Electrocatalysis of carbon anode in aluminium electrolysis

The anodic overvoltage of the carbon anode in aluminum electrolysis isof the order of 0.6 V at normal current densities. However, it can be reduced somewhat by doping the anode carbon with various inorganic compounds. A new apparatus was designed to improve the precision of overvoltage measurements. Anodes were doped with MgAl2O4 and AlF3 both by impregnation of the coke and by adding powder, and the measured overvoltage was compared with that of undoped samples. For prebake type anodes baked at around 1150 oC, the anodic overvoltage was reduced by 40-60 mV, and for Soderberg type anodes, baked at 950 oC, by 60-80 mV.