THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATIONS OF THE ANODE-SUPPORT SYSTEM IN ELECTROCHEMICAL PROCESSES

The purpose of this article is to review the development and applicati ons of a special type of anode, the 'anode-support' or 'basket-anode' system. This system permits the replacement in an electrochemical proc ess of a cast anode by a metallic anode-support filled with a particul ate metal to be dissolved. As raw material small pieces of primary met als, alloys or metal scrap can be used. Generally, the anode-support h as the form of a basket with two or more flat parallel perforated side s. Nevertheless, an annular system made of metallic mesh or a rotary a node-support can be utilized. Titanium, stainless steel and other meta ls have been used to make these supports. The anode-support system has been employed on laboratory, pilot and industrial scale, for electror efining metals and for the electrochemical generation of some insolubl e products. As background, the use of basket-anodes in electroplating and electroforming processes is also reviewed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce B.V.