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Effect of TiO2 Addition on Grain Growth, Anodic Bubble Evolution and Anodic Overvoltage of NiFe2O4-Based Composite Inert Anodes

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Abstract

A two-step powder compaction and sintering process was employed to fabricate TiO2-doped NiFe2O4 ceramic-based inert anodes. Grain growth during isothermal sintering was analyzed using Brook grain growth model. The bubble behavior of NiFe2O4 ceramic-based inert anodes was investigated in a two-compartment see-through quartz cell for aluminum electrolysis process. Anodic overvoltage and potential decay curves of the inert anodes were measured by using the steady state and current interruption technique. The results showed that the kinetic index of grain growth decreased with an increase in temperature. The average activation energy of grain growth for 1.0 wt.% TiO2-doped NiFe2O4 ceramic samples with a sintering temperature range from 1373 to 1673 K dropped from 675.30 to 183.47 kJ/mol. The diameter size of bubbles before releasing from the bottom surface of the anodes was reduced with increasing the current density, and the larger average releasing bubble size for carbon anode at the same current density could be obtained, which was compared to the NiFe2O4 inert anodes. Besides, the cell voltage of carbon anodes fluctuated much more violently under the same experimental conditions. After adding small amount of TiO2, a minor reduction in anodic overvoltage of NiFe2O4-based anodes can be observed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51504177; 51404183; 51574191; 51404181), Foundation of Shaanxi Educational Committee (No. 14JK1425) and Talent Foundation of Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology (RC1359). The authors also thank for Professor Guangchun Yao and Zhaowen Wang, Northeastern University, for detailed guidance and utilizing the research facilities available in see-through electrolysis cell and electrochemical workstation, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Metallurgy Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, 4, Box, Xi’an, 710055, China

    Bin Wang, Jinjing Du, Zhao Fang & Ping Hu

  2. School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China

    Yihan Liu

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  1. Bin Wang
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  2. Jinjing Du
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Correspondence to Jinjing Du.

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Wang, B., Du, J., Liu, Y. et al. Effect of TiO2 Addition on Grain Growth, Anodic Bubble Evolution and Anodic Overvoltage of NiFe2O4-Based Composite Inert Anodes. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 26, 5610–5619 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-017-3006-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-017-3006-y

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