Industrial Applications

DR/ OLFAT FADALY

Electrochemical Processes (Industrial Application)
1. Electro-winning of metals.
2. Electro-refinning of metals.
3. Electroplating of metals.
4. Electrolytic production of chemicals.
5. Electro-machining.
6. Production of metal powder.
7. Electroforming and Electrotyping.
8. Aluminum production.
9. Water treatment by electrocoagulation.
10.Water treatment by electrooxidation.
1-Electro-winning of metals:
The process of electrolytic recovery of metals from their ores by
electrolysis.
The process consists of 3 steps:
1. Leaching: the ore is dissolved in a suitable acid.
2. Purification; of the leach liquor by one of the following:
a. Fractional crystallization (SA is much more than SB)
b. Fractional precipitation
c. Solvent extraction
d. Displacement: Zn + Cu++ ---------- Zn++ +Cu (ppt.)
3. The pure electrolyte is electrolyzed by an electrolytic cell to obtain the metal.
The spent acid is circulated to increase leaching.
In electrowinning of metals an insoluble anode is used such
as ( Lead or Carbon or Platinum) Electrodes reactions:
Cathode :
M+ + e ------------------------ M
2H+ + 2e -------------------- H2
(Insoluble Anode) :
4OH- ------------------------------ O2 + 2H2O + 4 e
1-Metals below H2 in e.m.s. deposit with 100% C.E. efficiency ( e.g.
Cu, Ag).

2- Metals above H2 in e.m.s. series deposit with C.E. less than

100% C.E. efficiency due to simultaneous evolution of H2 with
metal.

3- Metals on the top of e.m.s. (e.g. Al, Mg) cannot be deposited

from aqueous solution, but electrolysis from molten bath e.g. Al, is
produced by electrolysis of Cryolite Na3AlF6 at about 1000 0C
2-Electro-refining of Metals:

Anode: consist of the crude metal (impure).

Cathode: of the pure metal is used.
Conditions:
adjusted to deposit the metal at the cathode.
e.g. Crude Cu obtained by thermal reduction contain Two types of impurities:
a- Impurities which are more noble than Cu (e.g. Ag, Au, Se, Te)
b- Impurities which are less noble than Cu (e.g. Zn, Pb, Fe,Ni)
If the anode potential is on the value required to dissolve Cu then:
a. Less noble impurities (above Cu) will dissolve and,
b. More noble impurities (below Cu) will precipitate.
And cathode on the value required to deposit Cu:
The Anode:
Cu --------------------------- Cu++ + 2e
ediss. = eo – [ (RT/ZF) ln(Cu++)]
The Cathode:
Cu++ + 2e ------------------------- Cu
edepos. = eo + [ (RT/ZF) ln (Cu++)]
Ecell(theo) = ecathode + eanode = 0
BUT Notice That:
Ecell(act) = Etheo + 𝜂 e + 𝜂 a + IR
Therefore,
Eact = 𝜂 c + 𝜂 a + IR
From the above equation, the voltage required to operate the
electrorefining cells is small because
Etheo = 0