Valorization of Aluminum Dross with Copper via High Temperature Melting to Produce Al-Cu Alloys

The valorization of aluminum dross for Al recovery was performed via its mixing with metallic copper to produce Al-Cu alloys. This approach was with the intention of establishing a new smelting process to treat the dross with Cu scrap use. To evaluate the high temperature interaction of the materials, the wettability of a Cu-containing aluminum alloy with the non-metallic components of the dross was studied by the sessile drop method. It was found that the wetting was weak via temperature changes at 973-1373 K, and consequently no proper metal separation occurred. To better separate the metallic and non-metallic phases with larger density differences, a higher Cu portion was considered to obtain a significantly denser metallic phase, and it was found that partial separation of the Al in an Al-Cu alloy is possible. The complete separation of the metallic components of the dross was, however, experienced by the dross and copper melting with the addition of pre-melted calcium aluminate slags at elevated temperatures. It was found that Al-Cu alloys were produced and separated from the adjacent slags, and the aluminum oxide of the dross ended up in the slag phase. Moreover, the characteristics of the produced slags depend on the process charge.