Evaluation of Ni-Fe base alloys as inert anode for low-temperature aluminium electrolysis

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2021.08.028

Abstract

Abstract:

Isothermal oxidation behaviors of Ni-Fe (wt.%) and of the same alloy with additions of 10 and 15%Cr alloys in the air at 800 °C and 900 °C and their anodic behaviors in aluminum electrolysis system at 800 °C were evaluated. The composition morphologies of oxide scales were characterized by XRD, SEM, and EDS. Results show that the scales formed on Ni-Fe alloy at both temperatures consisted of an inner (Ni,Fe)₃O₄ layer and an outer Fe₂O₃ layer. For Ni-Fe-10Cr alloy, an external (Ni,Fe)₃O₄/Fe₂O₃ layers and an internal oxidation zone were formed at 800 °C, while a continuous Cr₂O₃ layer forms at the internal oxidation zone/substrate interface at 900 °C. A multilayer structure oxide of Cr₂O₃/(Ni,Fe,Cr)₃O₄/(Ni,Fe)₃O₄/Fe₂O₃ was formed on Ni-Fe-15Cr alloy at 800 °C, while at 900 °C the Fe₂O₃ becomes discontinuous disperses in the (Ni,Fe)₃O₄ layer close to the surface. Increases in oxidation temperature or Cr content for Ni-Fe-Cr alloys promote the growth of the inner Cr₂O₃ layer and simultaneously reduce Fe₂O₃ content. After 4 h of electrolysis at an anode current density of 0.25 A cm ^-2, the oxidation resistance of Ni-Fe-15Cr anode is superior to the Ni-Fe anode.

Key words: Alloy, Inert anodes, Selective oxidation, High temperature corrosion

Wei Wei, Shujiang Geng, Fuhui Wang. Evaluation of Ni-Fe base alloys as inert anode for low-temperature aluminium electrolysis[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 107: 216-226.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1. Mass gains of three alloys oxidized at 800 °C (a) and 900 °C (d) in air. (b) and (c) linear regression-fitted line of (ΔW/A)2 versus oxidation time.

Fig. 2. Cross-section SEM images (a, c, e) with their corresponding elements line scan (b, d, f) of three alloys after 150 h oxidation at 800 °C in air.

Fig. 3. Cross-section SEM images with their corresponding elements line scan of three alloys after 100 h oxidation at 900 °C in air.

Fig. 4. XRD patterns of the surface scales formed on three alloys after oxidation in air at 800 °C (a) for 150 h and at 900 ° (b) for 100 h, respectively. (c): after slight surface polishing for Ni-Fe-15Cr alloy oxidized at 900 °C and 800 °C in air.

Fig. 5. Cell voltage vs. electrolysis time at Ianode = 0.25 A·cm-2 in cryolite-alumina electrolyte at 800 °C for pre-oxidised Ni-Fe and Ni-Fe-15Cr alloy anodes.

Fig. 6. SEM/BSE cross-section images with corresponding EDS element maps of pre-oxidized Ni-Fe (a, b) and Ni-Fe-15Cr (c, d) anodes after 4 h of electrolysis at 800 °C, (a) and (c): low magnification SEM; (b) and (d): magnified images and corresponding EDS line scan of the white rectangular areas in (a) and (c), respectively.

Fig. 7. Cross-sectional SEM/BSE images of scales on pre-oxidized Ni-Fe and Ni-Fe-15Cr alloy anodes after 4 h of electrolysis at 800 °C: expanded images of the outer layer regions, (a): Ni-Fe anode, (b) Ni-Fe-15Cr anode.

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