Electrolyte treatment for aluminum reduction

Patent · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2001

OSTI ID:874955

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

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1. Seattle, WA
2. Bulleen, AU

A method of treating an electrolyte for use in the electrolytic reduction of alumina to aluminum employing an anode and a cathode, the alumina dissolved in the electrolyte, the treating improving wetting of the cathode with molten aluminum during electrolysis. The method comprises the steps of providing a molten electrolyte comprised of ALF.sub.3 and at least one salt selected from the group consisting of NaF, KF and LiF, and treating the electrolyte by providing therein 0.004 to 0.2 wt. % of a transition metal or transition metal compound for improved wettability of the cathode with molten aluminum during subsequent electrolysis to reduce alumina to aluminum.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA
• Assignee: Northwest Aluminum Technologies (Seattle, WA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6497807
• Application Number: 09/721,845
• OSTI ID: 874955
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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alfsub3
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aluminum
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anode
cathode
compound
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consisting
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electrolysis
electrolyte
electrolytic
employing
improved
improving
kf
lif
metal
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molten
molten aluminum
naf
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reduce
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salt
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wettability
wetting
wt