Combination for electrolytic reduction of alumina

Patent · Tue Apr 30 00:00:00 EDT 2002

OSTI ID:874384

Brown, Craig W ^[1]; Brooks, Richard J ^[1]; Frizzle, Patrick B ^[2]; Juric, Drago D ^[3]

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1. Seattle, WA
2. Lynnwood, WA
3. Bulleen, AU

An electrolytic bath for use during the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum. The bath comprises molten electrolyte having the following ingredients: AlF.sub.3 and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF, and LiF; and about 0.004 wt. % to about 0.2 wt. %, based on total weight of the molten electrolyte, of at least one transition metal or at least one compound of the metal or both. The compound is, a fluoride; oxide, or carbonate. The metal is nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, or molybdenum. The bath is employed in a combination including a vessel for containing the bath and at least one non-consumable anode and at least one dimensionally stable cathode in the bath. Employing the instant bath during electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum improves the wetting of aluminum on a cathode by reducing or eliminating the formation of non-metallic deposits on the cathode.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA
• Assignee: Northwest Aluminum Technology (The Dalles, OR)
• Patent Number(s): US 6379512
• Application Number: 09/721,846
• OSTI ID: 874384
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/204/
0004
02
alfsub3
alumina
aluminum
anode
based
bath
carbonate
cathode
cobalt
combination
compound
consisting
containing
copper
deposits
dimensionally
electrolyte
electrolytic
electrolytic bath
electrolytic reduction
eliminating
employed
employing
fluoride
following
formation
improves
including
ingredients
instant
iron
kf
lif
metal
molten
molybdenum
naf
nickel
non-consumable
non-metallic
oxide
reducing
reduction
salt
selected
stable
total
transition
transition metal
vessel
weight
wetting
wt