The newly proposed method to produce the non-ferrous element saves energy, and hence, money, accounting for just a minute – not exceeding 5 percent – loss of the pure metal in output, which may prove crucially important for a whole range of industries where light-weight magnesium is used: from automobile production to aviation and spacecraft industry.
The statement further explains that the traditionally pure magnesium is manufactured by means of its electrolysis from the MgCl2 compound in a chloride environment, where it decomposes electrolytically. In the process, out of 100 per cent of electric current that goes on the electrolysis only 80 per cent “pays off” whereas the other 20 per cent is used down the drain.
“In traditional MgCl2 electrolysis, liquid magnesium disengages on the cathode, whereas gas chlorine ends up on the anode. Due to magnesium drops mixing with gas, they easily come together again”, said Andrei Lysenko, the head of the research team, asserting they managed to find the way to prevent this from happening. “Having reduced the electrolyte temperature, we made magnesium disengage in its solid form,” he noted in the statement.
More specifically, it turned out that if the electrolyte temperature is raised quickly enough - within an hour – making magnesium melt, and then the melted magnesium is extracted no less quickly from the electrolyte, no more than 5 percent of the metal will be lost, as compared to as much as 20 percent if manufacturers stick to the traditional technology.
The scientists thereby managed to bring the production of magnesium up by 15 per cent, while reducing the used electric power by 5 per cent – the achievement that may push the efficiency of magnesium-producing plants by up to 10 per cent.