Development of a method of electrodeposition of non-ferrous metals on a rotating cathode covered with gallium

Abstract

Electrodeposition of copper and nickel from acidic solutions using a rotating cathode coated with liquid and solid gallium has been studied. Methods of nonferrous metals separation from the gallium coating of the cathode were determined. Electrodeposition on the liquid gallium coating was carried out at a temperature of 50 °C. Separation of metals from gallium was performed by alkaline treatment. On the solid gallium cathode coating, electrodeposition was performed at 25 °C. The metal precipitates were separated from the cathode after it was heated. When using cathode with hard gallium coating the reduction of electric power consumption for copper by 85 % and for nickel by 15 % was obtained.

Keywords

• non-ferrous metals
• electrodeposition
• gallium
• copper
• nickel
• X-ray research