Electrochemical deposition of neodymium in LiF-CaF2 from Nd2O3 assisted by AlF3. (20th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Zi; She, Changfeng; Zheng, Haiyang; Huang, Wei; Zhu, Tiejian; Jiang, Feng; Gong, Yu; Li, Qingnuan
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 261(2018)
• Page Start: 289
• Page End: 295
• Publication Date: 2018-01-20
• Subjects: LiF-CaF2 -- Nd2O3 -- AlF3 -- Al-Nd alloys -- Electrochemical deposition; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2017.12.147
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Abstract: This paper investigated the co-reduction process of Al-Nd alloys and the electrochemical extraction of neodymium from neodymium oxide in LiF-CaF2 melt. Nd(III) at a tungsten electrode was reduced to Nd(0) through a one-step process involving the exchange of three electrons: Nd(III) + 3e − = Nd(0). The fluorination of Nd2 O3 by AlF3 produced Nd(III) ions in the LiF-CaF2 molten salts. The co-reduction behavior of Nd(III) and Al(III) ions was studied on a W electrode in the LiF-CaF2 -AlF3 -Nd2 O3 system. Four types of intermetallic Al-Nd compound were detected through cyclic voltammetry and open circuit chronopotentiometry. The Nd3 Al and NdAl phases were identified through X-ray diffraction, and the NdAl3 and Nd3 Al11 phases were characterized by a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer.