Cyclic Titanium Boride Preparation via Sodium Fluorine Salt Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing titanium boride and sodium cryolite require high reaction temperatures and have low yield, making them costly and environmentally polluting, while also limiting the production of low-molecular-weight sodium cryolite essential for low-temperature aluminum electrolysis.
Innovation Solution
A cyclic preparation method using a sodium-based titanium-boron-fluorine salt mixture to produce titanium boride and sodium cryolite with a molecular ratio of 1.2, involving reactions at lower temperatures and recycling byproducts to reduce costs and environmental impact, with titanium boride serving as a coating for carbon cathodes in aluminum electrolysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional methods (direct reaction of metal titanium and element boron, or boron carbide method, or vapor deposition method) are used to produce titanium boride, then titanium boride can be manufactured, but the reaction temperature is high (1650-1900°C), the reaction yield is low (less than 90%), and the preparation cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by using a sodium-based titanium-boron-fluorine salt mixture as intermediate feedstock instead of traditional metal titanium or boron carbide. This parameter change enables the reaction to proceed at lower temperatures (700-800°C) while achieving higher yield (over 95%). The fluorine-containing intermediate compound facilitates the reaction at reduced temperatures compared to conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sodium-based titanium-boron-fluorine salt mixture as an intermediate compound to mediate the reaction between titanium and boron. This intermediate feedstock serves as a bridge that enables the formation of titanium boride at lower temperatures with higher efficiency, avoiding the need for direct high-temperature reaction of metal titanium and element boron.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional synthesis method is used to produce sodium cryolite, then sodium fluoroaluminate can be prepared, but the molecular ratio m is difficult to control (generally m between 2.0 and 3.0), and pure low-molecular-weight sodium cryolite (m between 1.0 and 1.5) cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using a sodium-based titanium-boron-fluorine salt mixture containing specific ratios of sodium fluoborate and sodium fluotitanate. This parameter change enables precise control of the molecular ratio m in the produced sodium cryolite, achieving the desired low-molecular-weight product (m between 1.0 and 1.5) that cannot be obtained by traditional synthesis methods.
3Productivity
If high reaction temperature and strict reaction conditions are used in traditional preparation methods, then titanium boride can be produced, but the preparation cost is high and environmental pollution is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the reaction conditions by using a sodium-based titanium-boron-fluorine salt mixture as feedstock, which enables the reaction to proceed at lower temperatures (700-800°C) compared to traditional methods (1650-1900°C). This parameter change reduces energy consumption and minimizes environmental pollution while maintaining high reaction yield (over 95%).
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 achieves over 95% yield with lower production costs and reduced environmental pollution, enabling the large-scale industrial production of low-molecular-weight sodium cryolite and prolonging fluorite resource life by recycling fluorine, thus enhancing low-temperature aluminum electrolysis efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
titanium boride (TiB2) is produced from intermediate feedstock sodium-based titanium-boron-fluorine salt mixture (the mixture of sodium fluoborate and sodium fluotitanate)
Implementation Method 2
can realize the recycling of byproduct, improve the production efficiency and reduce the pollution to environment
Data Source
AI summary
A cyclic preparation method for producing titanium boride from intermediate feedstock sodium-based titanium-boron-fluorine salt mixture and producing sodium cryolite as byproduct, which comprises the steps: a) boric acid or boric anhydride is added with hydrofluoric acid and then with sodium carbonate solution for concentration and crystallization to generate sodium fluoborate; titanium-iron concentrate is added with hydrofluoric acid and then with sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide to obtain sodium fluotitanate; B) the sodium fluoborate is mixed with the sodium fluotitanate, and the mixture reacts with aluminum to generate titanium boride and sodium cryolite; C) the sodium cryolite is sucked out and then fed into a rotary reaction kettle together with concentrated sulfuric acid, hydrogen fluoride gas as well as sodium sulfate and sodium aluminum sulfate are generated by reaction in the rotary reaction kettle, and the hydrogen fluoride gas is collected and then dissolved in water to obtain hydrofluoric acid aqueous solution; and D) the obtained hydrofluoric acid aqueous solution is recycled.