ELECTROLYSIS OF ALUMINA
 
ELECTROLYSIS OF
ALUMINA  
    
     The electrolysis of alumina is carried out in a steel tank lined inside with graphite. The
graphite lining serves as
     cathode. Anode is also made of graphite rods hanging in the molten mass.

    The electrolyte consists of alumina dissolved in fused Cryolite(Na3AlF6) and

Fluorspar(CaF2).

    Cryolite lowers the melting point of alumina to 9500C and fluorspar increases the fluidity of
the mass so that
    the liberated aluminum metal may sink at the bottom of the cell.

    When electric current is passed through this mixture, the aluminum is collected at the
cathode in molten state
    and sinks at the bottom and is tapped off.

                     
                       Ionization of Alumina:
                                                            2Al2O3 → 6O-2 + 4Al+3
                       Reaction at  Cathode:
                                                           4Al+3 + 12e- → 4Al
                       Reaction at Anode:
                                                         6O-2 → 3O2 + 12e-
                                                           C + O2 → CO2
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REFINING OF ALUMINIUM  
    
    Aluminum metal produced by the electrolysis of alumina is 99% pure but contains impurities
of Fe, Si  and Al2O3. Aluminum is
    further refined by hoope’s method.

HOOPE’S METHOD  
   
   This is an electrolytic process. Electrolytic cell is made of iron, which is lined with carbon at
the bottom. It contains three layers of
    fused mass. The lower layer consists of an alloy of impure aluminum with copper. This layer
serves as anode. The middle layer
    consists of a solution of cryolite (Na3AlF6) and barium fluoride. The upper layer consists of
pure aluminum and serves as
    cathode. These three layers are separated from each other due to difference in specific
gravity.
    During electrolysis Al+3 ions from the middle layer migrate to the upper layer where they are
reduced to aluminum by gaining
    three electrons. Equal numbers of Al+3 ions are produced in the lower layer. These ions
migrate to the middle layer. Pure
   aluminum is tapped off from time to time. Hoope’s method gives 99.99% pure aluminum.  
    Electro-Chemical Changes:               
                                      Na3AlF6 → 3NaF + AlF3

                                      AlF3 → Al+3 + 3F-

    At the cathode:

                                         Al+3 + 3e- → Al

    At the anode:

                                         Al → Al+3 + 3e-

    Overall reaction:

                                      Al+3 + Al → Al + Al+3

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