Review—Preparation of Zirconium Metal by Electrolysis

The application field of zirconium involves chemical, metallurgical, biological and nuclear industries due to its excellent properties. However, the uneconomical production process of zirconium at this stage has led to its high price. With the increasing demand for zirconium, the call for price reduction is becoming stronger. A review on zirconium preparation processes is provided in this paper with emphasis on electrolysis process, which has the potential to replace the traditional Kroll process. Electrolysis process can be classified into three types according to different zirconium sources: Molten salt electrolysis process, electrodeoxidation process and zirconium production from oxycarbide anode. The principle, flow, current achievements and barriers to industrial application of various electrolysis processes are discussed. The review is finalized with the suggestions for future research directions.