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

IF 4.9 2区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL

Minerals Engineering Pub 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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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.