A method of and system for electrolytic production of reactive metals is presented. The method includes providing a molten oxide electrolytic cell including a container, an anode, and a current collector and disposing a molten oxide electrolyte within the container and in ion conducting contact with the anode and the current collector. The electrolyte includes a mixture of at least one alkaline earth oxide and at least one rare earth oxide. The method also includes providing a metal oxide feedstock including at least one target metal species into the molten oxide electrolyte and applying a current between the anode and the current collector, thereby reducing the target metal species to form at least one molten target metal in the container.

A process is disclosed for the electro-refinement of titanium aluminides to produce titanium-aluminum master alloys which process is effective even in the presence of substantial amounts of aluminum and in the presence of ten (10) or more weight percent oxygen in the material(s) to be refined. The process is likewise effective without the addition of titanium chlorides or other forms of soluble titanium to the electrolyte bath comprising halide salts of alkali metals or alkali-earth metals or a combination thereof.

A process is disclosed for the electro-refinement of titanium aluminides to produce titanium-aluminum master alloys which process is effective even in the presence of substantial amounts of aluminum and in the presence of ten (10) or more weight percent oxygen in the material(s) to be refined. The process is likewise effective without the addition of titanium chlorides or other forms of soluble titanium to the electrolyte bath comprising halide salts of alkali metals or alkali-earth metals or a combination thereof.

A method for recovering metal resources in coal ash by molten salt electrolysis includes: calcinating the coal ash for decarburization to obtain the decarburized coal ash; subjecting the decarburized coal ash to ball milling to obtain coal ash powders; pressing the coal ash powders to form a plate; placing the plate as a cathode into an electrolyte in a reactor, and performing electrolytic reaction under an oxygen-free condition at an electrolytic reaction temperature of 550° C. to 900° C. in the reactor to obtain a reaction product; and removing the reaction product from the reactor, cooling the reaction product to room temperature in an inert atmosphere, and cleaning the cooled reaction product to obtain a silicon-aluminum based alloy.

A method for recovering metal resources in coal ash by molten salt electrolysis includes: calcinating the coal ash for decarburization to obtain the decarburized coal ash; subjecting the decarburized coal ash to ball milling to obtain coal ash powders; pressing the coal ash powders to form a plate; placing the plate as a cathode into an electrolyte in a reactor, and performing electrolytic reaction under an oxygen-free condition at an electrolytic reaction temperature of 550° C. to 900° C. in the reactor to obtain a reaction product; and removing the reaction product from the reactor, cooling the reaction product to room temperature in an inert atmosphere, and cleaning the cooled reaction product to obtain a silicon-aluminum based alloy.

A method of electrolytic reduction of a feedstock comprising oxygen and a first metal comprises the steps of, arranging the feedstock in contact with a cathode and a molten salt within an electrolysis cell, arranging an anode in contact with the molten salt within the electrolysis cell, the anode comprising a molten second metal and applying a potential between the anode and the cathode such that oxygen is removed from the feedstock to form a reduced feedstock. The oxygen removed from the feedstock reacts with the molten second metal to form an oxide comprising the second metal. The second metal is aluminium. The reduced feedstock may comprise a proportion of aluminium.

A method of electrolytic reduction of a feedstock comprising oxygen and a first metal comprises the steps of, arranging the feedstock in contact with a cathode and a molten salt within an electrolysis cell, arranging an anode in contact with the molten salt within the electrolysis cell, the anode comprising a molten second metal and applying a potential between the anode and the cathode such that oxygen is removed from the feedstock to form a reduced feedstock. The oxygen removed from the feedstock reacts with the molten second metal to form an oxide comprising the second metal. The second metal is aluminium. The reduced feedstock may comprise a proportion of aluminium.

An object of the present invention is to provide a Mn-based alloy exhibiting metamagnetism over a wide temperature range. A MnAl alloy according to the present invention exhibits metamagnetism and has crystal grains containing a τ-MnAl phase and crystal grains containing a γ2-MnAl phase. Assuming that the area of the crystal grains containing the τ-MnAl phase in a predetermined cross section is B, and the area of the crystal grains containing the γ2-MnAl phase therein is A, the value of B/A is 0.2 or more and 21.0 or less. When the ratio of the areas between the crystal grains containing the τ-MnAl phase and those containing the γ2-MnAl phase is controlled within the above range, metamagnetism is imparted to the MnAl alloy and, thus, it is possible to obtain metamagnetism over a wide temperature range, particularly, over a temperature range of −100° C. to 200° C.

An object of the present invention is to provide a Mn-based alloy exhibiting metamagnetism over a wide temperature range. A MnAl alloy according to the present invention exhibits metamagnetism and has crystal grains containing a τ-MnAl phase and crystal grains containing a γ2-MnAl phase. Assuming that the area of the crystal grains containing the τ-MnAl phase in a predetermined cross section is B, and the area of the crystal grains containing the γ2-MnAl phase therein is A, the value of B/A is 0.2 or more and 21.0 or less. When the ratio of the areas between the crystal grains containing the τ-MnAl phase and those containing the γ2-MnAl phase is controlled within the above range, metamagnetism is imparted to the MnAl alloy and, thus, it is possible to obtain metamagnetism over a wide temperature range, particularly, over a temperature range of −100° C. to 200° C.

A method of forming a metal alloy. The method comprises forming a metal oxide precursor and conducting cathodic polarization of the metal oxide precursor in a molten salt electrolyte to form a metal alloy. In an additional method, a metal oxide precursor is formed. The metal oxide precursor is reduced to a metal in an electrochemical cell that comprises a working electrode, a counter electrode, and an electrolyte. The metal is reacted with a metal of the working electrode to form a metal alloy. In another method, a metal oxide precursor is formed on a base material. The base material is introduced into a molten salt electrolyte of an electrochemical cell and the metal oxide precursor is reduced to a metal in the electrochemical cell. The metal is reacted with the base material to form a metal alloy on the base material.