blip
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Registered: 16-3-2003
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Active Metal Production
Aluminum chloride (Al<sub>2</sub>Cl<sub>6</sub> IIRC) sublimes around 180°C according to various MSDSs. I was
thinking for a while now that this could be used to produce things like magnesium metal from the chloride.
Theoretically, one could ball mill aluminum into a very fine, pyrophoric powder. When mixed with fine magnesium chloride powder and heated under an
inert atmosphere (to keep the pyrophoric aluminum pyrophoric), it should give off Al<sub>2</sub>Cl<sub>6</sub> gas causing
magnesium metal to be produced. Al<sub>2</sub>Cl<sub>6</sub> sublimes around 180°C, so the temperature is not
extremely high. The problems encountered are likely to be not having enough heat to allow this endothermic process to occur and the mixture may have
to be milled during heating to allow maximum particle surface exposure. I initially thought about this searching for a good way to make calcium
metal. My question is: Could this work in reality? Would it be practical?
2Al (s) + 3MgCl<sub>2</sub> (s) <sup><u>180°C+</u></sup><s>></s> 3Mg (s) +
Al<sub>2</sub>Cl<sub>6</sub> (g)
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vulture
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Have you calculated the reaction enthalpy and gibbs energy? It could be that the reaction is exothermic because of the lattice energy of AlCl3.
You call it Al2Cl6, but in fact both formulas are wrong. It's a polymerous crystal structure which does not conduct electricity when molten,
that's why you can't produce Al form (AlCl3)x
Your theory seems sound however, the only problem I see is the initial heating to get the reaction going, which might cause the magnesium or aluminium
to vaporize.
[Edited on 18-10-2003 by vulture]
One shouldn't accept or resort to the mutilation of science to appease the mentally impaired.
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