Effects of electrode materials, pretreatment, and configuration on gallium electrowinning

IF 5 2区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL Minerals Engineering Pub Date : 2025-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-03-12 DOI:10.1016/j.mineng.2025.109248

Zuowei Liu , Xueyi Guo , Qinghua Tian , Jue Yin , Zhipeng Xu

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Abstract

This study addresses the low current efficiency in gallium electrowinning by investigating the effects of electrode materials, cathode pretreatment, and cathode configuration. Stainless steel is the optimal cathode material due to its superior performance in current efficiency and corrosion resistance compared to other materials that form alloys with gallium. Stainless steel anodes also demonstrate better performance in alkaline systems than conventional inert anodes, with lower cell voltage and higher current efficiency. Pretreatment methods, including finer sandpaper polishing, chemical activation with hydrochloric acid, and electrochemical activation, significantly improve nucleation and current efficiency. Additionally, mesh cathodes, due to their enhanced mass transfer properties, effectively optimize electrolyte convection and further increase current efficiency, which was verified by numerical simulation. These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing gallium electrowinning processes through strategic material selection and pretreatment techniques.

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电极材料、预处理和结构对镓电积的影响

本研究通过研究电极材料、阴极预处理和阴极结构的影响来解决镓电积中电流效率低的问题。不锈钢是最佳的正极材料，因为与其他与镓形成合金的材料相比，它在电流效率和耐腐蚀性方面具有优越的性能。不锈钢阳极在碱性系统中也表现出比传统惰性阳极更好的性能，具有更低的电池电压和更高的电流效率。预处理方法，包括更细的砂纸抛光、盐酸化学活化和电化学活化，显著提高了成核和电流效率。此外，网状阴极由于其增强的传质性能，有效地优化了电解质对流，进一步提高了电流效率，这一点得到了数值模拟的验证。这些发现为通过战略性材料选择和预处理技术优化镓电积工艺提供了有价值的见解。

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来源期刊

Minerals Engineering 工程技术-工程：化工

CiteScore

8.70

自引率

18.80%

发文量

519

审稿时长

81 days

期刊介绍： The purpose of the journal is to provide for the rapid publication of topical papers featuring the latest developments in the allied fields of mineral processing and extractive metallurgy. Its wide ranging coverage of research and practical (operating) topics includes physical separation methods, such as comminution, flotation concentration and dewatering, chemical methods such as bio-, hydro-, and electro-metallurgy, analytical techniques, process control, simulation and instrumentation, and mineralogical aspects of processing. Environmental issues, particularly those pertaining to sustainable development, will also be strongly covered.