| abstract |
Component of electrowinning or electrorefining cell, which component in use is normally in contact with molten aluminum or in electrical contact with another component which is in contact with molten aluminum. Surface and/or inner portion of component is made of cermet body formed by reaction sintering at pressures ranging from subatmospheric to superatmospheric of reactants, which can be elements, compounds, intermetallic compounds and/or alloys, in stoichiometric proportions to substantially form 30-95 mole percent of first phase or phases being boride, carbide, nitride, silicide, sulfide or combination thereof of one or more of the elements of Groups 4b, 5b and 6b, and 5-70 mole percent of second phase or phases being aluminum, alloy or intermetallic compound thereof, or combination thereof; and the maximum grain size of the first phase or phases is substantially not greater than 10 mu m. Also production cell, and method of producing aluminum in such cell, with the reaction sintered cermet component. |