Clean Metals Production by Solid Oxide Membrane Electrolysis Process

This paper reviews a clean metals production technology that utilizes an oxygen-ion-conducting solid oxide membrane (SOM) to directly electrolyze metal oxides dissolved in non-consumable molten salts. The objective of this study is to examine the advantages of the SOM electrolysis process in producing various metals such as magnesium, aluminum, silicon, or rare earth elements, which occur at the cathode while pure oxygen gas evolves at the anode. The methodology includes analyzing the current state-of-the-art metal production processes like chloride-based electrolysis for magnesium and the Hall–Héroult process for aluminum smelting. Results demonstrate that the SOM process offers several advantages, including simplified design, lower costs, reduced energy consumption, and zero emissions, making it a viable alternative to traditional methods. The analysis reveals past and current progress in the SOM process, the challenges hindering its commercialization, and future directions necessary for its development. The findings indicate that implementing this technology could significantly transform the metals industry towards greater environmental sustainability.