Electrochemical Cell for Advanced Titanium Production
Technology Description:
Titanium Metals Corporation (TIMET) is developing an electrochemical process for producing pure titanium powder. Incumbent titanium production processes require the importation of high-grade titanium ores. TIMET’s groundbreaking design will enable the use of abundant, low-cost, domestic ore to produce titanium powder electrolytically. By totally revolutionizing the electrolysis process, TIMET can fully optimize the process more effectively using a unique approach. TIMET’s electrochemical methods could produce higher quality titanium powder at lower cost and reduced energy consumption compared to the conventional Kroll process.
Potential Impact:
If successful, TIMET’s new process will use less energy for the production of titanium with reduced CO2 emissions and at a fraction of the total cost, making it widely available for energy, industrial and advanced aerospace applications.
Security:
Improving the efficiency of the titanium production process reduces the demand for imported energy.
Environment:
Reducing energy consumption by using an electrolytic process could reduce CO2 emissions, transportation costs, and carbon footprint compared to conventional titanium production and shipping of foreign input stock.
Economy:
Domestic production of titanium using methods that consume less energy and use less expensive materials results in low-cost titanium enabling its widespread applications in the aerospace, energy, and industrial sectors.
Contact
ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Jason Rugolo
Project Contact:
Dr. Stephen Fox
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
stephen.fox@timet.com
Partners
Materials & Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation
Related Projects
Release Date:
03/20/2013