applied sciences Article Preparing High-Purity Anhydrous ScCl3 Molten Salt Using One-Step Rapid Heating Process Junhui Xiao 1,2,3,4,*, Chao Chen 1,2, Wei Ding 1, Yang Peng 1, Kai Zou 1, Tao Chen 1 and Zhiwei Zou 1 1 Sichuan Provincial Engineering Lab of Non-Metallic Mineral Powder Modification and High-Value Utilization, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China;
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[email protected] (Z.Z.) 2 Institute of Multipurpose Utilization of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China 3 Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Comprehensive Utilization of Vanadium and Titanium Resources, Panzhihua University, Panzhihua 617000, China 4 Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Solid Waste Treatment and Resource Recycle, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +86-139-9019-0544 Received: 7 July 2020; Accepted: 27 July 2020; Published: 28 July 2020 Abstract: In this study, a one-step rapid heating novel process was used to prepare high-purity anhydrous scandium chloride molten salt with low-purity scandium oxide. High-purity anhydrous ScCl3 molten salt was used as the Sc-bearing raw material for preparing the Sc-bearing master alloy. Inert gas was used to enhance the purity of anhydrous scandium chloride and reduce the hydrolysis rate of scandium. The results show that high-purity scandium chloride (purity, 99.69%) with the scandium content of 29.61%, was obtained, and the hydrolysis rate of scandium was 1.19% under the conditions used: removing ammonium chloride; residual crystal water temperature of 400 ◦C; m(Sc2O3):m(NH4Cl) = 1:2.5; holding-time of 90 min; heating-rate of 12 ◦C/min; and argon flow of 7.5 L/min.