Electrochemical production of Al–Sc alloy in CaCl2–Sc2O3 molten salt

In order to develop a new production process for Al–Sc alloys, a fundamental study on the electrolysis in CaCl2–Sc2O3 melts was conducted using a small-scale laboratory cell. Al–Sc alloys were electrochemically produced by cathodically polarizing an Al liquid electrode in CaCl2–Sc2O3 melts at 1173 K. Metallic-colored spherical samples were produced by the electrolysis and were analyzed by XRD, EPMA, XRF, and ICP–AES. The electrolyzed samples consisted of Al and Al3Sc phases. The purity of the obtained Al–Sc alloys was greater than 99 mass%, and the calcium content was less than 0.65 mass%. This study demonstrates the feasibility of Al–Sc alloy production directly from Sc2O3 by electrochemical methods.