High purity electrolytic copper and its production method
View Patent ↗A method of producing high purity electrolytic copper through halide-bath electrowinning is provided. The method includes the steps of: growing copper in dendritic form to be deposited on a cathode; and recovering growth ends of 3.0 mm or shorter from the dendrites.
1. High purity electrolytic copper of more than 99.99% in purity, in dendrite particle form, wherein said high purity copper is obtained through electrowinning in a halide bath, and wherein more than 95 mass % of the particles are 3.0 mm or smaller in particle size.
2. A method of producing high purity electrolytic copper through halide-bath electrowinning, comprising the steps of:
providing a cathode having convex sections being 3 aim or smaller in width and having side surfaces at an angle of 80 to 110 degrees;
growing copper in the form of dendritic crystals, the copper being deposited on said cathode; and
recovering growth ends of 3.0 mm or shorter from tops of the dendritic copper crystals.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein electrolysis is performed while adjusting current so that the potential of the cathode stays in the range of−50 to −150 mV/SHE.
4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the cathode has insulated concave section.
5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the cathode has insulated concave sections.
6. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein all electrodeposits or almost all electrodeposits are scraped off the convex sections of the cathode at regular time intervals.
7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein all electrodeposits or almost all electrodeposits are scraped off the convex sections of the cathode at regular lime intervals.
8. The method as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 , wherein the convex sections are made of Ti or Cu.