It is described a process for extracting aluminum from aluminum-bearing materials comprising the steps of leaching the aluminum-bearing material with HCl to obtain aluminum chloride; separating and purifying the aluminum chloride; providing aluminum chloride to an electrolysis cell comprising an anode connected to a source of hydrogen gas delivering the hydrogen gas during use to the anode, and a cathode; passing an electric current from the anode through the cathode, depositing aluminum at the cathode; and draining the aluminum from the cathode.

Aluminum chlorohydrate products include particles of aluminum chlorohydrate, in fractured crystal form, the particles having a basicity in the range of about 50% to about 85.6%, a bulk density of 40 to 65 pounds per cubic foot, and a mean particle size in the range of about 10 microns to about 15 microns. The particles may also have a surface area to weight ratio of about 295 to about 705 m.sup.2/kg, inclusive of both endpoints and all numerical values therebetween, where the ratio is measured by laser diffraction. Methods of producing such products are also disclosed.

An antiperspirant active composition comprising an aluminum salt, the aluminum salt (i) having an aluminum to chloride molar ratio of 0.3:1 to 3:1; and (ii) having a species of polyhydroxyoxoaluminum cation detectable at 76 ppm by .sup.27Al NMR that is present in a relative abundance on a .sup.27Al NMR spectrograph that is greater than any other polyhydroxyoxoaluminum cation detectable by .sup.27Al NMR. Also, disclosed are methods of making the antiperspirant active.

Activated aluminum sesquichlorohydrate (AASCH) powders and method of making are disclosed. The method of making the active comprises (a) diluting the concentrated aluminum sesquichlorohydrate (ASCH) solution to from about 10% to about 25% by weight and (b) heating the diluted solution to obtain a Band III polymer concentration of at least about 20% and a Band IV polymer concentration of at least about 15%, and (c) drying the heated solution to powders and (d) optionally screen or light mill the powders to free flowing spherical particles.

Activated aluminum sesquichlorohydrate (AASCH) powders and method of making are disclosed. The AASCH powder has Al:Cl atomic ratio of from about 1.60 to about 1.90 and Band III polymer concentration of at least about 20% and Band IV polymer concentration of at least about 15% when analyzed with Size Exclusion Chromatogram (SEC) operated by High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC). The method of making the active comprises (a) diluting the concentrated aluminum sesquichlorohydrate (ASCH) solution to from about 10% to about 25% by weight and (b) heating the diluted solution to obtain a Band III polymer concentration of at least about 20% and a Band IV polymer concentration of at least about 15%, and (c) drying the heated solution to powders having Al:Cl ratio of about 1.60 to about 1.90 and (d) optionally screen or light mill the powders to free flowing spherical particles.

A composition comprising an aluminum chlorohydrate salt, the aluminum chlorohydrate salt having at least 50 mole % Al.sub.30 polyhydroxyoxoaluminum cation of all polyhydroxyoxoaluminum cations detectable by quantitative .sup.27Al NMR within the aluminum chlorohydrate salt, and a buffer. The composition can optionally include zirconium. Also disclosed are a method of making an aluminum salt using an increased molar concentration of a starting aluminum salt with a buffer, a method of reducing perspiration with the aluminum chlorohydrate salt, and a method of treating water with the aluminum chlorohydrate salt.

A method of making an antiperspirant active composition and the use of a heating step at elevated temperature to convert Al.sub.13 polyhydroxyoxoaluminum cations in the species detectable by .sup.27Al NMR within an aqueous aluminum salt solution into Al.sub.30 polyhydroxyoxoaluminum cations in the species detectable by .sup.27Al NMR without increasing a SEC Peak 3 area in the SEC chromatogram of the aluminum salt.

Activated aluminum sesquichlorohydrate (AASCH) powders and method of making are disclosed. The AASCH powder has Al:Cl atomic ratio of from about 1.60 to about 1.90 and Band III polymer concentration of at least about 20% and Band IV polymer concentration of at least about 15% when analyzed with Size Exclusion Chromatogram (SEC) operated by High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC). The method of making the active comprises (a) diluting the concentrated aluminum sesquichlorohydrate (ASCH) solution to from about 10% to about 25% by weight and (b) heating the diluted solution to obtain a Band III polymer concentration of at least about 20% and a Band IV polymer concentration of at least about 15%, and (c) drying the heated solution to powders having Al:Cl ratio of about 1.60 to about 1.90 and (d) optionally screen or light mill the powders to free flowing spherical particles.

A method of producing aluminum chlorohydrate comprises adding small form aluminum metal pellets to a reactant receiving space of a reactor tank to form a pellet bed; adding aqueous hydrochloric acid to the reactant receiving space of the reactor tank; and continuously circulating the aqueous hydrochloric acid through the pellet bed. In some embodiments, the continuously circulating aqueous hydrochloric acid dispels reaction gases from the pellet bed. Methods described herein can, in some cases, further comprise consecutively adding additional small form aluminum metal pellets to the reactant receiving space of the reactor tank as the small form aluminum metal pellets are consumed in the pellet bed.

A method of producing aluminum chlorohydrate comprises adding small form aluminum metal pellets to a reactant receiving space of a reactor tank to form a pellet bed; adding aqueous hydrochloric acid to the reactant receiving space of the reactor tank; and continuously circulating the aqueous hydrochloric acid through the pellet bed. In some embodiments, the continuously circulating aqueous hydrochloric acid dispels reaction gases from the pellet bed. Methods described herein can, in some cases, further comprise consecutively adding additional small form aluminum metal pellets to the reactant receiving space of the reactor tank as the small form aluminum metal pellets are consumed in the pellet bed.