| Abstract Scope |
To meet the growing demand for recycling aluminum (Al) more economically, it is critical to explore novel or optimize conventional methods to produce high-purity aluminum from aluminum alloy scraps. Electrorefining with ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte has gained considerable attention in aluminum recycling as a low-cost process, due to its low temperature requirement and zero pollutant emissions. However, the formation of dendrite structure has been reported as an adverse feature, which leads to low density of Al deposition, dendrite-induced short circuits between anode and cathode, and additional cost for further processing. In this work, the effects of several electrorefining process parameters (surface roughness of substrate, applied potential, electrolyte temperature, and stirring rate) on the formation of Al dendrite microstructure will be discussed in order to achieve dendrite-free electrodeposition of high purity Al on different substrate materials. |