Alloy and anode for use in the electrowinning of metals

• US 20070193879A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RSR Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: RSR Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Siegmund, Andreas, Prengaman, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,704,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/293
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 11/06 with tin as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 1/08 of nickel or cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 1/10 of chromium or manganese
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 1/12 of copper
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 7/02 Electrodes consumable anodes for the refining the metals C25C1/00 - C25C5/00; Connections thereof

Abstract

A lead calcium tin alloy to which cobalt has been added is described. The alloy is useful in the formation of anodes to be used in electrowinning cells. Electrowinning cells containing the cobalt alloys are particularly suited for electrowinning metals, such as copper, from sulfuric acid electrolytes. The cobalt-containing anodes improve the efficiency of oxygen evolution at the anode during electrowinning and reduce corrosion of the anode.

Claims

1. A lead tin alloy containing greater than 0% of a member selected from the group consisting of calcium, barium and strontium and also containing between 0.005 and 0.300% cobalt.

2. The alloy of claim 1 containing 0.03 to 0.10% calcium, 0.5 to 2.5% tin and 0.005 to 0.300% cobalt.

3. The alloy of claim 2 containing up to 0.08% calcium, up to 2.2% tin and up to 0.1% cobalt.

4. The alloy of claim 2 containing at least 0.05% calcium, at least 1.0% tin and at least 0.01% cobalt.

5. The alloy of claim 4 containing no more than 0.04% cobalt.

6. The alloy of claim 1 containing 0.05 to 0.08% calcium, 1.0 to 2.2% tin and 0.01 to 0.100% cobalt.

7. The alloy of claim 2 which additionally comprises up to 0.1% silver.

8. The alloy of claim 6 containing 0.002 to 0.08% silver.

9. The alloy of claim 2 which additionally comprises up to 0.035% aluminum.

10. The alloy of claim 7 which additionally comprises 0.001 to 0.035% aluminum.

11. An electrowinning anode comprising the alloy of claim 1.

12. An electrowinning anode comprising the alloy of claim 2.

13. An electrowinning anode comprising the alloy of claim 6.

14. An electrowinning anode comprising the alloy of claim 7.

15. An electrowinning anode comprising the alloy of claim 9.

16. In a cell for electrowinning metals containing an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, the improvement comprising the anode of claim 11.

17. The cell of claim 16 wherein the electrolyte is sulfuric acid.

18. In a method of electrowinning a metal in an electrowinning cell, the improvement comprising electrowinning the metal using the anode of claim 11.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the electrowinning is conducted in a sulfuric acid electrolyte.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the metal being electrowon is selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel and manganese.