Carbothermic reduction method for converting metal oxides to metal form

Abstract

Abstract A CARBOTHERMIC REDUCTION METHOD WHEREIN OXIDES OF CHEMICALLY REACTION METALS SUCH AS TITANIUM, URANIUM, ALUMINUM AND BORON ARE REACTED WITH CARBON IN A MOLTEN METAL SOLVENT WITH THE RESULTANT PRODUCTION OF CARBON MONOXIDE GAS AND OF FREE METAL WHICH IS PRESENT IN SOLUTON IS SAID SOLVENT. IN ONE EMBODIMENT, SAID CARBOTHERMIC REDUCTION TAKES PLACE UNDER AN ATMOSPHERE OF NITROGEN GAS WHEREBY THE METAL OXIDE IS CONVERTED TO A SOLID METAAL NITRIDE WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OF THE MOLTEN METAL SOLVENT MAY THEREAFTER BE CONVERTED TO A SOLUTION OF THE PURE METAL IN SAID SOLVENT AS NITROGEN PRESSURES OVER THE SYSTEM ARE REDUCED. THE PURE METAL GOING INTO SOLUTION AS DERIVED FROM EITHER THE OXIDE OR THE NITRIDE CAN BE RECOVERED FROM THE SOLUTION BY VARIOUS PHASE SEPARATION METHODS, INCLUDING THOSE WHEREIN THE METAL TO BE RECOVERED OR THE SOLVENT METAL IS DISTILLED OFF OR A LIQUID-LIQUID PHASE SEPARATION METHOD IS PRACTICED. FURTHERMORE. A PHASE SEPARATION MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY LOWERING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SYSTEM UNTIL THE REACTIVE METAL PRECIPITATES BUT WHILE THE SOLVENT IS STILL IN LIQUID FORM.

Inventors

• 👤 R Anderson
• 👤 N Parlee

Bibliographic Details