Bidirectional Pulse Molten Salt Electrolysis for Tungsten Carbide Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for recycling tungsten from cemented carbide scrap often result in degraded tungsten carbide powder that requires complex processing to achieve high-performance tungsten carbide, with low recovery efficiency and limited upmarket application.
Innovation Solution
The method employs bidirectional pulse molten salt electrolysis using cemented carbide scrap as an electrode, where tungsten is oxidized, dissolved, and reacted with carbon anode sludge in situ to produce high-purity tungsten carbide nanopowder directly, eliminating the need for additional processing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional molten salt electrolysis process is used to recycle tungsten from cemented carbide scrap, then tungsten powder can be obtained, but the tungsten carbide is completely broken and requires complex further processing to restore it to high-performance tungsten carbide
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of completely breaking the tungsten carbide bond and then trying to restore it through complex processing, the invention inverts the approach by using bidirectional pulse electrolysis to selectively oxidize tungsten while preserving the carbon structure, then reducing it back to tungsten carbide in-situ, thereby avoiding complete breakdown and complex restoration processes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses the carbon anode sludge generated during electrolysis as the carbon source for in-situ synthesis of tungsten carbide, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for external carbon supplementation and complex processing steps
2Ease of manufacture
If mechanical crushing method is used to separate cobalt and tungsten carbide, then the materials can be separated for recycling, but the tungsten carbide becomes degraded and difficult to use in upmarket applications
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical crushing separation method with an electrochemical process using bidirectional pulse electrolysis, which selectively oxidizes tungsten from the tungsten carbide structure without mechanically degrading the carbon framework, thereby maintaining the quality and integrity of the recycled tungsten carbide
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the electrolysis process by using bidirectional pulse current with specific frequency and amplitude, which enables selective oxidation of tungsten at controlled rates, preserving the structural integrity and high quality of the resulting tungsten carbide powder
3Productivity
If high temperature treating method is used to break tungsten-carbon bond, then tungsten powder can be recycled, but additional processing steps are required to produce tungsten carbide
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the tungsten oxidation, carbon source preparation, and tungsten carbide synthesis steps into a single integrated electrochemical process. The bidirectional pulse electrolysis simultaneously oxidizes tungsten, generates carbon anode sludge, and facilitates in-situ synthesis of tungsten carbide, eliminating multiple separate high-temperature treatment and processing steps
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces molten salt as an intermediary medium that enables the electrochemical reactions to proceed at lower temperatures compared to conventional high-temperature methods, while the bidirectional pulse current acts as an intermediary mechanism to control the oxidation-reduction process, achieving efficient tungsten carbide recycling with fewer process steps
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the efficient in-situ synthesis of high-purity tungsten carbide nanopowder with a particle size range of 1 nm to 1,000 nm, achieving over 99% purity and allowing direct use in upmarket applications without complex post-processing, thus enhancing tungsten resource sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
when the tungsten carbide scrap is oxidized, tungsten is dissolved in ionic form
Implementation Method 2
molten salt electrolysis process
Implementation Method 3
tungsten is deposited after the direction of current changes
Implementation Method 4
tungsten is deposited after the direction of current changes
Implementation Method 5
reacted with the carbon anode sludge in situ to generate tungsten carbide powder
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method for in-situ synthesizing tungsten carbide powder. In this method, cemented carbide scrap is used as an electrode and the molten salt electrolysis process is used to in-situ synthesize tungsten carbide powder, where a bidirectional pulse is used in the molten salt electrolysis process. In the method provided by the present disclosure, by using the bidirectional pulse and using the cemented carbide scrap as electrode in the molten salt medium, when the tungsten carbide scrap is oxidized, tungsten is dissolved in ionic form, deposited after the direction of current changes, and reacted with the carbon anode sludge in situ to generate tungsten carbide powder. In the present disclosure, the carbon anode sludge is treated appropriately, the recycled product can be used in upmarket application, there is no need to apply complicated processes to process the tungsten powder into tungsten carbide, and the tungsten carbide nanopowder with high-performance can be recycled and prepared in a short process.