Fused Salt Electrolysis and Electrothermics

Abstract

It is well known that noble metals such as copper can be electrodeposited at high current density from aqueous solution. However, hydrogen evolution may take place as a competitive reaction when cathodic deposition of less-noble metals such as Fe and Ni is carried out. Metals which are even less noble, such as Al and Mg, do not electrodeposit from aqueous solution at all, although these metals can be obtained by electrolysis of nonaqueous solutions, such as electrolytes of organic solvents or ammonia. These methods may be used on a laboratory scale but not on a commercial scale because of difficulties in operation and high cost.