Electrolytic refining

Japanese: 電解精製 - でんかいせいせい（英語表記）electrolytic refining

A method of refining metals in which electrolysis is carried out using crude metals as the anode and an aqueous solution of the metal salt as the electrolyte, resulting in the deposition of highly pure metals on the cathode. Among the impurities in the anode, noble impurities with a low tendency to ionize remain undissolved and become anode slime, while less noble impurities with a high tendency to ionize dissolve and enter the liquid, but accumulate in the solution as they cannot deposit on the cathode. Electrolytic refining is applied to copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), nickel (Ni), etc. [Fueki Kazuo]

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

粗金属を陽極とし，その金属塩の水溶液を電解質として電気分解を行い，陰極に純度の高い金属を析出させる金属の精製法。陽極中の不純物のうち，イオン化傾向が小さい貴な不純物は溶けずに残ってアノードスライムとなり，イオン化傾向が大きい卑な不純物は溶解して液中に入るが，陰極に析出しえないので溶液中にたまる。電解精製は銅Cu，銀Ag，金Au，白金Pt，鉛Pb，スズSn，ニッケルNiなどに応用されている。【笛木和雄】

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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