A study of cathade improvement for electro-deoxidation of Nb_2O_5 in a eutectic CaCl_2-NaCl melt at 1073 K

摘要

Significant improvement of cathode in the electro-deoxidation of solid ND_2O_5 in a eutectic CaCl_2-NaCl melt at 1073 K has been achieved by addition of carbon, calcium carbonate or calcium oxide powder to Nb_2O_5 powder. The powder mixtures were compacted into pellets and sintered, and then applied as the cathode. The results showed that the additives increased the oxygen vacancies and had an effect on particle size and surface area of the sintered solid Nb_2O_5 cathode. It was possible to accomplish the direct electrochemical reduction of solid Nb_2O_5 to metallic Nb rapidly by optimizingthe amounts of carbon, calcium carbonate or calcium oxide added.