Controlled corrosion of micrometric and submicrometric metal powders in fluidised bed reactor

Abstract

In the present paper the feasibility of the anodic dissolution of micrometric Cu and submicrometric Co powders in a fluidised bed electrode was investigated. The aqueous solution and fluidising gas were chosen to avoid any chemical contribution to the corrosion process. The process was carried out either galvanostatically or potentiostatically, and clean and oil contaminated powders were considered. Typical dissolution efficiencies of ∼ 15 mg h⁻¹ were obtained in a laboratory reactor holding ∼ 10 g powder and ∼ 100 mL anolyte. A simple mathematical model is proposed and validated, accounting for the principal design and operating parameters of the fluidised bed electrode.

Keywords:

• FLUIDISED BED REACTORS
• CONTROLLED CORROSION
• ELECTROCHEMICAL CORROSION
• METALS RECOVERY