Effect of the Sn Addition on the Electrochemical Properties of Al/Pb Anodes and Its Application in Zinc Electrowinning

Al/Sn/Pb composite anode materials were prepared by the hot-pressing diffusion method to improve their electrochemical properties. The bonding interface, electrochemical properties, and application properties in the zinc electrowinning process of the composite electrode materials were tested and analyzed. The results indicate that an improvement of the corrosion resistance of the electrode material, a more uniform distribution of the surface potential, and an enhancement of the electrochemistry have been achieved by changing the structure of the electrode. The cell voltage of the Al/Sn/Pb composite anode decreased by 0.169 V compared with that of the Pb alloy electrode in the zinc electrowinning engineering experiment. Its current efficiency is increased by 8.5%, its specific electric energy consumption is reduced by 11.4%, and its corrosion rate is reduced by 57.3%. The surface quality of the cathode-precipitated products is good, the impurity content is low, and the impurity Pb content is decreased by 35.59% compared to the Pb alloy electrode.