CHEMISTRYOFALUMINIUMPRODUCTION

THEORE
AluminiumisextractedfrombauxitewhichcontainsAl2O3.xH2O wherex=1or3sothattheformulaissometimesgivenas Al2O3.2H2O.

PRIMARYORSECONDARYPRODUCTION
Aluminiumproductioniseitherprimaryorthrough recycling(secondary).Primaryproductionisenergy intensiveandrecyclingispreferred,sinceitis cheaper.

ImpuritiesinbauxiteincludeoxidesofTi,SiandFewhichmustbe removedbeforeextractionofaluminium.Varyingamountsofiron oxidegivebauxiteitscolourswhichrangefromwhite(noironoxide) Primaryaluminumproductioninvolvesobtaining alumina(Al2O3)frombauxiteforelectrolysiswhich tored(upto27%Fe2O3). yieldsthemetal.

SEPARATINGALUMINIUMFROMIMPURITIES
AluminiumseparationstartswithdigestionofbauxitebyconcentratedNaOH.ThistakesadvantageofthefactthatFe2O3 is notamphoteric asisAl2O3.Al2O3 isthereforedissolvedandFe2O3 isremovedasasolidbyfiltration.Thefiltratecontains twomainspecies:[Al(OH)4](aq) andSiO32(aq) whichareformedasfollows: Al2O3 +2OH +3H2O 2[Al(OH)4] and SiO2(s) +2OH(aq) SiO32 +H2O ThemixtureisdilutedwithwaterortreatedwithCO2toprecipitatealuminiumhydroxide: 2[Al(OH)4] +CO2 2Al(OH)3 +CO32 +H2O Al(OH)3 isawhitegelatinoussolid. CarbondioxideformsaweakacidsolutionofcarbonicacidthatneutralizestheNaOH.Thisneutralizationselectively precipitatesAl(OH)3 butleavestheremainingtracesofsilicainsolution. Analternativerouteofaluminiumseparation,notinvolvinguseofCO2 orprecipitationofhydroxideinvolvestwosteps whereconditionsareadjustedtopromotethesamereactionindifferentdirectionsasrequired. 1. Dissolvingtoallowseparationofaluminumfromimpurities:Al2O3.xH2O+2NaOH 2NaAlO2 +(x+1)H2O 2. Afterfiltrationthereactionisreversed:2NaAlO2 +2H2O 2NaOH+Al2O3.3H2O (reversalisachievedbycoolingand seedingwithcrystalsofAl2O3.3H2O).Thismethodproducesfineparticlesratherthanagelatinousmass.

CALCINATION
Thisisatermwhichmeansheatingtoahightemperaturewithout meltingsothathydrates,carbonatesorothercompoundsare decomposedandthevolatilematerialisexpelled.Whetheraluminaor aluminiumhydroxidehavebeenobtainedintheseparation,thenext stepiscalcinationat400to1200C(average1000C)togiveAl2O3: 2Al(OH)3 Al2O3 +3H2O or Al2O3.3H2O Al2O3 +3H2O.

CRYOLITE
Cryolite(Na3AlF6)isasolventforalumina.Italso servestolowerthemeltingpointofthemixtureto 1000from2000C forpurealuminasothat electrolysisislesscostly(consumeslesselectrical energy).

ELECTROLYSIS
Cathodereaction:Al3+ +3e Al Primaryanodereaction:2O2 4e O2 Secondary(nonelectrolytic)anodereaction:C+O2 CO2 Overallcellreactionis2Al2O3 +3C 4Al+3CO2 Fromtheoverallreactionitcanbeseenthatcarbonplays averyindirectroleasareducingagent. Duringelectrolysisenergyisrequiredtobothdischarge ionsandmaintaintheelectrolyteinamoltenstate.