Investigating ionic liquids to improve processing performance

By October 20th, 2008

A better understanding of the behaviour of ionic liquids could potentially improve the economic and environmental performance of electrowinning processes.

“Electrowinning processes typically involve the use of either aqueous electrolytes or molten salts to dissolve metal ores before metal is electrodeposited,” says CSIRO’s Dr Yansen Lauw, who is leading the ANSTO-CSIRO project.

“This may involve working at very high temperatures – up to 1000°C.

“If we could use ionic liquids (a form of molten salts that are liquid at room temperature) as a replacement for traditional molten salts, we could avoid the need to work at high temperatures in some important processes.

“By using ionic liquids as the electrowinning medium, we could reduce energy consumption, thereby improving environmental performance and making the electrowinning process cheaper.”

A related project between the Ian Wark Research Institute and CSIRO is also focused on ionic liquids, more specifically, developing a deeper understanding of the structure of the electrical double layer in ionic liquids. This lightning-bolt-like double layer of electrical charge forms when a solid is placed in a liquid and plays a critical role in electrochemical processes as it controls the charge transfer across an interface.

“Electrowinning processes typically involve the use of either aqueous electrolytes or molten salts to dissolve metal ores before metal is electrodeposited,”

says CSIRO’s Dr Yansen Lauw, who is leading the ANSTO-CSIRO project.

Little is known about the structure of the electrical double layer in ionic liquids. A deeper understanding of the double layer structure could have ramifications for energy production and storage as well as metal production.

The full stories can be found in the October issue of Process, which will be released on Thursday 23 October 2008. A pdf of the magazine is available now at: Process Magazine October 08 Issue

Other stories in Process include:

  • Model may unlock secrets of slug flow: researchers from the University of NSW and CSIRO are working together to develop a more fundamental understanding of slug flow – the multi-phase flow patterns of solids, liquids and gases.
  • Collaboration leads to enabling tool for cleaner metals production: a new cell model will help plant metallurgists better understand the thermodynamic properties of metallurgical melts and could lead to improved metal purity.
  • New tool to help industry manage bauxite residue: a new sustainability assessment tool developed through the Parker Centre may help the alumina industry better manage bauxite residue.
  • Mathematics help optimise crystallisation process: researchers have combined mathematical optimisation skills and gibbsite crystallisation modelling skills to develop a mathematical tool that can help optimise gibbsite crystallisation.

Download images at: Investigating ionic liquids to improve processing performance

Fast facts

  • Electrowinning processes typically involve the use of either aqueous electrolytes or molten salts to dissolve metal ores before metal is electrodeposited
  • If we could use ionic liquids (a form of molten salts that are liquid at room temperature) as a replacement for traditional molten salts, we could avoid the need to work at high temperatures in some important processes
  • By using ionic liquids as the electrowinning medium, we could reduce energy consumption, thereby improving environmental performance and making the electrowinning process cheaper