High Purity Aluminium-lithium Master Alloy by Molten Salt Electrolysis

The aim of t h i s work i s t o develop the economical product ion process of t h e AI-Li master a l l o y f r e e from m e t a l l i c sodium, calcium and potassium. Th i s master a l l o y can be used f o r aluminium-li thium a l l o y s f o r s t r u c t u a l m a t e r i a l s of a i r c r a f t s , automobi les and robots . Moreover t h e Al-Li master a l l o y with l i t h ium con ten t of 18-20wt. % i s a p p l i c a b l e t o t h e b l a n k e t of fu s ion r e a c t o r s and t h e a c t i v e mass of b a t t e r i e s . This AI-Li master a l l o y can be produced by means of LiCI-XCI molten s a l t e l e c t r o l y s i s i n our novel process , where aluminium o r some aluminium a l l o y s a r e used a s t he cathode. Consider ing the d i f f u s i o n c o e f f i c i e n t of l i t h ium in s o l i d a l l o y s , t he A1-Li master a l l o y e s s e n t i a l l y f r e e from o the r a l k a l i me ta l s can be produced wi th high c u r r g n t e f f i c i e n c y under t h e optimum cathode c u r r e n t d e n s i t y and du ra t ion of t h e e l e c t r o l y s i s . The convent ional l i t h ium e l e c t r o l y s i s g i v e s sodium con ten t of 6000-7000ppm when produced from LiCl con ta in ing 0.1% of sodium, whereas t he new process g i v e s sodium con ten t below 5ppm in the Al-2Owt.XLi master a l l oy .