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Rhodium is a valuable precious metal which is commonly used to make catalysts and electronic components. The following are the general steps for refining rhodium.
First, the rhodium-containing ore or scrap is heated with hydrogen to a high temperature, usually between 1,100°C and 1,400°C. This process is called calcination.
After calcination, the rhodium mixture is passed into a high temperature reaction furnace together with hydrogen gas. This process is called the reduction reaction. In the reduction reaction, the rhodium is reduced to rhodium metal and combined with hydrogen to form rhodium hydride.
Next, the rhodium hydride is mixed with hydrochloric acid or ammonium chloride and heated to a high temperature. This process is called the hydrolysis reaction of rhodium. In this process, rhodium hydride is decomposed into rhodium salt and hydrogen gas.
The rhodium salts are precipitated down and washed and filtered with water. This process is usually repeated several times to ensure purity.
Finally, the pure rhodium is heated to a high temperature until the rhodium melts. The melted rhodium can be cast into a variety of shapes and sizes.
It is important to note that this is only the general process of rhodium refining and the exact method may vary depending on the process, equipment and raw materials. In addition, the refining of rhodium is a complex and expensive process requiring highly specialized skills and equipment.
