Electrochemical deposition of aluminum on W electrode from AlCl3-NaCl melts was studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry. The results show that Al ( Ⅲ) is reduced in two consecutive steps, i.e., 4Al2Cl7-+3e-→Al+7AlCl4- and then AlCl4-+3e-→Al+4Cl-. The electrochemical reaction of 4Al2Cl7-+3e-→Al+7AlCl4- is reversible. Certain nucleation overpotential is required during the deposition of aluminum on W electrode. Chronopotentiometry analysis also shows that Al (Ⅲ ) is reduced in two consecutive steps under certain current density, which is in reasonable agreement with cyclic voltammograms. By using constant current deposition, the electrodeposits on Al substrate obtained at between 50 and 100 mA/cm2 are quite dense and well adherent to the Al substrate. The electrochemical deposition of aluminum on Cu substrate in AlCl3-NaCl melts indicates that the intermetallic compounds are formed. The intermetallic compounds are AlCu and Al2Cu.
Low cost silicon carbon nanometer powder was synthesized by carbothermal reduction method with nanometer SiO2 and carbon as raw material. Its synthesis thermodynamics were discussed. The influence of La on TG-DSC curve was also analyzed. It indicated that the synthesis process of SiC powder had two steps. In the first step two medial productions of SiOg and COg formed, and in the second step, β-SiC was finally synthesized. After 0.3% La added, at the first step, the initiatory forming temperature of producing SiO(g) and CO(g) declined from 1351.4 to 1250.9 ℃, and the thermal activation energy decreased from 223.6 to 34.7 J·g-1; at the second step the initiatory forming temperature of synthesizing β-SiC powder declined from 1526.5 to 1357.8 ℃, and the thermal activation energy decreased from 693.7 to 295.7 J·g-1. Without La added, the best synthesis technology for β-SiC powder was 1550 ℃ for 120 min, average powder diameter was bigger about 150 nm. With La added, the best synthesis technology was 1500 ℃ for 120 min, average powder diameter was about 100 nm.
