ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVE COMPOSITION, METHODS OF MAKING, AND USES THEREOF

• US 20090288958A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metso Outotec Finland OY (Metso Outotec Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Phelps Dodge Industries Incorporated (Freeport-Mcmoran Copper & Gold Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sandoval, Scot P., Waite, Michael D., Clayton, Casey J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,124,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/576
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1216 Metal oxides C23C18/1212 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1225 Deposition of multilayers of inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/091 consisting of at least one catalytic element and at least one catalytic compound; consisting of two or more catalytic elements or catalytic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 11/093 at least one noble metal or noble metal oxide and at least one non-noble metal oxide
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/027 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8652 as mixture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8657 layered
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9016 Oxides, hydroxides or oxygenated metallic salts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0247 characterised by the form characterised by a channel configuration H01M8/0258
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Accordingly, in various embodiments, the present invention provides methods for making electrochemically active materials. Methods include making an electrochemically active material by reacting a platinum group metal salt in a organic solvent to yield a mixture, then heating the mixture to create a metal-organic solvent complex and an acid, followed by removing at least a portion of the acid, and yielding an electrochemically active material comprising the metal-organic solvent complex. In an exemplary embodiment, the resulting electrochemically active material may be used for coating an electrode.

Claims

1. A method of making a composition, the method comprising:

reacting a platinum group metal salt in a polar organic solvent to yield a mixture;

heating said mixture;

creating a platinum group metal-organic solvent complex and an acid;

removing at least a portion of said acid; and

yielding a composition comprising said platinum group metal-organic solvent complex.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising diluting said composition with an alcohol.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said alcohol is one of butanol, t-butanol, and mixtures thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising removing essentially all of said acid.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said platinum group metal is iridium.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said heating said mixture is to a temperature greater to or equal to a vapor point of said acid.

7. A method of making an electrode, the method comprising:

coating at least a portion of a conductive substrate with a mixture comprising an iridium-methylethylketone complex, tantalum, and a solvent;

heating said conductive substrate coated with said mixture; and

oxidizing said iridium into at least one of an amorphous phase, a crystalline phase, and combinations thereof.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising coupling said conductive substrate to at least one conductive rod.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising attaching said at least one conductive rod to a hanger bar.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising vaporizing essentially all of said methylethylketone.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein said heating said conductive substrate coated with said mixture is to a temperature between about 450°

C. and about 550°

C.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein said heating said conductive substrate coated with said mixture is to a temperature between about 360°

C. and about 440°

C.

13. An anode comprising:

a conductive substrate; and

a coating essentially free of chlorine, said coating comprising iridium oxide and tantalum oxide, said coating on at least a portion of a surface of said conductive substrate.

14. The anode according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of conductive rods, said conductive substrate coupled to at least one of said plurality of conductive rods.

15. The anode according to claim 14, further comprising a hanger bar, said plurality of conductive rods attached to said hanger bar.

16. The anode according to claim 13, wherein said coating comprises a molar ratio of said iridium oxide to said tantalum oxide of about 50:

50 to about 90;

10.

17. The anode according to claim 13, wherein said coating comprises a molar ratio of said iridium oxide to said tantalum oxide of about 80:

20.

18. The anode according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said iridium oxide is in at least one of a crystalline phase, an amorphous phase, and combinations thereof.

19. A method of lowering a cell voltage in an electrowinning circuit, the method comprising:

providing an electrowinning cell;

employing a coated anode in said electrowinning cell, said coated anode having a coating comprising iridium oxide and tantalum oxide, said coating essentially free of chlorine; and

powering said electrowinning cell.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising electrowinning a metal value.