• Resources Recycling
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.62-68
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• 2009

Continuous operation for 24h was carried out to establish the optimum condition at the magnesium fused salt electrolysis using a self made 150 ampere mono-polar type cell. An electrolyte composition of $MgCl_2$ 25%, NaCl 55%, $CaCl_2$ 19%, $CaF_2$ 1% was electrolyzed with applied voltage 7V, cathode current density $0.7-0.75A/cm^2$, electrode distance 6cm at $720{\sim}740^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours. Changes of applied current, composition of the electrolyte, current efficiency were investigated. Through the experiments, there were not any operating troubles with the self-made electrolytic cell. Purity of the electrolyzed magnesium metal was above 99%, and 89% of current efficiency was achieved. Some basic data for scale-up of the magnesium electrolysis equipment which would be necessary for commercialization were obtained.