Physical chemistry of carbothermic reduction of alumina

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6570345· OSTI ID:6570345

Frank, Robert A.

Production of aluminium, by means of carbothermic reduction of alumina, is discussed. By employing a solvent metal bath to absorb the alumina metal, carbothermic reduction of alumina was accomplished at temperatures 300/degree/C lower than the temperatures reported in the literature. Reduction occurred without the formation of intermediate compounds and without the high volatilization of aluminum bearing species. Reduction of alumina immersed in a solvent bath appeared to be rate limited by chemical reaction control. The rates seemed to be a function of the activity of aluminum in the solvent metal bath. Reduction of alumina particles, above the surface of the bath, seemed to occur via vapor transport with carbon in the particles or in the crucible walls. Mass transport in the gas phase appeared to be rate limiting. The rates seemed to be a function of the distance separating the alumina and carbon sources. With both submerged alumina and alumina particles, increasing the surface area of the alumina increased the rate of reduction. 58 refs., 65 figs., 9 tabs.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FG07-83ID12467
• OSTI ID: 6570345
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/12467-2; ON: DE89004713
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ALUMINIUM
PRODUCTION
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
REDUCTION
COPPER
SOLVENT PROPERTIES
IRON
TIN
ADSORPTION
CARBON
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FURNACES
MASS TRANSFER
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PRESSURE EFFECTS
SOLVENTS
SURFACE AREA
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMODYNAMICS
VAPORS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
INFORMATION
KINETICS
METALS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
SORPTION
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
360101* - Metals & Alloys- Preparation & Fabrication
400201 - Chemical & Physicochemical Properties