The paper presents the developed composition and technology for obtaining a repair mixture consisting of lumped corundum with a TiB2–C composite coating wettable with aluminum for restoration of local bottom block fractures without electrolyzer stops. The proposed technical solution made it possible to reduce bottom wear and increase aluminum electrolyzer service life by 6 months.A mixture of titanium diboride powder and a refractory powder-like binder in a ratio of 50 : 50 (wt.%) was used to obtain the repair mixture with an optimal composition. Then the lumped corundum was coated with the obtained mixture, dried at 150 °C and after that heat-treated under a carbon-bed at t= 700÷900 °C. As a result of reducing firing the TiB2–C composite material with a carbon content of 15–20 wt.% was formed on the surface of lumped corundum. A qualitative evaluation of the properties of the developed composite coating shows that the coating has a sufficiently high hardness, wear resistance and adhesion to the substrate after the heat treatment. For pilot testing, the repair mixture was covered with molten aluminum to obtain an Al–TiB2–C repair mass in the form of plates. The pilot testing of the repair mass on the 400 kA operating electrolyzer in the RUSAL-Sayanogorsk pilot shop showed that the bottom wear have slowed down 3 months after the local fractures were restored without electrolysis bath stops. This fact is evidenced by a 13 % decrease in the average depth of fractures with a stable current value of 4,7–4,8 kA/bloom after repair. Thus, the locallyused repair mass slowed that the overall wear of the cathode surface and allowed to extend the electrolyzer life.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.