WO2003076692A1 - Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell - Google Patents
Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2003076692A1 WO2003076692A1 PCT/AU2003/000305 AU0300305W WO03076692A1 WO 2003076692 A1 WO2003076692 A1 WO 2003076692A1 AU 0300305 W AU0300305 W AU 0300305W WO 03076692 A1 WO03076692 A1 WO 03076692A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- cell
- cathode
- potential
- carbon
- anode
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25C—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C25C7/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells; Servicing or operating of cells
- C25C7/005—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells; Servicing or operating of cells of cells for the electrolysis of melts
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
- C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
- C22B34/00—Obtaining refractory metals
- C22B34/10—Obtaining titanium, zirconium or hafnium
- C22B34/12—Obtaining titanium or titanium compounds from ores or scrap by metallurgical processing; preparation of titanium compounds from other titanium compounds see C01G23/00 - C01G23/08
- C22B34/129—Obtaining titanium or titanium compounds from ores or scrap by metallurgical processing; preparation of titanium compounds from other titanium compounds see C01G23/00 - C01G23/08 obtaining metallic titanium from titanium compounds by dissociation, e.g. thermic dissociation of titanium tetraiodide, or by electrolysis or with the use of an electric arc
Definitions
- the present invention relates to reduction of metal oxides in a solid state in an electrolytic cell.
- the present invention was made during the course of an on-going research project on solid state reduction of titania (Ti0 2 ) carried out by the applicant.
- the CaCl 2 -based electrolyte was a commercially available source of CaCl 2 , namely calcium chloride dihydrate, that partially decomposed on heating and produced CaO.
- the applicant operated the electrolytic cell at a potential above the decomposition potential of CaO and below the decomposition potential of CaCl 2 .
- the experimental work was carried out using a CaCl 2 -based electrolyte at a cell potential below the decomposition potential of CaCl 2 .
- the applicant believes that the initial deposition of Ca metal on the cathode was due to the presence of Ca ++ cations and 0 " anions derived from CaO in the electrolyte.
- the decomposition potential of CaO is less than the decomposition potential of CaCl 2 .
- the cell operation is dependent, at least during the early stages of cell operation, on decomposition of CaO, with Ca ++ cations migrating to the cathode and depositing as Ca metal and O " anions migrating to the anode and forming CO and/or C0 2 (in a situation in which the anode is a graphite anode) .
- the applicant also believes that at later stages of the cell operation part of the Ca metal that deposited on the cathode was deposited directly on partially deoxidised titanium and thereafter participated in chemical reduction of titanium.
- the applicant also believes that the 0 " ⁇ anions, once extracted from the titania, migrated to the anode and reacted with anode carbon and produced CO and/or C0 2 (and in some instances CaO) and released electrons that facilitated electrolytic deposition of Ca metal on the cathode.
- Carbon in the titanium is an undesirable contaminant.
- carbon transfer was partially responsible for low energy efficiency of the cell. Both problems are significant barriers to commercialisation of electrolytic reduction technology.
- the applicant carried out experimental work to identify the mechanism for carbon transfer and to determine how to minimise carbon transfer and/or to minimise the adverse effects of carbon transfer.
- the present invention provides an electrolytic cell for reducing a metal oxide in a solid state, which electrolytic cell includes an anode formed from carbon, a cathode formed at least in part from the metal oxide, and a membrane that is permeable to oxygen anions and is impermeable to carbon in ionic and non-ionic forms positioned between the cathode and the anode to thereby prevent migration of carbon to the cathode.
- the anode is formed from graphite.
- the membrane may be formed from any suitable material .
- the membrane is formed from a solid electrolyte.
- One suitable solid electrolyte tested by the applicant is yttria stabilised zirconia.
- the cathode also includes an electrical conductor.
- the present invention also provides a method of reducing a metal oxide in a solid state using the above- described electrolytic cell.
- the method includes a step of operating the cell at a potential that is above a decomposition potential of at least one of the constituents of the electrolyte so that there are cations of a metal other than that of the metal oxide in the electrolyte.
- the metal oxide is a titanium oxide, such as titania
- the electrolyte be a CaCl 2 -based electrolyte that includes CaO as one of constituents.
- the cell potential be above the decomposition potential for CaO. It is also preferred that the cell potential be below the decomposition potential for CaCl 2 .
- the cell potential be less than or equal to 3.0 V.
- the cell potential be below 2.5 V.
- the cell potential be below 2.0 V.
- the cell potential be above 1.5 V.
- the CaCl 2 -based electrolyte may be a commercially available source of CaCl 2 , such as calcium chloride dihydrate, that partially decomposes on heating and produces CaO or otherwise includes CaO.
- the CaCl 2 -based electrolyte may include CaCl 2 and CaO that are added separately or pre-mixed to form the electrolyte.
- the cell included a high density graphite crucible that formed the anode of the cell, a pool of molten CaCl 2 electrolyte in the crucible, and a cathode that included solid titania.
- the solid titania was in the form of titania pellets connected to a lower end of a Kanthal or stainless steel electrically conductive wire.
- experimental work on the cell identified carbon transfer as a significant issue in terms of contamination of cathode titanium and causing low energy efficiency of the cell.
- the experimental work established that carbon transfer was caused by an electrochemical reaction at the anode.
- the ionic barrier was in the form of a yttria stabilised zirconia membrane positioned between the anode and the cathode, thereby dividing the cell into an outer anode chamber and an inner cathode chamber.
- Figure 1 is a schematic of the cell set-up for the experiment.
- the cell included a graphite crucible 3 that formed the anode, a pool 19 of molten CaCl 2 electrolyte in the crucible, titania pellets 5 and an electrically conductive wire 7 that formed the cathode immersed in the electrolyte, and a yttria stabilised zirconia membrane 9 immersed in the electrolyte between the anode and the cathode.
- the cell was located in a resistance furnace 11 heated to a temperature to maintain the electrolyte in a molten state.
- the experimental set-up also included gas monitoring, cleaning, and analysis equipment.
- the cell was operated at an applied potential of 3V for a period of 35 hours, during which time there was continuous monitoring of the off-gas from the furnace. -At the conclusion of the experiment, the cell was cooled and the solidified electrolyte, the membrane, the anode and the cathode were analysed.
- Figure 2 is a summary of the results of the experiment .
- Figure 2 shows measured voltage, current, CO and C0 2 composition of the off-gas for the experiment.
- the invention is not so limited and extends to electrolytic reduction of other titanium oxides and to oxides of other metals and alloys.
- Examples of other potentially important meals are aluminium, silicon, germanium, hafnium, magnesium, and molybdenu .
- suitable electrolytes will be salts and oxides that are soluble in salts .
- suitable electrolyte is BaCl 2 .
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (7)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP03743766A EP1483431B1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-13 | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
JP2003574884A JP2005520046A (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-13 | Minimizing carbon transfer in electrolytic cells |
AU2003209825A AU2003209825A1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-13 | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
DE60314999T DE60314999D1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-13 | MINIMIZING THE CARBON TRANSFER IN AN ELECTROLYZE CELL |
CA002479050A CA2479050A1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-13 | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
MXPA04008886A MXPA04008886A (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-13 | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell. |
US10/939,001 US20050092129A1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2004-09-10 | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AUPS1170 | 2002-03-13 | ||
AUPS1170A AUPS117002A0 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2002-03-13 | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2003076692A1 true WO2003076692A1 (en) | 2003-09-18 |
Family
ID=3834768
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/AU2003/000305 WO2003076692A1 (en) | 2002-03-13 | 2003-03-13 | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
Country Status (12)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20050092129A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1483431B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2005520046A (en) |
CN (1) | CN1650052A (en) |
AT (1) | ATE367461T1 (en) |
AU (1) | AUPS117002A0 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2479050A1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60314999D1 (en) |
MX (1) | MXPA04008886A (en) |
RU (1) | RU2302482C2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2003076692A1 (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA200407433B (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2004033760A2 (en) * | 2002-10-09 | 2004-04-22 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Electrochemical reduction of metal oxides |
WO2004035873A1 (en) * | 2002-10-16 | 2004-04-29 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
WO2006000025A1 (en) * | 2004-06-28 | 2006-01-05 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Production of titanium |
WO2007014422A1 (en) * | 2005-08-01 | 2007-02-08 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Electrochemical reduction of metal oxides |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2007092398A2 (en) * | 2006-02-06 | 2007-08-16 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Method for electrolytic production of titanium and other metal powders |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1999064638A1 (en) * | 1998-06-05 | 1999-12-16 | Cambridge University Technical Services Limited | Removal of oxygen from metal oxides and solid solutions by electrolysis in a fused salt |
GB2359564A (en) * | 2000-02-22 | 2001-08-29 | Secr Defence | Electrolytic reduction of metal oxides |
Family Cites Families (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPH07113158B2 (en) * | 1984-04-14 | 1995-12-06 | 新日本製鐵株式会社 | Method of cleaning molten steel |
JPH03115592A (en) * | 1989-09-28 | 1991-05-16 | Osaka Titanium Co Ltd | Molten salt electrolytic cell |
US5670270A (en) * | 1995-11-16 | 1997-09-23 | The Dow Chemical Company | Electrode structure for solid state electrochemical devices |
US6187168B1 (en) * | 1998-10-06 | 2001-02-13 | Aluminum Company Of America | Electrolysis in a cell having a solid oxide ion conductor |
WO2001062995A1 (en) * | 2000-02-22 | 2001-08-30 | Qinetiq Limited | Method for the manufacture of metal foams by electrolytic reduction of porous oxidic preforms |
US6540902B1 (en) * | 2001-09-05 | 2003-04-01 | The United States Of America As Represented By The United States Department Of Energy | Direct electrochemical reduction of metal-oxides |
JP4089944B2 (en) * | 2001-11-30 | 2008-05-28 | 財団法人電力中央研究所 | Electrolytic reduction apparatus and method |
WO2003076690A1 (en) * | 2002-03-13 | 2003-09-18 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Reduction of metal oxides in an electrolytic cell |
JP4252531B2 (en) * | 2004-12-15 | 2009-04-08 | 株式会社大阪チタニウムテクノロジーズ | Metal manufacturing method |
-
2002
- 2002-03-13 AU AUPS1170A patent/AUPS117002A0/en not_active Abandoned
-
2003
- 2003-03-13 EP EP03743766A patent/EP1483431B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2003-03-13 CN CNA038092743A patent/CN1650052A/en active Pending
- 2003-03-13 RU RU2004130453/02A patent/RU2302482C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2003-03-13 CA CA002479050A patent/CA2479050A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2003-03-13 WO PCT/AU2003/000305 patent/WO2003076692A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2003-03-13 AT AT03743766T patent/ATE367461T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2003-03-13 DE DE60314999T patent/DE60314999D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2003-03-13 JP JP2003574884A patent/JP2005520046A/en active Pending
- 2003-03-13 MX MXPA04008886A patent/MXPA04008886A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
2004
- 2004-09-10 US US10/939,001 patent/US20050092129A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2004-09-16 ZA ZA200407433A patent/ZA200407433B/en unknown
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1999064638A1 (en) * | 1998-06-05 | 1999-12-16 | Cambridge University Technical Services Limited | Removal of oxygen from metal oxides and solid solutions by electrolysis in a fused salt |
GB2359564A (en) * | 2000-02-22 | 2001-08-29 | Secr Defence | Electrolytic reduction of metal oxides |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2004033760A2 (en) * | 2002-10-09 | 2004-04-22 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Electrochemical reduction of metal oxides |
WO2004033760A3 (en) * | 2002-10-09 | 2007-11-29 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty | Electrochemical reduction of metal oxides |
WO2004035873A1 (en) * | 2002-10-16 | 2004-04-29 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
US7628904B2 (en) | 2002-10-16 | 2009-12-08 | Metalysis Limited | Minimising carbon transfer in an electrolytic cell |
WO2006000025A1 (en) * | 2004-06-28 | 2006-01-05 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Production of titanium |
AU2005256146B2 (en) * | 2004-06-28 | 2010-11-25 | Metalysis Limited | Production of titanium |
WO2007014422A1 (en) * | 2005-08-01 | 2007-02-08 | Bhp Billiton Innovation Pty Ltd | Electrochemical reduction of metal oxides |
EA014138B1 (en) * | 2005-08-01 | 2010-10-29 | БиЭйчПи БИЛЛИТОН ИННОВЕЙШН ПТИ ЛТД. | Electrochemical reduction of metal oxides |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ATE367461T1 (en) | 2007-08-15 |
EP1483431B1 (en) | 2007-07-18 |
RU2302482C2 (en) | 2007-07-10 |
EP1483431A4 (en) | 2006-06-28 |
MXPA04008886A (en) | 2004-11-26 |
JP2005520046A (en) | 2005-07-07 |
AUPS117002A0 (en) | 2002-04-18 |
RU2004130453A (en) | 2005-06-10 |
DE60314999D1 (en) | 2007-08-30 |
EP1483431A1 (en) | 2004-12-08 |
ZA200407433B (en) | 2005-10-10 |
US20050092129A1 (en) | 2005-05-05 |
CA2479050A1 (en) | 2003-09-18 |
CN1650052A (en) | 2005-08-03 |
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