Cathode starting sheet manufacturing device for producing metal nickel plate or cobalt plate, production device and cathode plate

Abstract

The utility model provides a cathode starting sheet manufacturing device for producing a metal nickel plate or cobalt plate, a production device and a cathode plate, and at least one surface of the cathode plate is configured to be a growth surface for growing the metal nickel plate or cobalt plate so as to enhance the adhesive force of the metal nickel plate or cobalt plate on the cathode plate. The growth surface of the cathode plate is configured to be the roughened surface, so that the attachment points of the metal nickel plate or cobalt plate on the cathode plate are increased, and the physical adhesive force between the metal nickel plate or cobalt plate and the cathode plate is improved. According to the principle of physics, internal stress and external force generated in the electrolysis process can be effectively resisted through enhancement of the adhesive force, and the relative sliding and separation phenomena between the metal nickel plate or cobalt plate and the negative plate are reduced. In the production device, the cathode plate is directly adopted as a permanent cathode for electrolytic production, so that the production process is simplified, the production period is shortened, and the adhesive force and the stability of the metal nickel plate or cobalt plate on the cathode plate are remarkably improved, thereby improving the product quality and the production efficiency and reducing the production cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of metal smelting technology, specifically to a cathode starter sheet fabrication apparatus, a production apparatus, and a cathode plate for producing nickel or cobalt plates. The purpose of this utility model is to improve the production efficiency and product quality of nickel or cobalt plates. Background Technology

[0002] In the metal electrolytic smelting industry, especially in nickel and cobalt electrowinning, traditional production methods heavily rely on the starter plate process. This process first grows a thin metal sheet (typically about 0.5-0.8 mm) on a seed plate through electrolysis, and then uses this sheet as the cathode starter plate in the production cell for further electrolytic growth, ultimately forming a nickel or cobalt plate. However, this traditional process has many significant drawbacks, greatly limiting the improvement of production efficiency and product quality.

[0003] Traditional starter sheets, due to their extremely thin thickness, suffer from very poor strength and stability. During electrolysis, these thin starter sheets are highly susceptible to deformation, which not only severely affects the uniformity of current distribution but also directly leads to a decrease in product flatness and smoothness, and may even result in impurity inclusions and delamination, posing a serious threat to product quality. Furthermore, to overcome the deformation problem of the starter sheets, traditional processes necessitate frequent secondary flattening operations. This process not only significantly increases workload and labor intensity but may also cause damage and waste to the metal sheets, further driving up production costs.

[0004] More seriously, in existing technologies, when using traditional cathode plate processes to produce metallic nickel or cobalt plates, the cathode plate needs to be removed and placed in the electrolytic cell multiple times. This cumbersome production process not only reduces production efficiency, but also makes it difficult to guarantee the stability of the cathode plate in the electrolytic cell due to frequent removal and placement operations, further leading to unstable product quality.

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, our researchers proposed cathode starter sheet technology and permanent cathode technology. The cathode starter sheet technology aims to improve the strength and stability of the starter sheet by increasing its thickness (e.g., 1.0-2.0 mm), thereby reducing deformation and adhesion problems during electrolysis. However, during our experiments, we found that the separation of the nickel or cobalt plate from the seed plate still frequently occurs during cathode starter sheet production, preventing the cathode starter sheet from continuing to grow stably.

[0006] The permanent cathode process technology is further innovated by completely eliminating the use of a starter plate and directly using titanium plates, aluminum plates, or stainless steel plates as cathode plates for electrolytic production. Although this technology simplifies the process and improves production efficiency, experiments have also revealed that when the nickel or cobalt plates grow to a certain thickness (usually 0.5-1.0 mm), they are prone to separating from the seed plate, limiting the stable growth of the nickel or cobalt plates.

[0007] Therefore, how to further improve the surface adhesion of the metal seed plate and ensure the stable adhesion and growth of the nickel or cobalt metal plate (whether used as a starter sheet for continued growth or directly produced as a finished product) on the metal seed plate, so as to improve product quality and production efficiency, has become a key issue that urgently needs to be addressed. Utility Model Content

[0008] This invention aims to solve numerous problems in the starter plate process of traditional nickel and cobalt electrowinning, particularly addressing the metal-seed plate separation issue that occurs during the production of nickel or cobalt plates in both the cathode starter plate and permanent cathode processes. By optimizing the surface treatment of the cathode plate, the adhesion and stability of the nickel or cobalt plate on the cathode plate are improved, thereby enhancing product quality and production efficiency while reducing production costs.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] This invention provides a cathode plate for producing metallic nickel plates or cobalt plates, wherein at least one surface is configured as a growth surface for growing metallic nickel plates or cobalt plates.

[0011] The growth surface is configured as a roughened surface with a roughness Ra greater than 1.0 μm, preferably 3.0-40 μm, to significantly enhance the adhesion of the nickel or cobalt plate to the cathode plate.

[0012] The cathode plate material can be titanium plate, aluminum plate or stainless steel plate. These materials have good electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance, and are suitable as cathode plates for electrolytic production.

[0013] Furthermore, the growth surface is a roughened surface formed by methods such as sandblasting, chemical etching, or laser etching. These methods can effectively increase the physical roughness and surface area of ​​the cathode plate, thereby improving the adhesion of the nickel or cobalt plate to the cathode plate. Compared to traditional cathode plates, the mechanical interlocking area between the nickel or cobalt plate and the cathode plate increases by more than 50%.

[0014] This utility model also provides a cathode starter sheet manufacturing apparatus for producing metallic nickel plates or cobalt plates, including the cathode plate designed above.

[0015] The cathode starter sheet is attached to the cathode plate and has a thickness of 1.0 mm or more, preferably 1.0-2.0 mm, to improve the strength and stability of the starter sheet.

[0016] Furthermore, this utility model also provides a production apparatus for a nickel plate or a cobalt plate, which also includes the cathode plate designed above.

[0017] The thickness of the nickel or cobalt plate attached to the cathode plate is 3.0 mm or more, preferably 3.0-10 mm, to meet the needs of different application scenarios.

[0018] According to the above technical solution of this utility model, by optimizing the surface treatment of the metal seed plate, the stable adhesion and growth ability of the nickel plate or cobalt plate on the metal seed plate can be improved, and the following significant technical effects can be expected:

[0019] (1) By configuring the growth surface of the cathode plate to a roughened surface with a roughness Ra greater than 1.0 μm, the number of adhesion points of the nickel or cobalt plate on the cathode plate is significantly increased, thereby improving the physical adhesion between the two. According to the principles of physics, the enhanced adhesion can effectively resist the internal stress and external force generated during electrolysis, and reduce the relative sliding and separation phenomena between the nickel or cobalt plate and the cathode plate.

[0020] (2) Due to the stable adhesion and growth of the nickel or cobalt plates on the cathode plate, deformation and adhesion problems during the electrolysis process are reduced, resulting in nickel or cobalt plates with higher flatness and smoothness. The stable adhesion and growth process also helps to reduce the occurrence of impurity inclusions and delamination, further improving the purity and consistency of the product.

[0021] (3) The increase in the thickness of the cathode starting plate in the cathode starting plate making device improves its strength and stability, reduces deformation and adhesion problems during the electrolysis process, thereby reducing the number of times the cathode plate is picked up and put down and the secondary plate leveling operation.

[0022] Furthermore, the direct use of cathode plates as permanent cathodes in the production equipment for electrolytic production further simplifies the production process and shortens the production cycle. Moreover, by reducing the number of times cathode plates need to be removed and placed, and the secondary plate leveling operation, as well as improving production efficiency and product quality, the technical solution described in this utility model helps to reduce production costs. Simultaneously, the improved product quality reduces rework and scrap rates caused by quality issues, further lowering production costs.

[0023] In summary, this invention significantly improves the adhesion and stability of nickel or cobalt plates on the cathode plate by optimizing the surface treatment, thereby enhancing product quality and production efficiency while reducing production costs. These technical effects are of great significance for promoting the development of the metal electrolytic smelting industry. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below only involve some embodiments of this utility model, and are not intended to limit this utility model.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cathode plate in this utility model:

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing a nickel or cobalt plate grown on a cathode plate.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cathode starter plate attached to the cathode plate;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the process of producing cathode starter sheets, metallic nickel plates, or cobalt plates by electrolysis of cathode plates.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0030] 100, Cathode plate; 101, Growth surface; 200, Nickel or cobalt plate; 300, Cathode starter sheet; 400, Anode plate; 500, Electrolytic cell. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0032] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this patent document shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this utility model pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this utility model patent specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "an," "a," or "the" do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms "comprising" or "including" indicate that the element or object preceding "comprising" encompasses the element or object listed following "comprising" or its equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0034] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0035] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the features in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0036] Example 1:

[0037] This embodiment provides a cathode plate 100 for producing nickel or cobalt plates 200, addressing the problem of separation between the nickel or cobalt plates 200 and the cathode plate 100 during the metal plate production process. By optimizing the surface treatment of the cathode plate 100, the adhesion and stability of the nickel or cobalt plates 200 on the cathode plate 100 are improved, thereby enhancing product quality and production efficiency. The following detailed description of this technical solution is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0038] Please see Figures 1 to 3As shown, this embodiment provides a cathode plate 100 for producing a nickel or cobalt plate 200. The cathode plate 100 has a growth surface 101, which is used to grow the nickel or cobalt plate 200 during the electrolytic reaction. The growth surface 101 is roughened to effectively increase the physical roughness and surface area of ​​the cathode plate 100, thereby improving the adhesion of the nickel or cobalt plate 200 to the cathode plate 100.

[0039] An industrial pure titanium plate with dimensions of 1050 mm in length, 880 mm in width, and 5 mm in thickness was selected as the cathode plate 100. In other embodiments, an aluminum plate or a stainless steel plate can also be used. One surface of the cathode plate was treated with sandblasting and used as the growth surface 101 for growing nickel or cobalt plates. A large automatic sandblasting machine of model BS-300 was selected, with a sandblasting pressure of 0.6 MPa and a sandblasting time of 20 minutes. 40-mesh brown corundum abrasive was used. The surface roughness Ra of the treated growth surface 101 was measured by a surface roughness measuring instrument to reach 6 μm, which meets the requirement of Ra greater than 1.0 μm and preferably 3.0-40 μm in this invention. Through sandblasting, a uniform rough structure was formed on the surface of the titanium plate. The experiment showed that after the formation of micron-level pits and nano-grooves on the surface of the cathode plate 100, the uneven surface caused a significant increase in the effective specific surface area of ​​the cathode plate 100 compared with that before treatment. Based on the relationship between adhesion and surface microstructure in physics, this significantly increases the physical adhesion between the subsequently grown nickel or cobalt plate and the cathode plate. In other embodiments, chemical etching or laser etching can also be used to roughen the surface of the titanium plate.

[0040] Adhesion tests were conducted on a sandblasted cathode plate. A 1.5 mm thick nickel plate was electrolytically grown onto the growth surface of the cathode plate, and then peel force tests were performed using specialized peel force testing equipment. The test results showed that the peel force required to separate the nickel plate from the cathode plate reached 35 N / cm. 2 It is much greater than the 10 N / cm required by this utility model. 2 And it satisfies the preferred requirement of being greater than 30 N / cm 2 This is because the rough surface increases the mechanical interlocking area between the nickel plate and the cathode plate, making the bond between them tighter.

[0041] The prepared cathode plate is placed in electrolytic cell 500. The electrolyte is a solution containing nickel sulfate (concentration 200 g / L). The anode plate 400 is made of lead-calcium-tin-aluminum alloy or titanium-plated lead dioxide plate. During electrolysis, the current density is controlled at 230 A / m. 2The electrolyte temperature was 60-70℃, and the pH value was 2.5-3.5. After 15 hours of electrolysis, metallic nickel plates grew on the growth surface of the cathode plate. Testing showed that the grown metallic nickel plates were firmly attached to the cathode plate without separation. This verifies that the cathode plate can effectively ensure the stable growth of metallic nickel plates in actual electrolytic production.

[0042] The flatness of the grown nickel plate was measured using a flatness measuring instrument, and the flatness error was 3 mm / m. This indicates that the stable adhesion and growth of the nickel plate on the cathode effectively reduces deformation, resulting in a product with high flatness that meets the requirements of high-quality products. Furthermore, compositional analysis of the nickel plate revealed a purity of 99.95%, with no impurities, inclusions, or delamination, further demonstrating the positive role of this cathode plate in improving product quality.

[0043] Furthermore, to verify that roughening the surface of the cathode plate 100 is beneficial for metal deposition, and to demonstrate the feasibility and actual effectiveness of this technical solution, a comparative experimental group was also established:

[0044] The comparative experiment was conducted under the same electrolysis conditions: parallel tests were carried out using a conventional mirror-polished cathode plate 100 (Ra<0.05μm) and the roughened cathode plate 100 in this embodiment. The electrode spacing was controlled to be 8cm during electrolysis.

[0045] Experiments revealed that the conventional cathode plate 100 exhibited edge curling of the metal deposition layer after 120 minutes of electrolysis. When the thickness of the grown nickel or cobalt plate 200 reached only 0.6 mm, insufficient adhesion led to localized peeling. In contrast, the cathode plate 100 of this design, with its surface roughening treatment, deposited a continuous and dense nickel or cobalt plate 200 within the same timeframe, achieving a metal thickness of 2 mm without interface separation. Furthermore, adhesion testing using a scratch tester showed that the conventional sample exhibited coating peeling at a critical load of 8 N, while the critical load of the sample in this embodiment was increased to 30 N.

[0046] The mechanism by which roughening the surface of the cathode plate 100 enhances the adhesion of the nickel or cobalt plate 200 is as follows:

[0047] Through surface roughening treatment, micron-sized pits and trenches are formed on the surface of the cathode plate 100. These micron-sized trenches can effectively accommodate the gas generated during electrolysis, avoid the formation of local insulating layers due to bubble retention, and increase the surface area of ​​the cathode plate 100, thereby increasing its actual contact area with metallic nickel and metallic cobalt, resulting in a significant increase in specific surface area. During the metal nucleation stage, the rough surface provides high-density heterogeneous nucleation sites, refining the nickel-cobalt grain size and forming a fine-grained strengthening structure, thus effectively improving the stress distribution within the deposited layer.

[0048] Furthermore, in actual production, when electrolytically preparing nickel or cobalt plates 200, it is necessary to peel off the nickel or cobalt plates 200 that have grown to a qualified thickness. When the nickel or cobalt plates 200 grow to 8.0 mm, the peeling operation is performed to obtain the nickel or cobalt plate product.

[0049] In this embodiment, the cathode plate 100 is directly used as a permanent cathode for electrolytic production in the production apparatus, further simplifying the production process and shortening the production cycle. By reducing the number of times the cathode plate 100 needs to be removed and placed, and the secondary plate leveling operation, as well as improving production efficiency and product quality, production costs are reduced.

[0050] Example 2:

[0051] Reference Figure 3 As shown, in another embodiment of the present invention, the cathode plate 100 described above is used to electrolytically prepare the cathode starter plate 300. After preparing the cathode starter plate 300, the cathode starter plate 300 is then used as the cathode plate to produce a metal nickel plate or cobalt plate 200.

[0052] Please see Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment also includes the following technical solution: a production apparatus for a metallic nickel plate or cobalt plate 200, comprising an electrolytic cell 500, wherein the electrolytic cell 500 is equipped with the aforementioned cathode plate 100 and anode plate 400, and metallic nickel plates or cobalt plates are produced by electrolysis using the aforementioned cathode plate 100. In this apparatus, the current density is controlled at 230 A / m. 2 The electrolyte temperature was 60-70℃, and the pH value was 2-2.5. After 45 hours of electrolysis, a cathode starter sheet 300 was grown on the cathode plate growth surface. The thickness of the cathode starter sheet 300 was measured to be 1.1 mm.

[0053] The cathode starter sheet 300 was used as a cathode plate for secondary electrolysis to produce metallic nickel plates. Under similar electrolysis conditions, after 170 hours of electrolysis, a metallic nickel plate with a thickness of 9 mm was produced. Testing showed that the flatness error of the metallic nickel plate was 4.5 mm / m, meeting the quality standards of this invention. This indicates that the cathode starter sheet manufacturing device can stably produce cathode starter sheets that meet the requirements for the production of high-quality metallic nickel or cobalt plates.

[0054] In actual production verification, the cathode plate 100 was installed in the electrolytic cell 500 (the anode was a titanium-plated lead dioxide anode, and the electrode spacing was maintained at 14cm), and the current density was 230A / m. 2The cathode plate was continuously operated for 72 hours under the specified conditions. The results showed that the uniformity of the metal deposition layer on the surface of the cathode plate 100 was significantly improved, and no sticking to the frame or bag was observed. The cross-sectional microstructure observed by scanning electron microscopy showed that the interface between the deposition layer and the substrate was clear, without defects such as pores or cracks.

[0055] In summary, in the cathode starter sheet 300 fabrication apparatus of this technical solution, the increased thickness of the cathode starter sheet 300 improves its strength and stability, reduces deformation and adhesion problems during electrolysis, thereby reducing the number of times the cathode plate 100 is picked up and placed and the secondary leveling operation.

[0056] As can be seen from the two embodiments above, the cathode plate of this invention, through optimized surface treatment, significantly improves the adhesion and stability of nickel or cobalt plates on it. The cathode starter sheet fabrication device can produce high-quality cathode starter sheets, providing a good foundation for the subsequent production of nickel or cobalt plates. The nickel or cobalt plate production device can efficiently and stably produce high-quality nickel or cobalt plates, meeting the needs of different application scenarios. In practical industrial applications, appropriate cathode plate materials and production devices can be selected according to different production needs and cost considerations. For example, for the electronics industry, which has extremely high requirements for product purity, titanium plates can be preferentially selected as cathode plates, and appropriate production devices can be used to obtain high-purity, high-quality nickel or cobalt plates. For some cost-sensitive industries, aluminum or stainless steel plates can be flexibly selected as cathode plates based on the price fluctuations of metal plates, and appropriate devices can be used for production, reducing production costs while ensuring a certain level of product quality. Meanwhile, with the continuous development and progress of technology, the surface treatment process of cathode plates can be further optimized, new electrolyte formulations and electrolysis conditions can be explored, and the structure and performance of production equipment can be improved to further enhance the production efficiency and product quality of nickel or cobalt plates.

[0057] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A cathode plate for producing a metal nickel plate or a metal cobalt plate, characterized in that: at least one surface of the cathode plate is configured as a growth surface for growing a metal nickel plate or a metal cobalt plate; the growth surface is configured as a roughened surface with a roughness Ra greater than 1.0 μm, such that a peeling force required for separating a metal nickel plate or a metal cobalt plate with a thickness of 1.0 mm or more from the cathode plate is greater than 10 N / cm2. The cathode plate is a titanium plate, an aluminum plate, or a stainless steel plate. The roughness Ra of the growth surface is 3.0-40 μm.

2. The cathode plate of claim 1, wherein The growth surface is formed into a roughened surface by sandblasting, chemical etching, or laser etching.

3. The cathode plate of claim 1, wherein The peeling force required for separating the metal nickel plate or the metal cobalt plate with a thickness of 1.0 mm or more from the cathode plate is greater than 30 N / cm2.

4. The cathode plate of claim 1, wherein The cathode plate is the cathode plate according to any one of claims 1-5, and a cathode tab is attached to the cathode plate, wherein the thickness of the cathode tab is 1.0 mm or more.

5. The cathode plate of claim 1, wherein The thickness of the cathode tab is 1.0-2.0 mm.

6. A device for producing a cathode starter sheet for a metal nickel or cobalt plate, comprising a cathode plate; characterized in that, The flatness error of the metal nickel plate or the metal cobalt plate produced using the cathode tab is less than 10 mm / m.

7. The cathode tabbing apparatus of claim 6, wherein The flatness error of the metal nickel plate or the metal cobalt plate produced using the cathode tab is less than 5.0 mm / m.

8. The cathode tabbing apparatus of claim 6, wherein The cathode plate is the cathode plate according to any one of claims 1-5, and a metal nickel plate or a metal cobalt plate is attached to the cathode plate, wherein the thickness of the metal nickel plate or the metal cobalt plate is 3.0 mm or more.

9. The cathode tabbing apparatus of claim 8, wherein The thickness of the metal nickel plate or the metal cobalt plate attached to the cathode plate is 3.0-10 mm.

10. An apparatus for producing a metal nickel plate or a cobalt plate, comprising a cathode plate; characterized by, ​ 11. The production apparatus according to claim 10, characterized by ​

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