oxides and copper foil - Google Patents

Abstract

THIS INVENTION IS DIRECTED TO A PROCESS FOR MAKING COPPER METAL POWDER FROM COPPER-BEARING MATERIAL, COMPRISING: (A) CONTACTING SAID COPPER-BEARING MATERIAL WITH AN EFFECTIVE AMOUNT OF AT LEAST ONE AQUEOUS LEACHING SOLUTION TO DISSOLVE COPPER IONS IN SAID LEACHING SOLUTION AND FORM A COPPER-RICH AQUEOUS LEACHING SOLUTION; (B) CONTACTING SAID COPPER-RICH AQUEOUS LEACHING SOLUTION WITH AN EFFECTIVEAMOUNT OF AT LEAST ONE WATER-INSOLUBLE EXTRACTANT TO TRANSFER COPPER IONS FROM SAID COPPER-RICH AQUEOUSLEACHING SOLUTION TO SAID EXTRACTANT TO FROM A COPPER-RICH EXTRACTANT AND A COPPER-DEPLETED AQUEOUS LEACHING SOLUTION, SAID EXTRACTANT COMPRISING (I) AT LEAST ONE OXIME CHARACTERIZED BY A HYDROCARBON LINKAGE WITH AT LEAST -OH GROUP AND AT LEAST ONE =NOH GROUP ATTACHED TO DIFFRENT CARBON ATOMS ONSAID HYDROCARBON LINKAGE, (II) AT LEAST ONE BETADIKETONE, OR (III) AT LEAST ONE ION-EXCHANGE RESIN; (C) SEPARATING SAID COPPER-RICH EXTRACTANT FROM SAID COPPER-DEPLETED AQUEOUS LEACHING SOLUTION; (D)CONTACTING SAID COPPER-RICH EXTRACTANT WITH AN EFFECTIVE AMOUNT OF AT LEAST ONE AQUEOUS STRIPPING SOLUTION OF TRANSFER COPPER IONS FROM SAID STRIPPING SOLUTION TO FROM A COPPER-RICH STRIPPING SOLUTION AND A COPPER-DEPLETED EXTRACTANT; (E) SEPARATING SAID COPPER-SAID STRIPPING SOLUTION FROM SAID COPPER-DEPLETED EXTRACTANT TO FROM A FIRST ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION; (F) ADVANCING SAID FIRST ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION TO AN ELECTROLYTIC CELL EQUIPPED WITH AT LEAST ONE FIRST ANODE AND AT LEAST ONE FIRST ANODE FIRST CATHODE, AND APPLYING AN EFFECTIVE AMOUNT OF VOLTAGE ACROSS SAID FIRST ANODE AND SAID FIRST CATHODE TO DEPOSIT COPPER METAL POWDER ON SAID FIRST COTHODE; AND (G) REMOVING COPPER METAL POWDER METAL POWDER FROM SAID FIRST CATHODE. IN ONE EMBODIMENT THE COPPER METAL POWDER IS CONVERTED TO COPPER FOIL. IN ONE EMBODIMENT THE COPPER METAL POWDER IS CONVERTED TO CUPROUS OXIDE, CUPRIC OXIDE OR A MIXTURE THEREOF; THESE COPPER OXIDES CAN BE READILY DISSOLVED IN SULFURIC ACID AND USED TO MAKE COPPER FOIL.(FIG. 1)