The eelectrochemical processing of refractory metals

Electrochemical processing is used extensively in the primary extraction of metals (electrowinning), the purification and recycling of metals (electrorefining), and the formation of metal coatings (electroplating). With respect to the refractory metals, electrochemical processing is conducted almost exclusively in nonaqueous media, predominantly in molten salts. Electrolysis infused salts as well as other nonaqueous media has enormous potential for materials processing. First, because of the special attributes of nonaqueous electrolytes, electrochemical processing in these media has an important role to play in the generation of advanced materials—materials with specialized chemistries or tailored microstructures (electrosynthesis). Second,as environmental quality standards rise beyond the capabilities of classical metals extraction technologies to comply, electrochemical processing may prove to be the only acceptable route from ore to metal.