Novel process for producing hierarchical carbide derived carbon monolith and low carbon ferromanganese from high carbon ferromanganese

Abstract

In this work, remelted high carbon ferromanganese was chosen as a consumable anode to produce porous carbon monolith and low carbon ferromanganese at the same time by molten salt electrolysis. During potentiostatic electrolysis, the anode fed manganese ions and iron ions into molten salts, with porous carbon left at the anode and ferromanganese deposited on the cathode. The anode residue was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectrum and transmission electron microscopy. Results indicated that this type of porous carbon material with a high degree of graphitization has a multimodal pore system consisting of micropores, mesopores and macropores, which is hierarchical carbide derived carbon (CDC). The anode and cathode current efficiencies are estimated to be at least 92% and 80%, respectively. All results implied that it is feasible to prepare carbide derived carbon monoliths with a hierarchical pore structure and low carbon ferromanganese simultaneously by molten salt electrolysis.