Fluidized Bed Electrowinning Of Cobalt

A laboratory scale cell (approximately 50 amps current) equipped with a fluidized bed cathode was used in a study of the electrodeposition of cobalt from acidified aqueous sulfate solutions The effect of current density (in the range 0.1 to 1 amp/cm2 of diaphragm), cobalt concentration (4 8 to 100 glliter) and catholyte pH (1 35 to 6 2) on current efficiency and energy consumption were determined. Generally the current efficiency increased with increasing current density and cobalt concentration Current efficiencies were comparable to those reported in the literature for conventional electrowinning