Influence of temperature and current density on oxygen overpotential and corrosion rate of Pb-Co3O4, Pb-Ca-Sn, and Pb-Sb anodes for copper electrowinning: Part I

• Published in: Hydrometallurgy 2004-03, Vol.72 (3-4), p.205-213
• Main Authors: HRUSSANOVA, A, MIRKOVA, L, DOBREV, Ts, VASILEV, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Electrometallurgy; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrometallurgy; Metals. Metallurgy; Production of metals; Production of non ferrous metals. Process materials
• ISSN: 0304-386X; 1879-1158
• DOI: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2003.07.004

The influence of temperature and current density on the oxygen overpotential and corrosion rate of Pb-Co3O4, Pb-Ca-Sn, and Pb-Sb anodes during copper electrowinning were investigated. During prolonged electrowinning under galvanostatic conditions, a rise in temperature leads to depolarisation of the reaction on all three anodes. At 45 DGC, the potential of the Pb-Co3O4 anode is about 40 mV lower than Pb-Sb and about 70 mV lower than the Pb-Ca-Sn anode. Both at 1 and 5 A dm-2, the potential of the Pb-Co3O4 anode is lower than those on the other anodes under the same conditions. Therefore, the use of a Pb-Co3O4 anode under conditions similar to those used industrially (45 DGC and 5 A dm-2) should cause a decrease in energy consumption. At all temperatures and current densities examined, the corrosion rate of the Pb-Co3O4 anode was the lowest of the three. The rise in temperature has a greater effect on the corrosion rate of the Pb-Co3O4 anode than increasing the current density.