ABSTRACT

The principle of electrolysis in the production of primary aluminum has been used for more than 100 years. The Hall–Heroult process is based on the electrochemical reaction of alumina dissolved in cryolite, and the use of large amounts of current to promote the reactions. Aluminum of 99%–99.5% purity can be obtained from this process. The principle, reactions, and the electrolytic cell are briefly addressed in this article.