Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T15:24:35.910Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Novel metallurgical process for titanium production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Shuqiang Jiao  and
Hongmin Zhu
Shuqiang Jiao
Affiliation:
School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China
Hongmin Zhu*
Affiliation:
School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

In this work, a consumable anode composed of a solid solution of titanium carbide and titanium monoxide was prepared via carbothermic reduction of TiO2. Upon electrolysis, the anode fed Ti2+ into solution and carbon monoxide was generated; no excess carbon remained to contaminate the melt. On the cathode, high-purity titanium (>99.9%) was produced. Our results suggest anode and cathode current efficiencies of 93.5% and 89% respectively, indicating that the method is viable and extremely cost-effective, potentially dropping the cost of titanium to near that of aluminum.

Keywords

ElectrodepositionMetallic conductorOxide
Type
Rapid Communications
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 21 , Issue 9 , September 2006 , pp. 2172 - 2175
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1Kroll, W.J.: The production of ductile titanium. Trans. Am. Electrochem. Soc. 78, 35 (1940).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2Clayton, F.R., Mamantov, G., and Manning, D.L.: Electrochemical studies of titanium in molten fluorides. J. Electrochem. Soc. 120, 1193 (1973).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Wei, D., Okido, M., and Oki, T.: Characteristics of titanium deposits by electrolysis in molten chloride-fluoride mixture. J. Appl. Electrochem. 24, 923 (1994).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4Oishi, T., Kawamura, H., and Ito, Y.: Formation and size control of titanium particles by cathode discharge electrolysis of molten chloride. J. Appl. Electrochem. 32, 819 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5Lantelme, F., Kuroda, K., and Barhoun, A.: Electrochemical and thermodynamic properties of titanium chloride solutions in various alkali chloride mixtures. Electrochim. Acta 44, 421 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6Lantelme, F. and Salmi, A.: Electrochemistry of titanium in NaCl–KCl mixture and influence of dissolved fluoride ions. J. Electrochem. Soc. 142, 3451 (1995).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7Sadoway, D.R.: Electrochemical processing of refractory metals. JOM 43, 15 (1995).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8Fried, N.A., Rhoads, K.G., and Sadoway, D.R.: Transference number measurements of TiO2-BaO melts by stepped-potential chronoamperometry. Electrochim. Acta 46, 3351 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9Chen, G.Z., Fray, D.J., and Farthing, T.W.: Direct electrochemical reduction of titanium dioxide to titanium in molten calcium chloride. Nature 407, 361 (2000).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10Fray, D.J.: Emerging molten salt technologies for metals production. JOM 53, 26 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Chen, G.Z. and Fray, D.J.: Electro-deoxidation of metal oxides, in Light Metals, edited by Anjier, J.L. (2001), p. 1147.Google Scholar
12Chen, G.Z. and Fray, D.J.: Voltammetric studies of the oxygen-titanium binary system in molten calcium chloride. J. Electrochem. Soc. 149, E445 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13Wang, S.L. and Li, Y.J.: Reaction mechanism of direct electro-reduction of titanium dioxide in molten calcium chloride. J. Electroanal. Chem. 571, 37 (2004).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14Okabe, T.H., Nakamura, M., Oishi, T., and Ono, K.: Electrochemical deoxidation of titanium. Metall. Trans. B 24, 449 (1993).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15Ono, K. and Suzuki, R.O.: A new concept for producing Ti sponge: Caciothermic reduction. JOM 54, 59 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16Okabe, T.H., Oishi, T., and Ono, K.: Deoxidation of titanium aluminide by Ca–Al alloy under controlled aluminum activity. Metall. Trans. B 23, 583 (1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17Suzuki, R.O.: Calciothermic reduction of TiO2 and in situ electrolysis of CaO in the molten CaCl2. J. Phys. Chem. Solids 66, 461 (2005).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18Myron, J.R. and Palmerton, P.: Electrorefining metallic titanium U.S. Patent No. 2 939 823 (1960).Google Scholar
19Popov, B.N., Kimble, M.C., and White, R.E.: Electrochemical behaviour of titanium(II) and titanium(III) compounds in lithium chloride/potassium chloride eutectic melts. J. Appl. Electrochem. 21, 351 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20Wainer, E.: Cell feed material for the production of titanium U.S. Patent No. 2 868 703 (1959).Google Scholar
21Wainer, E. and Heights, C.: Ohio: Production of titanium U.S. Patent No. 2 722 509 (1955).Google Scholar
22Christle, J.H., Turner, J.A., and Osteryoung, R.A.: Square wave voltammetry at the dropping mercury electrode: Theory. Anal. Chem. 49, 1899 (1977).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23Tokumoto, S.I., Tanaka, E., Kikuchi, T., Ogisu, K., and Tsumori, T.: Method of adjust a fused salt electrolytic bath U.S. Patent No. 4 113 582 (1978).Google Scholar