2008 Volume 48 Issue 1 Pages 23-27
The removal rate of antimony from liquid copper by using CuCl–Na2CO3 fluxes was measured at 1423 K with argon gas atmosphere. The addition of Na2CO3 to CuCl flux was relatively effective for the removal of antimony. The concentration of antimony in liquid copper largely decreased with time or with increasing Na2CO3 content in flux. About 99.8% of antimony was removed from liquid copper during 15 min. The metal weight and oxygen content of metal increased with time and with increasing Na2CO3 content in flux. These behaviors were mainly due to the decomposition of Cu2O formed in flux. The antimony in copper was oxidized.
According to the mass balance, about 60% of the removed antimony from liquid copper vaporized from the CuCl–23.8mass%Na2CO3 flux. The chlorination reaction between formed antimony oxide and CuCl might result in the vaporization of antimony from flux.
According to the above-mentioned experimental results, the CuCl–Na2CO3 fluxes were effective for the removal and recycling of antimony from liquid copper.