The present disclosure relates to an electrolytic cell for the production of aluminium by reducing alumina. The cell may comprise a sidewall including at least one side block. The side block may comprise an aluminous material having an apparent porosity of less than about 10% and a composition, as a weight percentage on the basis of the aluminous material and for a total of about 100%, such that: Al2O3>about 50%, beta-alumina being less than about 20% of the weight of the aluminous material, oxides that are less reducible than alumina at 1000 C.<about 50%, Na2O<about 3.9%, and other components<about 5%.

A process of producing metal that includes adding a quantity of a alkoxide (M(OR).sub.x) or another metal salt to a cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell and electrolyzing the cell. This electrolyzing causes a quantity of alkali metal ions to migrate into the cathode compartment and react with the metal alkoxide, thereby producing metal and an alkali metal alkoxide. In some embodiments, the alkali metal is sodium such that the sodium ions will pass through a sodium ion selective membrane, such as a NaSICON membrane, into the cathode compartment.

A process of producing metal that includes adding a quantity of a alkoxide (M(OR).sub.x) or another metal salt to a cathode compartment of an electrolytic cell and electrolyzing the cell. This electrolyzing causes a quantity of alkali metal ions to migrate into the cathode compartment and react with the metal alkoxide, thereby producing metal and an alkali metal alkoxide. In some embodiments, the alkali metal is sodium such that the sodium ions will pass through a sodium ion selective membrane, such as a NaSICON membrane, into the cathode compartment.

A system (100) for refining a metal oxide can include a target material (110) and at least one energy source (120) associated with the target material (110). The target material (110) can include a metal oxide to be reduced to a metallic element. The energy source (120) can be configured to apply an energy input (130) to the target material (110). The energy input (130) can include as oscillating component having a frequency that is resonant with a molecular resonant frequency of at least one component of target material (110). Additionally, a method of refining a metal oxide can include supplying an energy input to a target material that includes the metal oxide to reduce the metal oxide to a metallic element. The energy input can include an oscillating component having a frequency that is resonant with a molecular resonant frequency of at least one component of the target material.

A system (100) for refining a metal oxide can include a target material (110) and at least one energy source (120) associated with the target material (110). The target material (110) can include a metal oxide to be reduced to a metallic element. The energy source (120) can be configured to apply an energy input (130) to the target material (110). The energy input (130) can include as oscillating component having a frequency that is resonant with a molecular resonant frequency of at least one component of target material (110). Additionally, a method of refining a metal oxide can include supplying an energy input to a target material that includes the metal oxide to reduce the metal oxide to a metallic element. The energy input can include an oscillating component having a frequency that is resonant with a molecular resonant frequency of at least one component of the target material.

Methods and systems for purifying metals or metal alloys are provided. The method comprises disposing a molten material comprising predominantly aluminum and at least one first metal having an atomic mass less than 13 in a first region of an electrolysis cell. The electrolysis cell comprises an anode, a cathode, and a molten salt electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode. The method comprises contacting the anode with the molten material, and applying an electrical voltage across the anode and the cathode such that at least a portion of the first metal in the molten material migrates to a third region in the electrolysis cell to produce a first material enriched in the first metal. The method comprises removing at least a first portion of the first material in the third region from the electrolysis cell.

Methods and systems for purifying metals or metal alloys are provided. The method comprises disposing a molten material comprising predominantly aluminum and at least one first metal having an atomic mass less than 13 in a first region of an electrolysis cell. The electrolysis cell comprises an anode, a cathode, and a molten salt electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode. The method comprises contacting the anode with the molten material, and applying an electrical voltage across the anode and the cathode such that at least a portion of the first metal in the molten material migrates to a third region in the electrolysis cell to produce a first material enriched in the first metal. The method comprises removing at least a first portion of the first material in the third region from the electrolysis cell.

New products and methods related to aluminum scrap recycling are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes (a) adding a feedstock to an aluminum purification cell, (b) purifying the feedstock, thereby producing a purified aluminum stream and a raffinate stream, (c) separating components of the raffinate stream, thereby producing at least a first byproduct stream and a second byproduct stream, and (d) mixing at least a portion of the first byproduct stream with at least a portion of the purified aluminum from the purified aluminum stream to produce an aluminum alloy product.

Methods and systems of the present disclosure are generally directed to purification of metal-containing material. For example, soft oxidation may be used to generate an oxygen-free product from a low-quality alloy of a base metal. The oxygen-free product may be electrolyzed directly to generate a higher-quality alloy of the base metalnamely, an alloy with higher weight percentage of the base metal and, thus, lower weight percentage of tramp elements. As compared to recycling the base metal with a metal-air electrochemical cell, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may facilitate forming high-quality recycled metal (e.g., aluminum) using significantly less energy.

Methods and systems of the present disclosure are generally directed to purification of metal-containing material. For example, soft oxidation may be used to generate an oxygen-free product from a low-quality alloy of a base metal. The oxygen-free product may be electrolyzed directly to generate a higher-quality alloy of the base metalnamely, an alloy with higher weight percentage of the base metal and, thus, lower weight percentage of tramp elements. As compared to recycling the base metal with a metal-air electrochemical cell, the methods and systems of the present disclosure may facilitate forming high-quality recycled metal (e.g., aluminum) using significantly less energy.