Abstract:
The invention provides a process for the production of crystalline titanium powder containing single crystals or agglomerates of single crystals having an average crystal size (by volume) greater than 1 μm, said process including reacting a titanium chloride species, preferably titanium dichloride, and reducing metal in a continuous back-mix reactor to produce a free flowing suspension of titanium powder in molten chloride salt wherein: i. both the titanium chloride species and the reducing metal are dissolved in a molten chloride salt and fed to the reactor containing a chloride salt of the reducing metal; ii. the average feed ratio of the titanium chloride species and reducing metal to the continuous back-mix reactor is within 1%, preferably within 0.1%, of the stoichiometric ratio required to fully reduce the titanium chloride salt to titanium metal; iii. the concentration of titanium powder in the fluid suspension of titanium powder in molten salt in the continuous back-mix reactor is between 2 and 23 mass %; and iv. The reducing metal is lithium, sodium, magnesium, or calcium.
Abstract:
The invention provides a process for the production of crystalline titanium powder containing single crystals or agglomerates of single crystals having an average crystal size (by volume) greater than 1 μm, said process including reacting a titanium chloride species, preferably titanium dichloride, and reducing metal in a continuous back-mix reactor to produce a free flowing suspension of titanium powder in molten chloride salt wherein: i. both the titanium chloride species and the reducing metal are dissolved in a molten chloride salt and fed to the reactor containing a chloride salt of the reducing metal; ii. the average feed ratio of the titanium chloride species and reducing metal to the continuous back-mix reactor is within 1%, preferably within 0.1%, of the stoichiometric ratio required to fully reduce the titanium chloride salt to titanium metal; iii. the concentration of titanium powder in the fluid suspension of titanium powder in molten salt in the continuous back-mix reactor is between 2 and 23 mass %; and iv. The reducing metal is lithium, sodium, magnesium, or calcium.
Abstract:
The invention provides a process and an apparatus for the production of a metal selected from metallic alkali metals, M, and alkaline earth metals, Mac from the molten salts thereof, the apparatus including at least an electrochemical cell with planar anodes and cathodes installed in the following sequence: {a-c-a)n to produce alkali metal or alkaline earth metals electrolytically!y from the respective chloride salts thereof, wherein n represents the number of times the sequence of anode-cathode-anode is repeated.