Ceramic P"-alumina

Ford Motor Co [312] obtained a patent for a method of producing sodium which uses a solid ceramic (P-alumina) that conducts sodium ions as a divider for a two-compartment cell. This method allows low melting sodium salts or salt mixtures to be used to produce sodium [312-315], The cell operates at 200°C and 6 V instead of the conventional 7 V for Downs cells, making sodium at 600°C. The average current efficiency is 100% compared to 85-92% for Downs cells. The power consumption of the process at the same productivity is 20-30% lower than for the Downs cell. This process has, however, not been operated on a large scale because the P-A1203 does not have sufficient lifetime. 

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