US1247179A - Electrodeposition and extraction of zinc. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED .s'rAS PA URLYN CLIFTON TAInTon, or 'Lonnon, AND Jenn NORMAN rams,

' ENGLAND.

ame

. I ELECTBODEPOSITION' AND EXTRACIZtON orzmo.

No Drawing.

To all whom. it may concern:

Re i known that we, URLYN Gmr'rox TAINTON, a Subject of the King of England, residing at 1 London Wall Buildings, London. England, and JOHN NORMAN Pnmc, D. Sc, a subject of the King of England, residing at Linden Bank, Sandbach, Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Electrodeposition and Extraction of Zinc, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is for improvementsin orv relating to the electro-deposition and ex-' traction of zinc, and it is a modification of the invention described in the prior United States Patent No. 1059233.

In the said patent specification a process for the electrolytic deposition of metallic zinc from its: salts is described which consists in adding to a solution of the salt a prior 'Patent No. 1059233 mentioned above canbe secured by the process as described in such specification without the presence of any colloid. Zinc can be so deposited economically, although the deposits are deficient in smoothness and devoid of luster, matters which for many purposes are of little, if any consequence.

Accordlngto the present invention, therefore, the process for the electrolytic deposition of metallic zinc from its salts, the a subject of the said United States Patent No.

1059233, is carried out without the presence of any colloid. The process is applicable to the production of deposits of zinc where smoothness and luster are of little or no importance. 4

The solution employed 'is preferably ,a

60 saturated solution of zinc sulfate and the acid is preferably sulfuric acid.

One example of a method of carrying the .present invention into effect Wlll now be described. A solution for depositin zinc con- 66 sisting of a saturated solution 0 zinc sul- 'amperes per square foot. 'rent density the deposits obtained were specification of Letters Patcnt. Patented Nov. 20, 191 '7. Application filed November 7, 1916. Serial No. 130,101.

fate in water to which is added 16% of 5111- furic acid, and containing no colloid agent- 18 employed. If it is required to deposit the zinc on a metal article, the article is placed in the solution and connected to the electrical supply as the cathode, the anode being formed of either zinc or any substance which does not go into solution, as for ex-- ample, lead, lead p'eroxid, or manganese diemployed'in the electrolytic deposition of zinc. For example, the density may be 600 firm, and the current efficiency was 94.6%.

The'process may conveniently be used for extracting zinc from its ores, in which case the zinc is dissolved with an acid to form a solution of a salt of zinc, as for example With this curzinc sulfate, which is then electrolyzed' as described above, or the cyclic process described in the co-pending application Serial No. 14837 is' employed, in which the-solution is regenerated by dividing it into two portions, treating fresh ore with one portion" thereof to dissolve zinc and neutralize its acid content, and thereafter mixing the neutral solution with the remaining portion for further treatment by electrolysis with a current of high density, (for example 50 to 1000 amperes per square foot), the propor-.

tion employed for treating the fresh ore preferably being such that on neutralizing the acid content with fresh ore and mixing the resulting neutral solution with'the remaining solution, the-mixture contains from 5 to 30% of free acid. 1

What'we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i I 1. A process for the extraction of metallic zinc from a zinc-containing material which consists in forming a solution of the zinc free from any 'collold agent and con taining a large percentage of acid, and electrolyzing 1t with a current of high density.

2. A process for the extraction of metal-' lic zinc from its salts which consists in adding to a solution of the salt free from any colloid agent a large percentage of acid and electrolyz'ing it with a current of high density,

3. A process for the extraction of metallic zinc from zinc sulfate which consists in the extraction of zinc from a zinc-bearing same as that of the original solution, and

salt free from adding to a solution of the sulany colloid agent a large proportion of furic acld and electrolyzing: the solution with a current of high density.

4. A continuous electrolytic process for the extraction of zinc from a zinc-bearing material which consists in forming there from a concentrated solution of a zinc salt free from any colloid agent and containing an excess of acid, electrolyzing'the solution with a current of high density, and then using theelcctrolyzed solution to dissolvecharge of zinc-bearing material in such a maner as to retain the.

the zinc in a fresh acid content of the solution at its original concentratlon. I

5. A continuous electrolytic process for material which consists in forming therefrom a concentrated solution of a zinc. salt free from-any colloid agent and. containing an excess of acid, electrolyzing the, solution with a current of high density, regenerating the said solution by dividing it into two portions in such proportions that, when the acid in one portion is neutralized by the addition to it of a charge of zinc-bearing material and the resulting solution sepa-' rated from the residue and mixed with the other, portion of the electrolyzed solution which has been retained, the acid content of the -final solutlon shall be approximately the lytic extraction of then electrolyzmg the regenerated so ution with a'current of highdensity.

{6; 'ruminants' prodess iofii thetelectro metallic zmc from a zinc-bearing mate ial which consists in addingsuflicienfiof-"-the zinc-bearing material toan acid to make a neutral solution frfrom any colloid ageii separating neut ialsse u from h=iofi$ a adding an excess of acid, electrolyzin g said solution by means rofs -,currentgofgglligh density and il'llillS ,remotin parteo'f o hezizli then removing] ,thei; solut1ou- :,=n0W Strongly acid and; dividing it lnmxtWQ portions; neu:

of zinc-be'aringimaterial, separating theneutral solution from the residue; ,jadding; the other portion of the remoyed so lution and electrolyzingt the acid; solution 1 so forrned,

tralizing one, portion by a; further faddition a P and thereafter, repeating the 'regen ating at and electroly z lng process as: described In testimony. whereof wel have s gne 1 our names to thisspecification in, the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

URLYN ;.CL FT N TAINTO JOHN NORM N r Witnesses; to signature; of Ur lyn Clifton Taintonz 5 L Bo om,

CnasiRocnns. Witnesses to signature of J.

a WM. W; BRQISSVWICK a consrnn'rf-Gunaann,

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