CATHODE FOR ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION OF TITANIUM AND OTHER METAL POWDERS

• US 20090045070A1
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Becker, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US12/162,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045070A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/220
• CPC Class Codes: C22B 34/129 obtaining metallic titanium from titanium compounds by dissociation, e.g. thermic dissociation of titanium tetraiodide, or by electrolysis or with the use of an electric arc
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 3/26 of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum or vanadium
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 3/28 of titanium
• CPC Class Codes: C25C 5/04 from melts

Abstract

Disclosed herein are electrolytic cells comprising cathodes having a non-uniform current distribution and methods of use thereof.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the morphology of a titanium-containing product in an electrolytic cell comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electrolytic cell comprising a molten electrolyte, a cathode having a non-uniform current distribution in contact with the molten electrolyte, and an anode in contact with the molten electrolyte;

(b) providing a titanium-containing compound to the molten electrolyte; and

(c) applying either a fixed voltage or a fixed current across the anode and the cathode thereby depositing a metal comprising titanium on the cathode.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising during or after step (c) the further step of removing the titanium from the cathode when the metal attains a morphology suitable for powder metallurgical applications.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the removing step is accomplished by fluid flow, vibration, or blown gas.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal is a low aspect ratio powder with a particle size of less than 45 microns.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal is asymmetric powder particle with a particle size in a range of from 45 to 150 micron.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the asymmetric powder particle has an aspect ratio of greater than 1.5.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cathode is wire mesh, bristles, rods, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal is titanium.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) is accomplished by adding the titanium-containing compound to the molten electrolyte.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the titanium-containing compound is titanium monoxide or titanium dioxide.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the anode is a consumable anode and the titanium-containing compound is a component of the consumable anode which is provided to the molten electrolyte