Claims
- 1. An insoluble anode for use in the electrowinning of copper, the anode having a substantially flat configuration with an effective surface area on each side of at least approximately 5 square feet, the anode being formed by a casting process from a lead alloy including approximately 0.01-0.1% by weight calcium, the anode being further characterized by substantially a maximum density and minimum porosity, a uniform precipitate distribution of PbCa.sub.3 in a lead matrix, the surface of the anode being continuous or smooth and further characterized as having a galvanized or rolled appearance, said insoluble anode being the product of a process comprising the steps of selecting a lead alloy to include 0.01-0.1% by weight calcium as an alloying agent, heating the lead alloy to a selected molten temperature, providing a vertically arranged mold having an opening along its entire length, establishing a selected temperature for the mold, thereafter continuously streaming the molten lead alloy into various distinct portions of the opening proportionately along substantially its entire length, and subsequently rapidly cooling the lead alloy casting while it is in a substantially unstressed configuration to freeze its grain structure and develop dimensional stability therein.
- 2. An insoluble anode for use in the electrowinning of copper, the anode having a substantially flat configuration with an effective area on either side of at least approximately 5 square feet, the anode being formed in a casting process by introduction of a molten lead alloy into a suitable mold, the finished anode having a composition including approximately 0.02-0.07% by weight calcium, the balance essentially pure lead except for normal impurities, the resultant anode being characterized by substantially maximum density and minimum porosity, the anode having a typical uniform precipitate distribution of PbCa.sub.3 in a lead matrix as illustrated in FIG. 7., the surface of the anode having a galvanized or rolled appearance as illustrated in FIG. 9, said insoluble anode being the product of a process comprising the steps of selecting a lead alloy to include 0.02-0.07% by weight calcium as an alloying agent, heating the lead alloy to a selected molten temperature, providing a vertically arranged mold having an opening along its entire length, establishing a selected temperature for the mold, thereafter continuously streaming the molten lead alloy into various distinct portions of the opening proportionately along substantially its entire length, and subsequently rapidly cooling the lead alloy casting while it is in a substantially unstressed configuration to freeze its grain structure and develop dimensional stability therein.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 526,161, filed Nov. 22, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,961.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
458,493 |
Apr 1928 |
DE2 |
1,260,962 |
Jan 1972 |
GBX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
526161 |
Nov 1974 |
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