US931092A

US931092A - Electrolytic production of magnesium.

Info

Publication number: US931092A
Application number: US30845406A
Authority: US
Inventors: George O Seward; Franz Von Kuegelgen
Original assignee: VIRGINIA LAB Co
Current assignee: VIRGINIA LABORATORY Co; VIRGINIA LAB Co
Priority date: 1906-03-28
Filing date: 1906-03-28
Publication date: 1909-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1926-08-17

Description

UNI D STATES PATENT onnron.

GEORGE O. SEWARD AND FRANZ VON KI IGELGEN, OF HOLCOMBS ROCK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNORS TO VIRGINIALABORATORY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION OF MAGNEsIUM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE O. SEWARD, a citizen of the United States, and FRANZ you KIB'GELGEN, a subject of the German Emperor, both residing at Holcombs Rock, in the county of Bedford and State of Virginia, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Electrolytic Pro- I duction of Magnesium, of which the 'following is a specification.

This invention relates to the roduction of magnesium by electrol sis 0 its fused salts. Such electrolysis a ords serious difficulty, because the difference in the specific gravity of the liberated metal difi'ers so slightly from that of its fused salt, that the metal does not readily separate. It is practically necessary for good results to use an electrol te whose specific gravity is so different rom that of magnesium, that the-latter will either sink readily to the bottom or rise freely to the to of the bath, where it canbe collected. Kbr a metal as light as magnesium it is extremely diflicult to find electrolytes which have so .low a specific gravity that the separated metal will readily sink tothe bottom, and insuch cases it is A trolytically from an electro preferable to add to the electrolyte a component' which will make it materially heavier than the metal, so that the latter will rise to the top of the bath. Such added component should be a flux which is eflicient when used in comparatively small quantities, and should not be decomposed by the current.

The present invention is characterized by the use for this purpose of the salts of the alkali-earth metals, which are peculiarly suited to this use because (1) they have a high specific gravity, and (2) they are difficult .to decom ose electrolyt1cally.' I

As an examp e of the practical application of our invention, we will describe the production of magnesium b electrol sis of magnesium chlorid, using arium c orid to increase the specific gravity of the electrolyte. m r

At present magnesium -is produced elecyte of fused Specification of LettersPatent. Application filed larch 28, 1906. Serial No. 308,454.

'perature that such an electrolyte is lighter Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

magnesium chlorid, with potassium chlorid added as a flux, the separated magnesium being collected at the bottom of the vesse1 It is only under certain conditions of temthan the separated magnesium, and it is difficult to so manage the process that these temperature conditions are maintained so that a good separation of the magnesium re-' sults.

In producing magnesium according to the present invention, we replacethe potassium chlorid partly by barium chlorid, so that we obtain an electrolyte which is so much heavier than the magnesium, that the latter rises readily to the top, where 1t ma be collected. Although the' roportion. 0 barium chlorid may be great y varied, we have found an electrolyte of the followin composition to give suitable results gOl, 5 parts, KGl 5 parts, BaCl 3.5 parts.

Instead of barium chlorid we may use the chlorid or other suitable salt of calcium or strontium.

We are aware that alkali-earth salts have been used before as fluxes," but not for the purpose of regulating the specific gravity of the electroyl What we claim is v 1. The electrolytic production of magnesium by electrolyzing fused magnesium chlorid to which is added enough of a denser alkali-earth chlorid to ren er the bath heavier than the separated ma esium.

2. The electrolytic production of magnesium by electrolyzing a fused bath of magnesium chlorid and barium chlorid.

3. The electrolytic production of magnesium by electrolyzing a fused bath of mag;

nesium chlorid, potassium chlorid, an barium chlorid.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto scribing witnesses.

- GEORGE O. SEWARD.

FRANZ VON -KUGELGEN. Witnesses:

J. H. WEBB,

F. V. Bmnnn.