About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Advances in Ceramic Materials and Processing
|
| Presentation Title |
D-3: Development of Advanced Ceramic Materials for the Protection of Thermocouples in Cryolitic Aluminum Electrolysis Baths |
| Author(s) |
Salma Yadane, Daniela Bellon Monsalve, Jean-François Bilodeau, François Allard |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Salma Yadane |
| Abstract Scope |
In the Hall–Héroult aluminum production process, thermocouples used to monitor bath temperature face rapid degradation due to harsh thermal and chemical conditions in the cryolitic environment (~960 °C), leading to frequent replacements, measurement instability, and increased operational costs. While ceramic materials have been studied for anode applications, their potential as protective coatings for thermocouples remains largely unexplored. This project, in collaboration with Rio Tinto, focuses on the preliminary evaluation of advanced ceramic materials for thermocouple protection, particularly the effect of ZrO₂ addition into NiFe₂O₄ and NiFe₂O₄–NiO systems to enhance chemical stability in molten cryolite environments. By correlating material properties with degradation mechanisms, this work aims to identify promising ceramic materials capable of improving measurement reliability and reducing maintenance costs in aluminum electrolysis. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Ceramics, Characterization, High-Temperature Materials |