Electrowinning Titanium Production via Molten Salt Electrolysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Kroll process for refining titanium dioxide is costly and complex, limiting the widespread use of titanium due to its multi-step reduction, vacuum, separation, crushing, and dissolution requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method using electrowinning with a mixture of a Group 1 element oxide and boron oxide with titanium dioxide in an electrowinning apparatus, applying voltage to form titanium on an insoluble cathode, which can be reused, and recovering titanium through solvent immersion and filtration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the Kroll process is used to refine titanium dioxide, then titanium can be produced, but the process becomes costly and complex with multiple steps including reduction, vacuum, separation, crushing, and dissolution
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the complex Kroll process into a simplified two-step electrowinning process: (1) mixing TiO2 with solid electrolyte containing Group 1 oxide and boron oxide, and (2) applying voltage to directly deposit titanium on the cathode. This segmentation eliminates intermediate steps like vacuum distillation and multiple separations, reducing process complexity while maintaining production purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical and thermal processes of the Kroll method (crushing, vacuum distillation, separation) with an electrical field-based electrowinning process. By applying voltage directly to the TiO2-electrolyte mixture, titanium ions are selectively reduced and deposited on the cathode, substituting complex mechanical operations with a controlled electrochemical process that simplifies the overall procedure.
2Manufacturing precision
If the Kroll process is used to refine titanium dioxide, then titanium can be produced, but the production cost increases due to multiple processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the costly intermediate steps from the Kroll process. By taking out the reduction, vacuum distillation, and multiple separation steps, the electrawinning method directly produces high-purity titanium through selective electrochemical deposition, significantly reducing production costs while maintaining or improving titanium purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the titanium production process by using electrowinning instead of thermal reduction. The electrochemical approach allows for precise control of titanium deposition through voltage and current parameters, enabling high-purity production at lower temperatures and reduced energy consumption compared to the high-temperature Kroll process.
3Productivity
If the electrawinning method is used with solid electrolyte and TiO2 mixture, then the process becomes simpler and faster, but requires heating to form molten oxide
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes phase transition of the solid electrolyte to molten state through controlled heating. By heating the solid electrolyte containing Group 1 oxide and boron oxide to its melting point, the system transitions to a molten state that enables ion conduction. This phase transition is essential for the electrawinning process to occur, as it allows titanium ions to move freely and deposit on the cathode, achieving high productivity.
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 method simplifies the titanium production process, reduces costs, and increases yield by improving current efficiency, allowing for continuous production and high-purity titanium at lower temperatures, compared to the Kroll method.
Implementation Method 1
forming a molten oxide from the mixture by putting the mixture in an electrowinning apparatus comprising an anode and an insoluble cathode and heating the same
Implementation Method 2
forming titanium on the cathode by applying voltage to the anode and the cathode
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method for preparing titanium by using electrowinning and, more specifically, to a method for preparing titanium by using electrowinning, comprising the steps of: preparing a mixture by mixing a solid electrolyte, which contains an oxide of a Group 1 element and boron oxide, with titanium dioxide; and forming a molten oxide from the mixture by putting the mixture in an electrowinning apparatus comprising an anode and an insoluble cathode and heating the same, and then forming titanium on the cathode by applying voltage to the anode and the cathode.