Intensification of opening a thrust alloy based on platinum and rhodium

Abstract

A high chemical resistance inherent in the alloys based on platinum group metals is one of the reasons for a number of difficulties that arise when dissolving such materials. Nowadays, the dissolution in aqua regia is one of the most effective methods for dissolving corrosion-resistant alloys. The main disadvantage of this method is a release of toxic gaseous substances such as nitrosyl chloride and nitrogen oxides. To decrease the volume of gases thus released without reducing the redox potential of the system, we proposed a method of dissolving a Pt – Rh alloy in HCl-HNO3 with a controlled dosed supply of HNO3 at a given value of the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of the system. The potential of the system has been chosen proceeding from the potential for HNO3 – HCl – Pt and HNO3 – HCl-Rh systems and amounted to 0.85 and 0.9 V. The impact of the dispersion and the inherent flaw of PtRh alloys on the dissolution indices of the alloy was also considered. It is shown that the dissolution of a Pt – Rh alloy with a rhodium content of 15 % in HCl – HNO3 at a constant value of ORP = 0.9 V compared to the use of the classic mixture (HCl:HNO3 = 1:3 vol.) provides a decrease in nitric acid consumption by 40%, reduction of the process time, increase in the recovery factor for both platinum and rhodium, and a two-fold reduction of the volume of released nitrogen oxides (theoretical calculation). It is also revealed that the process of mechanical activation of the alloy reduces the dissolution time and leads to almost quantitative dissolution of the sample.