Abstract: A process for electrochemically reducing a metal oxide, such as titania, in a solid state in an electrochemical cell that includes a bath of molten electrolyte, a cathode, and an anode, which process includes the steps of: a) applying a cell potential across the anode and the cathode that is capable of electrochemically reducing the metal oxide supplied to the molten electrolyte bath, b) continuously or semi-continuously feeding the metal oxide in powder and/or pellet form into the molten electrolyte bath, c) transporting the powders and/or pellets along a path within the molten electrolyte bath and reducing the metal oxide as the metal oxide powders and/or pellets move along the path, and d) continuously or semi-continuously removing metal from the molten electrolyte bath. Also disclosed and claims is an electrochemical cell for carrying out this process.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing titanium or titanium alloy semi-finished or ready-to-use products is disclosed. The method includes forming shaped bodies of titanium oxide particles and positioning the shaped bodies in an electrolytic cell which includes: an anode, a cathode, and a molten electrolyte. The shaped bodies are positioned to form at least a part of the cathode. The electrolyte includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing titanium oxide. The method further includes reducing the titanium oxide to titanium in a solid state in the electrolytic cell so that the shaped bodies become shaped bodies of titanium sponge. Finally, the method includes processing the shaped bodies of titanium sponge to reduce the volume or at least one of the dimensions of the bodies thereby to form the semi-finished or ready-to-use products.

Abstract: A method of electrolytically reducing a metal oxide (such as aluminium and magnesium oxides) to produce a metal in an electrolytic call is disclosed. The method includes electrolytically reducing the metal oxide in an electrolytic cell that includes a pool of molten metal, the metal being the metal of the metal oxide to be reduced, and the molten metal pool forming a cathode of the cell. The electrolytic cell also includes a pool of molten electrolyte in contact with the molten metal, the electrolyte containing alkali and/or alkaline earth halides. The electrolytic cell also includes an anode extending into the electrolyte and a body of metal oxide to reduced in contact with the molten metal and the electrolyte.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell for reducing a beryllium oxide in solid state, and a method for achieving this reduction, are provided. The electrolytic cell and method employ an anode, a cathode formed in part from beryllium oxide, and a molten electrolyte which includes cations of a metal that is capable of reducing beryllium oxide. The reduction process involves operating the cell at a potential that is above a potential at which the reducing cations in the electrolyte will deposit as a metal on the cathode.

Abstract: A method of reducing a titanium oxide in a solid state in an electrolytic cell which includes an anode, a cathode formed at least in part from the titanium oxide, and a molten electrolyte which includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode titanium oxide, which method includes operating the cell at a potential that is above a potential at which cations of the metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode titanium oxide deposit as the metal on the cathod, whereby the metal chemically reduces the cathode titanium oxide, and which method is characterised by refreshing the electrolyte and/or changing the cell potential in later stages of the operation of the cell as required having regard to the reactions occurring in the cell and the concentration of oxygen in the titanium oxide in the cell in order to produce high purity titanium.

Abstract: A method of producing a metal or an alloy from metalliferous material by removing O,S, or N from a solid body of metalliferous material by electrolysis in an electrolytic cell is disclosed. The cell includes a molten halide salt or mixture of halide salts as an electrolyte. The cation of the salt is selected from the group that includes Ca, Ba, Li, Na, K, Mg, Sr, Cs and Y. In one aspect of the invention the method includes conducting the electrolysis under conditions wherein the solid body of metalliferous material is made part of a cathode of the electrolytic cell, the cathode includes a conductor for electrically connecting the cathode with an electrical potential, the conductor has high resistance to chemical attack by the electrolyte at high temperatures, and the conductor is at least partly immersed in the electrolyte.

Abstract: An electrolytic cell for reducing a beryllium oxide in solid state, and a method for achieving this reduction, are provided. The electrolytic cell and method employ an anode, a cathode formed in part from beryllium oxide, and a molten electrolyte which includes cations of a metal that is capable of reducing beryllium oxide. The reduction process involves operating the cell at a potential that is above a potential at which the reducing cations in the electrolyte will deposit as a metal on the cathode.

Abstract: A method of reducing a metal oxide in a solid state, in an electrolytic cell, is provided, as is an electrolytic cell suitable for performing the method. The cathode of the electrolytic cell is formed at least in part from the metal oxide to be reduced, and the electrolyte includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode metal oxide. The method includes operating the cell at a potential that is above the potential at which cations of the reducing metal will deposit as metal on the cathode.

Abstract: A method of reducing a metal oxide in a solid state, in an electrolytic cell, is provided, as is an electrolytic cell suitable for performing the method. The cathode of the electrolytic cell is formed at least in part from the metal oxide to be reduced, and the electrolyte includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode metal oxide. The method includes operating the cell at a potential that is above the potential at which cations of the reducing metal will deposit as metal on the cathode.

Abstract: A method of reducing a metal oxide in a solid state, in an electrolytic cell, is provided, as is an electrolytic cell suitable for performing the method. The cathode of the electrolytic cell is formed at least in part from the metal oxide to be reduced, and the electrolyte includes cations of a metal that is capable of chemically reducing the cathode metal oxide. The method includes operating the cell at a potential that is above the potential at which cations of the reducing metal will deposit as metal on the cathode.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of continuously casting metal strip (20) is disclosed. A casting pool (30) of molten metal is formed in contact with a moving casting surface such that metal solidifies from the pool (30) onto the moving casting surface. In addition, sound waves are applied to the casting pool of molten metal to induce relative vibratory movement between the molten metal of the casting pool (30) and the casting surface.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuously casting metal strip (20) of the kind in which a casting pool of molten metal (30) is formed in contact with a moving casting surface. By making the casting surface (16A) very smooth and inducing relative vibratory movement between the molten metal and the casting surface at selected frequency and amplitude, the heat transfer from the solidifying metal is dramatically improved. The casting surface has an Arithmetical Mean Roughness Value (Ra) of less than 5 microus and the induced vibratory movement preferably has a frequency of no more than 20 kHz. This enables improved casting productivity and also produced a marked refinement of the surface structure of the cast metal.