Развитие технологии инертных катодов. Часть 2. Электрохимический синтез диборида титана

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the following topical issues: determination of the development level and current status of the titanium diboride production technology by the method of electrochemical synthesis in molten salts; promotion of the development and designing of the new generation of aluminum electrolyzers with horizontal and vertical arrangement of inert electrodes; large-scale and critical review of the achievements of the world research centers in the development of the technology of electrochemical synthesis of titanium diboride. Resumed in the 1990s interest in obtaining aluminum wetting titanium diboride coatings on the cathode surface by the method of electrodeposition right in the molten salt is still continues. Some progress has been achieved in the laboratory conditions, however, the electrochemical synthesis of titanium diboride does not find any commercial use. This method is being developed as an alternative to the costly manufacturing technology of compact electrodes, the use of which in the development of drained cathode or vertical electrode technology is hindered by the high cost of materials as well as by the technological features of specific cathode processes. Attempts to perform long-term electrolysis using these technologies (electrochemical synthesis and compact inert electrodes) usually result in failed wettability of the cathodes and periodic occurrence of concentration polarization. The latter lead to the instability of electrochemical processes and cathode passivation by impurities and electrolyte components. The main reason for the lack of progress in the development of electrochemical synthesis of titanium diboride and electrolysis technology using solid cathodes (the technology of new generation of electrolyzers with horizontal and vertical arrangement of inert electrodes) is the volume and surface inhomogeneity of polycrystalline cathodes. To solve this problem, it is proposed to use the microboriding technology for carbon titanium-containing surface, individual diboride titanium or composite diboride titanium carbon graphite cathodes produced using the technology of low-temperature synthesis of titanium diboride.