Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft

Bernd Sermond

Jurgen Muller

Karl Lohrberg

Heinz Wullenweber

Eike Dolling

Richard Bauer

This invention relates to a process of producing lithium metal by the electrolysis of fused mixed salts comprising electrolyzing fused mixed salts consisting of lithium chloride and potassium chloride in a diaphragmless electrolytic cell, withdrawing molten lithium metal from the cell to a receiver and cooling the lithium metal which has been withdrawn. To decrease the content of impurities in a continuous process, molten mixture which rises in the interelectrode space in the cell and contains lithium metal is collected in an annular zone, which surrounds the top end of the cathode adjacent to the surface level of the molten mixture, said molten mixture is withdrawn from said annular zone through a siphon pipe and is supplied from the latter to a separating chamber, which communicates with the electrolytic cell and is sealed from the chlorine gas atmosphere in the electrolytic cell, electrolyte and lithium are separated in the separating chamber under a protective gas atmosphere, lithium metal is discharged from the separating chamber into a receiver under a protective gas atmosphere, and the electrolyte is recycled from the separating chamber to the electrolytic cell. An electrolytic cell for carrying out the process is also described.

Process and apparatus for producing high-purity lithium metal by

In the manufacture of sheet metal elements or strip having a catalytic surface structure, a mixture of skeleton material powder, and of Raney alloy powder is rolled onto the starting sheet metal element or strip substrate, sintered in a reducing atmosphere, whereafter the soluble component of the Raney alloy is dissolved out. To ensure an adequate adherence of the catalytic surface structure, the operation in which the above-mentioned mixture is rolled onto the substrate is accompanied by a simultaneous cold-working of the substrate with a deformation of 20 to 60% within each cold-forming step. The coated sheet metal element or strip substrates or any spherical bodies made therefrom serve as electrodes in electrolytic processes.

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Asslar, Germany

Bernd Sermond