| New Research Lines in the Synthesis of Alloys and Compounds via the FFC-Cambridge Electro-deoxidation Process Carsten Schwandt1; 1UNIVERSITY OF NIZWA, Nizwa, Oman; PAPER: 282/Molten/Plenary (Oral) SCHEDULED: 16:45/Tue. 29 Nov. 2022/Game ABSTRACT: The FFC-Cambridge process is a generic molten salt electrolytic method that was invented at the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy of the University of Cambridge almost two decades ago. It makes possible the direct conversion of metal oxides into the corresponding metals through the cathodic polarisation of the oxide in a molten salt electrolyte based on calcium chloride [1]. The process is rather universal in its applicability, and numerous studies on metals, alloys and intermetallics have since been performed at the place of its invention and worldwide [2]. This presentation will first give an introduction into the fundamentals of the FFC-Cambridge process and will then feature some of the more recent and ongoing research lines. Their overarching theme is the harnessing of this process for the synthesis of multinary materials that are difficult to achieve via conventional metallurgical methods. Specific systems of interest include ultra-high-melting-point alloys and carbides [3,4], high-entropy alloys and carbides [5-7], biomedical alloys based on beta-titanium [8,9]. Also touched upon will be the possibility of the combined generation of metals and oxygen from lunar materials [10]. References: [1] G.Z. Chen, D.J. Fray, T.W. Farthing, Direct electrochemical reduction of titanium dioxide to titanium in molten calcium chloride, Nature, 407, 361–364 (2000) [2] D.J. Fray, C. Schwandt, Aspects of the application of electrochemistry to the extraction of titanium and its applications, Materials Transactions, 58, 306–312 (2017) [3] D. Sri Maha Vishnu, J. Sure, H.-K. Kim, C. Schwandt, Facile and scalable electrochemical synthesis of Ta-Nb alloy powders for capacitors, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 167, 022504, 8 pages (2020) [4] J. Sure, D. Sri Maha Vishnu, S.-H. Choi, H.-K. Kim, C. Schwandt, Facile electrochemical preparation of nano-sized ultra-high-temperature Ta<sub>1-x</sub>Hf<sub>x</sub>C ceramic powders, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 169, 062506, 10 pages (2022) [5] J. Sure, D. Sri Maha Vishnu, C. Schwandt, Direct electrochemical synthesis of high-entropy alloys from metal oxides, Applied Materials Today, 9, 111–121 (2017) [6] J. Sure, D. Sri Maha Vishnu, C. Schwandt, Electrochemical conversion of oxide spinels into high-entropy alloy, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 776, 133–141 (2019) [7] J. Sure, D. Sri Maha Vishnu, H.-K. Kim, C. Schwandt, Facile electrochemical synthesis of nanoscale (TiNbTaZrHf)C high-entropy carbide powder, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59, 11830–11835 (2020) [8] D. Sri Maha Vishnu, J. Sure, Y.J. Liu, R.V. Kumar, C. Schwandt, Electrochemical synthesis of porous Ti-Nb alloys for biomedical applications, Materials Science & Engineering C, 96, 466–478 (2019) [9] D. Sri Maha Vishnu, J. Sure, R.V. Kumar, C. Schwandt, Factors controlling the synthesis of porous Ti-based biomedical alloys by electrochemical, deoxidation in molten salts, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 52, 1590–1602 (2021) [10] C. Schwandt, J.A. Hamilton, D.J. Fray, I.A. Crawford, The production of oxygen and metal from lunar regolith, Planetary and Space Science, 74, 49–56 (2012) |
