Alcoa Inc.

Aluminum Company of America

Owens-corning Fiberglas Corporation

Alcoa USA Corp.

Douglas A Weirauch, Jr

Xinghua Liu

Siba P Ray

Robert A DiMilia

Frankie E Phelps

Joseph M Dynys

Alfred F LaCamera

Mark Weaver

Lance M Sworts

G Edward Graddy, Jr

Brian J Tielsch

John F Kelso

Kirk J Malmquist

Karen L Bowersox

Compositions for making wettable cathodes to be used in aluminum electrolysis cells are disclosed. The compositions generally include titanium diboride (TiB) and metal additives. The amount of selected metal additives may result in production of electrodes having a tailored density and/or porosity. The electrodes may be durable and used in aluminum electrolysis cells.

Composition for making wettable cathode in aluminum smelting

Stable anodes comprising iron oxide useful for the electrolytic production of metal such as aluminum are disclosed. The iron oxide may comprise FeO, FeO, FeO or a combination thereof. During the electrolytic aluminum production process, the anodes remain stable at a controlled bath temperature of the aluminum production cell and current density through the anodes is controlled. The iron oxide-containing anodes may be used to produce commercial purity aluminum.

Stable anodes including iron oxide and use of such anodes in metal production cells

Ceramic inert anodes useful for the electrolytic production of aluminum are disclosed. The inert anodes comprise oxides of Ni, Fe and Al. The Ni&#x2014;Fe&#x2014;Al oxide inert anode materials have sufficient electrical conductivity at operation temperatures of aluminum production cells, and also possess good mechanical stability. The Ni&#x2014;Fe&#x2014;Al oxide inert anodes may be used to produce commercial purity aluminum.

Stable inert anodes including an oxide of nickel, iron and aluminum

An inert anodefor use in an electrolytic cellfor producing metals such as aluminum, is made by providing chemical source materialssuch as at least two of metal salts, metal particles, or metal oxides and dissolving them to form a solution or a slurryfollowed by adding a baseand adjusting the pH so that a gelis formed which is dried and calcinedto provide a blend of metal oxide powderwhich can be pressed and sinteredto form an inert anode

Synthesis of multi-element oxides useful for inert anode applications

A method of making cermet inert anodes for the electrolytic production of metals such as aluminum is disclosed. The method includes the step of spray drying a slurry comprising ceramic phase particles and metal phase particles. The resultant spray dried powder, which comprises agglomerates of both the ceramic phase and metal phase particles, may then be consolidated by techniques such as pressing and sintering to produce a cermet inert anode material. The ceramic phase may comprise oxides of Ni, Fe and at least one additional metal selected from Zn, Co, Al, Li, Cu, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Ta, W, Mo, Hf and rare earths. The metal phase may comprise Cu, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au, Rh, Ru, Ir and/or Os. The consolidated cermet inert anode material exhibits improved properties such as reduced porosity. The cermet inert anodes may be used in electrolytic reduction cells for the production of commercial purity aluminum as well as other metals.

Cermet inert anode materials and method of making same

Ceramic inert anodes useful for the electrolytic production of aluminum are disclosed. The inert anodes comprise an oxide of Ni and Fe having a controlled Ni/(Ni&plus;Fe) mole ratio which results in a single-phase structure at the operation temperatures of aluminum production cells. The Ni and Fe oxide material may also have a single-phase structure at the sintering temperature of the material. The single-phase inert anode materials maintain sufficient electrical conductivity at the operating temperatures of the cell, and also possess good mechanical stability.

Stable inert anodes including a single-phase oxide of nickel and iron

A cermet inert anode for the electrolytic production of metals such as aluminum is disclosed. The inert anode comprises a ceramic phase including an oxide of Ni, Fe and M, where M is at least one metal selected from Zn, Co, Al, Li, Cu, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Ta, W, Mo, Hf and rare earths, preferably Zn and/or Co. Preferred ceramic compositions comprise Fe O , NiO and ZnO or CoO. The cermet inert anode also comprises a metal phase such as Cu, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au, Rh, Ru, Ir and/or Os. A preferred metal phase comprises Cu and Ag. The cermet inert anodes may be used in electrolytic reduction cells for the production of commercial purity aluminum as well as other metals.

For cermet inert anode containing oxide and metal phases useful for the electrolytic production of metals

An inert anode for the electrolytic production of metals such as aluminum is disclosed. The inert anode includes a ceramic oxide material preferably made from NiO, Fe O and ZnO. The inert anode composition may comprise the following mole fractions of NiO, Fe O and ZnO: 0.2 to 0.99 NiO; 0.0001 to 0.8 Fe O ; and 0.0001 to 0.3 ZnO. The inert anode may optionally include other oxides and/or at least one metal phase, such as Cu, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au, Rh, Ru, Ir and/or Os. The Ni&mdash;Fe&mdash;Co&mdash;O ceramic material exhibits very low solubility in Hall cell baths used to produce aluminum.

Inert anode containing oxides of nickel, iron and zinc useful for the electrolytic production of metals

A method of producing commercial purity aluminum in an electrolytic reduction cell comprising ceramic inert anodes is disclosed. The method produces aluminum having acceptable levels of Fe, Cu and Ni impurities. The ceramic inert anodes used in the process may comprise oxides containing Fe and Ni, as well as other oxides, metals and/or dopants.

Electrolytic production of high purity aluminum using ceramic inert anodes

An inert anode for the electrolytic production of metals such as aluminum is disclosed. The inert anode includes a ceramic oxide material preferably made from NiO, Fe O and CoO. The inert anode composition may comprise the following mole fractions of NiO, Fe O and CoO: 0.15 to 0.99 NiO; 0.0001 to 0.85 Fe O ; and 0.0001 to 0.45 CoO. The inert anode may optionally include other oxides and/or at least one metal phase, such as Cu, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au, Rh, Ru, Ir and/or Os. The Ni&mdash;Fe&mdash;Co&mdash;O ceramic material exhibits very low solubility in Hall cell baths used to produce aluminum.

Inert anode containing oxides of nickel iron and cobalt useful for the electrolytic production of metals

A method of producing commercial purity aluminum in an electrolytic reduction cell comprising inert anodes is disclosed. The method produces aluminum having acceptable levels of Fe, Cu and Ni impurities. The inert anodes used in the process preferably comprise a cermet material comprising ceramic oxide phase portions and metal phase portions.

Electrolytic production of high purity aluminum using inert anodes

A process for increasing the colorizing effect of known colorizing oxides in an alumina body. The process includes the steps of (a) forming a glass frit containing colorants; (b) mixing the frit and alumina to form a green mixture; and (c) firing the mixture to form a fired ceramic body.

Colored ceramics for electronic packages

A water resistant, devitrification resistant glass fiber consisting essentially of SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, CaO, MgO, B.sub.2 O.sub.3, Na.sub.2 O, and F.sub.2 and/or Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 and/or TiO.sub.2 and/or K.sub.2 O and/or SO.sub.3 in trace amounts, said glass fiber having a delta T of at least about 365.degree. F. and a durability (% fiber weight loss at 96.degree. C.) in water for 24 hours of less than about 0.9%.

Growing community of inventors

Murrysville, PA, United States of America

Douglas A Weirauch, Jr