화학공학소재연구정보센터
Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol.141, No.3, 664-669, 1994
Effects of Temperature and Powder Morphologies on the Cementation Rate of Copper in Alkaline Zinc Solution
Computer-generated simulation, previously described by the authors, was used to explain the effects of temperature and powder morphologies on the cementation rate of copper in alkaline zinc solution (300 g/liter NaOH, 60 g/liter Zn, and 0.2 g/liter Cu). It reveals good reliability on predicting the cementation behavior. Results of laboratory-scale experiments fit the computer simulation for a temperature range of 35 to 75-degrees-C. A rise in temperature increases the cementation rate, and the activation energy was equal to 5.5 kcal/mol as predicted by computer. Zinc powders were obtained by alkaline electrolysis at various current densities (from 1000 to 9000 A/m2) and their reactivity were compared to the industrial atomized powder. Results show a higher reactivity of the electrolytic powder in comparison to the atomized powder. Also, the cementation rate increases with a powder obtained at higher current densities. Since the powders obtained from electrolysis do not have a spherical shape, predictions made by simulation did not fit the results of laboratory scale cementation. To remedy these differences, a mathematical correlation between the simulation and the laboratory scale experiments was developed to predict the effect of powder morphologies on the cementation rate.