Recycling Aluminum Casting Alloy Scrap Using Molten Salt Electrolysis

Xin Lu, Kyosuke Watanabe, Osamu Takeda, Hongmin Zhu

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Aluminum is an important base metal that is widely used in various industries owing to its excellent properties, such as light weight (2.7 g cm−3), high specific strength, and high corrosion resistance. However, the extraction and smelting process of aluminum from aluminum ore is extremely energy-intensive, such that significant attention is being given to aluminum recycling. Currently, approximately 1/3 of aluminum is supplied from aluminum scrap. However, the current aluminum recycling by remelting process is a downgrade approach because the alloying elements contained in the aluminum scrap cannot be efficiently separated hence enriches in the recycled aluminum. The high alloying concentration in the current recycled aluminum limits its application to aluminum casting alloys, which have much higher tolerable concentration for alloying elements than that of wrought alloys. To achieve an upgrade recycling of aluminum, in this study, separation of the silicon and copper, the two most important alloying elements in typical aluminum casting alloys, were carried out by using a molten salt electrolysis process.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationLight Metals 2022
EditorsDmitry Eskin
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages1046-1050
Number of pages5
ISBN (Print)9783030925284
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022
EventLight Metals Symposium held at the TMS Annual Meeting and Exhibition, 2022 - Anaheim, United States
Duration: 2022 Feb 272022 Mar 3

Publication series

NameMinerals, Metals and Materials Series
ISSN (Print)2367-1181
ISSN (Electronic)2367-1696

Conference

ConferenceLight Metals Symposium held at the TMS Annual Meeting and Exhibition, 2022
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAnaheim
Period22/2/2722/3/3

Keywords

  • Aluminum scrap
  • Lower energy intensity
  • Molten-salt electrolysis
  • Upgrade recycling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Metals and Alloys
  • Materials Chemistry

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