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Anodic Dissolution of Metals in Oxide-Free Cryolite Melts

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Abstract

The anodic behavior of metals in molten cryolite-alumina melts has been investigated mostly for use as inert anodes for the Hall–Héroult process. In the present work, gold, platinum, palladium, copper, tungsten, nickel, cobalt and iron metal electrodes were anodically polarized in an oxide-free cryolite melt (11%wt. excess AlF3 ; 5%wt. CaF2) at 1273 K. The aim of the experiments was to characterize the oxidation reactions of the metals occurring without the effect of oxygen-containing dissolved species. The anodic dissolution of each metal was demonstrated, and electrochemical reactions were assigned using reversible potential calculation. The relative stability of metals as well as the possibility of generating pure fluorine is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Génie Chimique (LGC), Université Paul Sabatier, UMR 5503, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 04, France

    L. Cassayre, P. Chamelot & P. Taxil

  2. Alcan, Voreppe Research Center, 725 rue Aristide Bergès, 38341, Voreppe, France

    L. Cassayre

  3. Centre Interuniversitaire de Recherche et d’Ingénierie des Matériaux (CIRIMAT), Université Paul Sabatier, UMR 5085, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 04, France

    L. Arurault

Authors
  1. L. Cassayre
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  2. P. Chamelot
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  3. L. Arurault
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  4. P. Taxil
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Correspondence to L. Cassayre.

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Cassayre, L., Chamelot, P., Arurault, L. et al. Anodic Dissolution of Metals in Oxide-Free Cryolite Melts. J Appl Electrochem 35, 999–1004 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-005-6727-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-005-6727-9

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