CA2155203A1

CA2155203A1 - The bonding of bodies of refractory hard materials to carbonaceous supports

Info

Publication number: CA2155203A1
Application number: CA002155203A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Jainagesh A. Sekhar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Moltech Invent SA
Priority date: 1993-03-09
Filing date: 1994-03-08
Publication date: 1994-09-15
Also published as: WO1994020651A3; EP0688369A1; NO953518D0; AU6114394A; DE69404829T2; US5320717A; NO953518L; DE69404829D1; US5342491A; WO1994020651A2; AU670496B2; EP0688369B1; SK109695A3

Abstract

Bodies (3) such as tiles, plates, slabs or bricks of Refractory Hard Material (RHM) or other refractory composites are bonded to the cathodes or to other components, in particular to a carbon cell bottom (1), of a cell for the production of aluminium by electrolysis of a cryolite-based molten electrolyte, made of carbonaceous or other electrically conductive refractory material, by a non-reactive colloidal slurry (4) comprising particulate performed RHM in a colloidal carrier selected from colloidal alumina, colloidal yttria and colloidal ceria.
The slurry usually comprises preformed particulate TiB2 in colloidal alumina. The bodies (3) are usually TiB2-Al2O3 composites. The bonding is achieved simply by applying the slurry and allowing it to dry.

Description

WO94/20651 PCT/~94/00034 Z1~2D~

The Bondin~ of Bodies of Refractory Hard Materials to Carbonaceous Supports Fiel~ of the Invention The invention relates to methods of bonding bodies of Refractory Hard Material (RHM) or other refractory composites to the cathodes of cells for the production of aluminium by electrolysis of alumina dissolved in a cryolite-based molten electrolyte, which cathodes are made of carbonaceous or other electrically conductive refractory materials. The invention also relates to such cells having bodies of RHM or refractory composites bonded to their cathodes, as well as the use of these cells for the production of aluminium.
Rackground of the Invention Aluminium is produced conventionally by the Hall-Héroult process, by the electrolysis of alumina dissolved in cryolite-based molten electrolytes at temperatures up to around 950C. A Hall-Héroult reduction cell typically has a steel shell provided with an insulating lining of refractory material, which in turn has a lining of carbon which contacts the molten constituents. Conductor bars connected to the negative pole of a direct current source are embedded in the carbon cathode substrate forming the cell bottom floor. The cathode substrate is usually an anthracite based carbon lining made of prebaked cathode blocks, joined with a ramming mixture of anthracite, coke, and coal tar.

In Hall-Héroult cells, a molten aluminium pool acts as the cathode. The carbon lining or cathode material has a useful life of three to eight years, or even less under adverse conditions. The deterioration of the cathode bottom is due to erosion and penetration of electrolyte and liquid aluminium as well as intercalation WO94/20651 ~ 2 - PCTl~94/00034 of sodium, which causes swelling and deformation of the cathode carbon blocks and ramming mix. In additon, the penetration of sodium species and other ingredients of cryolite or air leads to the formation of toxic compounds including cyanides.
Difficulties in operation also arise from the accumulation of undissolved alumina sludge on the surface of the carbon cathode beneath the aluminium pool which forms insulating regions on the cell bottom. Penetration of cryolite and aluminium through the carbon body and the deformation of the cathode carbon blocks also cause displacement of such cathode blocks. Due to displacement of the cathode blocks, aluminium reaches the steel cathode conductor bars causing corrosion thereof leading to deterioration of the electrical contact, non uniformity in current distribution and an excessive iron content in the aluminium metal produced.
A major drawback of carbon as cathode material is that it is not wetted by aluminium. This necessitates maintaining a deep pool of aluminium (at least 100-250 mm thick) in order to ensure a certain protection of the carbon blocks and an effective contact over the cathode surface. But electromagnetic forces create waves in the molten aluminium and, to avoid short-circuiting with the anode, the anode-to-cathode distance (ACD) must be kept at a safe minimum value, usually 40 to 60 mm. For conventional cells, there is a minimum ACD below which the current efficiency drops drastically, due to short-circuiting between the aluminium pool and the anode. The electrical resistance of the electrolyte in the.inter-electrode gap causes a voltage drop from 1.8 to 2.7 volts, which represents from 40 to 60 percent of the total voltage drop, and is the largest single component of the voltage drop in a given cell.

To reduce the ACD and associated voltage drop, extensive research has been carried out with Refractory W094/206~1 ~ 3 ~ PCTl~94/00034 ~ 3 Hard Metals or Refractory Hard Materials (RHM) such as TiB2 as cathode materials. TiB2 and other RHM's are practically insoluble in aluminium, have a low electrical resistance, and are wetted by aluminium. This should allow aluminium to be electrolytically deposited directly on an RHM cathode surface, and should avoid the necessity for a deep aluminium pool. Because titanium diboride and similar Refractory Hard Metals are wettable by aluminium, resistant to the corrosive environment of an aluminium production cell, and are good electrical conductors, numerous cell designs utilizing Refractory Hard Metal have been proposed, which would present many advantages, notably including the saving of energy by reducing the ACD.

The use of titanium diboride and other RHM
current-conducting elements in electrolytic aluminium production cells is described in US Patents Nos 2,915,442, 3,028,324, 3,215,615, 3,314,876, 3,330,756, 3,156,639, 3,274,093 and 3,400,061. Despite extensive efforts and the potential advantages of having surfaces of titanium diboride at the cell cathode bottom, such propositions have not been commercially adopted by the aluminium industry.

The non-acceptance of tiles and other methods of applying layers of TiB2 and other RHM materials on the surface of aluminium production cells is due to their lack of stability in the operating conditions, in addition to their cost. The failure of these materials is associated with penetration of the electrolyte when not perfectly wetted by aluminium, and attack by aluminium because of impurities in the RHM structure. In RHM pieces such as tiles, oxygen impurities tend to segregate along grain boundaries leading to rapid attack by aluminium metal and/or by cryolite. To combat disintegration, it has been proposed to use highly pure TiB2 powder to make materials containing less than 50 ppm oxygen. Such fabrication further increases the cost of the already-expensive 2~ ~ - 4 - PCT1~94/00034 materials. No cell utilizing TiB2 tiles as cathode is known to have operated for long periods without loss of adhesion of the tiles, or their disintegration. Other reasons for failure of RHM tiles have been the lack of mechanical strength and resistance to thermal shock.
Various types of TiB2 or RHM layers applied to carbon substrates have failed due to poor adherence and to differences in thermal expansion coefficients between the titanium diboride material and the carbon cathode block.
US Patent N 4,093,524 discloses bonding tiles of titanium diboride and other Refractory Hard Metals to a conductive substrate such as graphite. But large differences in thermal expansion coefficients between the RHM tiles and the substrate cause problems.
EP - A 0 164 830 discloses bonding of solid carbide, boride, nitride, silicide and sulfide bodies by laminating a reactant mixture of precursors of the materials of the bodies, then heating to initiate an exothermic reaction producing a layer that bonds the bodies together. However, such methods have not been successfully applied in bonding plates or tiles of TiB2 or like materials to a carbonaceous or other conductive refractory substrates.

Summary of the Invention The invention provides a method of bonding bodies of Refractory Hard Material (RHM) or other aluminium-wettable refractory composites to cathodes or other components of cells of different configurations for the production of aluminium by electrolysis of a molten electrolyte, which cathodes or components are made up of carbonaceous or other electrically conductive refractory materials, usually carbonaceous material. According to the invention, the method comprises placing the RHM or refractory composite bodies onto a cell cathode or other component, with a colloidal slurry comprising particulate WO94/20651 - 5 - PCT/~94/00034 ~ ~155~0~

preformed RHM in a colloidal carrier selected from colloidal alumina, colloidal yttria and colloidal ceria in between the bodies and the cathode or other component. The slurry is then dried to bond the bodies to the cathode or other component, the dried slurry acting as a conductive thermally-matched glue which provides excellent bonding of the bodies to the cathode or other component.
Based on adherence tests, it is predicted that such bonded aluminium-wettable cathode bodies should provide a service life of from 5 to 20 years, depending on the cell operating conditions. This is far longer than with any prior method of bonding the bodies to the cathode.

Application of the bodies by means of this non-reactive colloidal slurry is very simple. The formation ofan adherent interlayer comprising the pre-formed TiB2 or other refractory composite in the dried colloid ensures an adequate bonding while allowing for thermal expansion when the cell is brought to operating temperature. The excellent adherence is believed to be due to the fact that the bodies of RHM or other refractory composites and the relatively "thick" layers of the dried slurry (usually from about 200 to about 1500 micrometer) have very similar thermal expansion coefficients.
It should be noted that the use of non-reactive colloidal slurries has very suprisingly been found to outperform reactive mixtures which had previously been tried for the same purpose. The reason for this is not known.

The colloidal slurry usually comprises preformed particulate TiB2 in colloidal alumina, and the RHM bodies are made of or comprise TiB2, for instance TiB2-Al2O3 composites, in particular the reaction products of a mixture of particulate titanium dioxide, boron oxide and aluminium in the molar proportion 3TiO2 + 3B2O3 + lOAl mixed with an amount of preformed particulate TiB2.

WO94/20651 2~5~ 6 - PCT/~94/00034 The colloidal slurry preferably comprises 5 - lOOg of TiB2 per lOml of colloid. The colloidal slurry may further comprise particulate carbon which serves to provide an excellent conductive bond, particularly with carbonaceous cell bottoms.
In one method of application, the colloidal slurry is applied to the surface of the cathode and to the faces of the bodies to be bonded, and the slurry-coated faces of the bodies to be bonded are applied on the slurry-coated face for the cathode.

Alternatively, the colloidal slurry is conveniently applied to the top surface of a cathode formed by a cell bottom, and the faces of the bodies to be bonded are applied on the slurry-coated top surface of the cell cathode bottom, without having to apply a separate layer of the slurry onto the surfaces of the bodies.
The bodies may be tiles, plates, slabs or bricks of the RHM or other refractory composite material, and the slurry may also be applied between adjacent edges of the tiles, plates, slabs or bricks to bond them together.

The bodies to be bonded may be coated on all faces with the slurry so that a layer of the dried slurry is deposited also onto the outer active face of the bodies.
Thus, at least one face of the bodies which is not to be bonded to the cathode may be coated with said slurry and/or with a reactive slurry comprising precursors of an RHM or other refractory composite. When a reactive slurry is applied to such faces of the body, these faces will be coated with an RHM-containing coating formed by reaction.

The cell cathode bottom possibly has recesses for receiving parts of the bodies which are bonded in said recesses by the applied slurry.

After application of the slurry and placing of the tiles, plates, slabs or bricks of the RHM or other W094/20651 ~ 7 21 ~ 5 ~ Q 3 PCTI~94tO0034 refractory composite material, the slurry can simply be allowed to dry ln the ambient air, possibly asslsted by blow heating.
The method is particularly advantageous for carbonaceous cell bottoms which serve as a conductive cell cathode.

The cell cathode bottom may however be coated with a coating containing RHM or other refractory composites onto which the tiles, plates, slabs or bricks of the RHM
or RHM composite are placed and bonded by means of the colloidal slurry. This is particularly applicable where a conductive refractory composite material is used as the cell bottom.

Prior to bonding, the RHM or other refractory composite bodies are advantageously aluminized on the face not to be bonded, for instance by placing them in contact with molten aluminium preferably in the presence of a fluxing agent such as a cryolite-alumina flux.

The invention also concerns a cell for the production of aluminium by electrolysis of a cryolite-based molten electrolyte, comprising a cell bottom cathode made of carbonaceous or other electrically conductive refractory material to which are bonded bodies of RHM or other refractory composites. The cell according to the invention is characterized in that the bodies are bonded to the cell bottom cathode by a dried slurry comprising particulate preformed RHM in a colloidal carrier selected from colloidal alumina, colloidal yttria and colloidal ceria. This cell incorporates the various features set out above in discussing its method of production. The invention applies to Hall-Héroult cells of classic design - and other aluminium production cells of different configurations including those with deep pool and drained cathode configurations. Thus, bonded bodies of aluminium-wettable refractory materials may be arranged in a drained cell configuration, where molten product aluminium is W094/20651 ~5Z~ - 8 - PCT1~94/00034 drained permanently from the bodies. Alternatively, bonded bodies of refractory material are arranged on a cell bottom cathode in a deep or shallow pool of molten aluminium.
The invention applies to the bonding of tiles, plates, slabs or bricks to cell bottoms and also to cathodes placed in other configurations, as well as to the side walls and to other components of the cell such as weirs or baffles associated with the cathodic cell bottom The invention concerns mainly bodies of TiB2 or other aluminium-wettable refractory materials which in use will be in contact with the molten product aluminium and/or with the cryolite-based electrolyte. But the invention also contemplates bonding the bodies to carbon pieces, with aluminium between such bodies and a current conductor bar, this aluminium serving to electrically connect the bodies to the conductor bar.
A further aspect of the invention is the use of said cell for the production of aluminium by the electrolysis of alumina dissolved in molten cryolite, where the product aluminium is in contact with said bodies bonded on the cell bottom cathode.
Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-section through part of a cell bottom cathode of an aluminium production cell to which a layer of tiles has been bonded in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section through part of another cell bottom cathode of an aluminium production cell having slabs bonded in recesses in the cell bottom.
Description of the Preferred F~mhodiments Fig. 1 shows part of a carbon cell bottom 1 of a cell for the production of aluminium by electrolysis of a W094/20651 ~ 9 ~1~ r~ 2 0 3 PCT/~94/00034 .

molten electrolyte. Current is supplied to the cathodic cell bottom 1 by means of one or more transverse current collector bars 2 made of steel or a suitable alloy. On the top of the cell bottom 1 are bonded tiles 3 of Refractory Hard Material (RHM) composite material, usually a TiB2-Al203 composite material, made by the method detailed below. The tiles 3 are bonded to the cell bottom 1 by a dried slurry 4 comprising particulate RHM in finely divided alumina obtained by applying to the upper surface of the cell bottom 1 and/or to the undersides of tiles 3, a non-reactive colloidal slurry comprising particulate preformed TiB2 in colloidal alumina and allowing the slurry to dry, as explained in greater detail below.

The adjacent edges of the tiles 3 are spaced apart by gaps 5 sufficient to accommodate for thermal expansion of the tiles when the cell is brought to the operating temperature which may be about 950C. The aforesaid slurry is also applied in these gaps 5, so as to bond together the edges of the tiles 3 while allowing for thermal expansion.
Usually, the layer of the dried slurry 4 is about 200 to about 1500 micrometer thick. The tiles 3 can have any convenient dimensions, usually several millimeters or tens of millimeters thick.
Once the tiles 3 have been bonded onto the cell bottom 1, which involves simple drying at ambient temperature, possibly assisted by blowing hot air using an air gun, the cell can be filled with aluminium and a cryolite-alumina electrolyte and raised to operating temperature by the usual methods.
The bonding of the tiles 3 by the method of the 4 invention resists the thermal stresses during start up.
The RHM materials in the tiles 3 ensure excellent wetting of the cell bottom by molten aluminum, which protects the carbon of cell bottom l against attack by electrolyte components. Because the tiles 3 remain firmly bonded to WO94120651 ~ 3 - l o - PCT1~94/00034 the cell bottom l for extended periods, despite the aggressive environment, the life of carbon cell bottoms can be extended from the usual 2-3 years to 5-20 years.
Fig. 2 illustrates another possible cell bottom configuration in which a carbon cell bottom l has recesses in the form of rectangular grooves 8 receiving therein rectangular slabs 6 of RHM composite material, usually the TiB2-Al2O3 composite material made by the method detailed below, which protrude from the cell bottom l.
Inside the grooves 8 the bottom parts of the slabs 6 are bonded firmly by a dried slurry 4 comprising particulate RHM in finely divided alumina. As before, this dried slurry is obtained by applying to the insides of grooves 8 and/or to the underneath parts of slabs 6, a non-reactive colloidal slurry comprising particulate preformed TiB2 in colloidal alumina and allowing the slurry to dry.
The flat upper surface of the carbon cell bottom l and the protruding upper part of the slabs 6 are coated with a layer 7 containing RHM obtained from a colloidal slurry of reactants, as explained above. Alternatively, it is possible to utilize protruding slabs or other shapes of carbonaceous material having the flat upper surface, or any surface in contact with the cryolite electrolyte, covered with RHM tiles.

When this cell is in operation, the protruding parts of slabs 6 act as drained cathodes from which the product aluminium flows down onto the aluminium-wettable layer 7 on the cell bottom. Of course, Fig. 2 merely schematically shows one type of drained cathode configuration. Many other cell designs and configurations can use the described non-reactive slurry bonding technique.
The invention will be further described in the following laboratory-scale examples.

W094/20651 ~ U~ PCT/~94/00034 Plates (and other shapes) of TiB2 composite materials were prepared by mixing together particulate reactants in the molar ratio 3TiO2 + 3B2O3 + 10Al together with a selected amount of particulate preformed TiB2. The TiO2 was 99% pure (metals basis; Johnson Matthey, Catalog Number 11396) with a particle size of 1.5 to 2.0 micrometer. The B2O3 was obtained from Messrs Fischer, Catalog Number A76-3. The aluminium was -100 mesh or -325 mesh 99.5% pure, from Johnson Matthey. The TiB2 was from Johnson Matthey, Catalog Number 11364.

The powders were mixed and blended for 15 to 30 minutes. Preferably the reaction powders and TiB2 are mixed in a weight ratio of about 50:50, but this ratio can range from 90:10 to 30:70, usually in the range 40:60 to 60:40. The mixed powders are then vibration poured into a die, without segregation during pouring.

The die is pressed at 35Ksi (= 5.43 K/cm2) for 5 minutes. For large plates, a load release and repressing operation may be used, or the load application may be gently increased over three minutes. Optimal pressing conditions can be determined for each shape and size being manufactured. After ejection from the die, the pressed plate or other shape should not have any cracks.

The plates are then combusted, for example with a torch in a CO2 atmosphere, or in a furnace under controlled atmosphere. Prior to firing, very light refractory bricks are placed below and above the plates in order to minimize distorsion during firing.

After firing, the surface is examined for color and for any melting of the refractory. Any skin formed by melting should be removed by machining.
Next, the plates are aluminized, on their face which is to be in contact with molten aluminium and which is not to be bonded, by contact of this face with molten aluminium in the presence of a cryolite-alumina flux, as WO94/20651 - 12 - PCT/~94/00034 ~a~3 ~

follows. Aluminium chunks are loaded into a crucible and placed in a furnace at 1000C until the aluminium has melted. The crucible is removed from the furnace and the plate inserted into the molten aluminium. Pre-mixed powders of cryolite and alumina 90/10% by weight are then spread on top of the melt.
The crucible is placed back in the furnace at 1000C for 3 to 24 hours, as long as is necessary to aluminize the plate surface to the required degree. Longer times are preferable; shorter times will provide a less complete aluminization than for longer times. The required amount of aluminization will depend on whether the plate is to be used as cathode in configurations where it is exposed to cryolite, where fuller aluminization is desirable.
The plate is then removed from the melt.
F.x~m; nation of the surface shows that the surface contains aluminium and has slightly increased in thickness. The aluminized surfaces are shiny and well wettable by molten aluminium.

The plates were then bonded by their non-aluminized face to a carbon block forming the cathode of a laboratory aluminium production cell as follows.

A slurry was prepared from a dispersion of lOg TiB2, 99.5% pure, -325 mesh (<42 micrometer), in 25ml of colloidal alumina containing about 20 weight % of solid alumina. Coatings with a thickness of 150i50 to 500i50 micrometer were applied to the faces of the plates and of the carbon blocks to be applied together. Just after the slurry was applied, and while still tacky, the slurry-coated faces of the plates were applied on the slurry-coated blocks and allowed to dry for about 30 minutes.

The above procedure was repeated varying the amount of TiB2 in the slurry from 5 to 15g and varying the amount of colloidal alumina from lOml to 40ml. Coatings WO94/206~1 - 13 - PCTl~94/00034 were applied as before. Drying took 10 to 60 minutes depending on the dilution of the slurry and the thickness of the coatings.
In a further series of tests, a sub-layer of the slurries was applied to each surface and dried or partly dried before applying the next coating. The two parts were applied together while the last coating was still tacky.

In all cases, after drying the plates adhered strongly to the carbon blocks. The thermal cycle resistance of the bonded plates/blocks was tested by placing them in a furnace at 900C for several minutes, then removing them, allowing them to cool in air, and reinserting them in the furnace. This operation was repeated five times. All of the tiles remained adherent to the blocks after this thermal cycling treatment.

Several of the blocks were tested as cathodes in a laboratory aluminium production cell with the bonded plates in a drained-cathode configuration. The cells operated at low cell voltage and the plates remained adherent after long periods of electrolysis without showing any sign of delamination.
In a variation of the invention, the same bonding technique can be used to bond together pieces of carbonaceous materials.

Claims

1. A method of bonding bodies of Refractory Hard Material (RHM) or other refractory composites to a cathode or other component of a cell for the production of aluminium by electrolysis of alumina dissolved in a cryolite-based molten electrolyte, which cathode or other component is made of carbonaceous or other electrically conductive refractory material, the method comprising placing the RHM or other refractory composite bodies onto the cathode or other component with a colloidal slurry therebetween, said colloidal slurry comprising particulate preformed RHM in a colloidal carrier selected from colloidal alumina, colloidal yttria, colloidal ceria and mixtures thereof, and drying the slurry to bond the bodies to the cathode or other component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the colloidal slurry comprises preformed particulate TiB2 in colloidal alumina

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the bodies comprise TiB2.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the bodies are TiB2-Al2O3 composites.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the bodies are the reaction products of a mixture of particulate titanium dioxide, boron oxide and aluminium in the molar proportion 3TiO2 + 3B2O3 + 10Al mixed with an amount of preformed particulate TiB2.

6. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the colloidal slurry comprises 5 - 100g of TiB2 per 10ml of colloid.

7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the colloidal slurry further comprises particulate carbon.

8. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the colloidal slurry is applied to the surface of the cathode or other component and to the faces of the bodies to be bonded, and the slurry-coated faces of the bodies to be bonded are applied on the slurry-coated face of the cathode or other component.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the colloidal slurry is applied to the top surface of a cell bottom, and the faces of the bodies to be bonded are applied on the slurry-coated top surface of the cell bottom.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9, wherein the bodies to be bonded are tiles, plates, slabs or bricks of the RHM or other refractory composite material, and the slurry is also applied between contacting edges of adjacent tiles, plates, slabs or bricks to bond them together.

11. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the bodies to be bonded are coated on all faces with the slurry.

12. The method of any preceding claim, wherein at least one face of the bodies which is not to be bonded to the cathode or other component is coated with said slurry and/or with a reactive slurry comprising precursors of an RHM or other refractory composite.

13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the bodies are bonded to a cell bottom comprising recesses receiving parts of the bodies which are bonded in said recesses by the applied slurry.

14. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the slurry is allowed to dry in the ambient air, possibly assisted by blow heating.

15. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the cathode or other component is carbonaceous.

16. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the cathode or other component is coated with a coating containing RHM or other refractory composites onto which said bodies are placed and bonded.

17. The method of any preceding claim, wherein, prior to or after bonding, the RHM or other refractory composite bodies are aluminized on a part thereof which is not bonded or not to be bonded to the cathode or other component.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the RHM or other refractory composite bodies are aluminized by placing them in contact with molten aluminium preferably in the presence of a fluxing agent.

19. A cell for the production of aluminium by electrolysis of a cryolite-based molten electrolyte, comprising a cathode or other component, in particular a cell bottom cathode, made of carbonaceous or other electrically conductive refractory material to which are bonded bodies of Refractory Hard Material (RHM) or other refractory composites, characterized in that the bodies are bonded to the cathode or other component by a dried slurry comprising particulate preformed RHM in a colloidal carrier selected from colloidal alumina, colloidal yttria, colloidal ceria and mixtures thereof.

20. The cell of claim 19, wherein the dried slurry comprises preformed particulate TiB2 in finely-divided alumina obtained from colloidal alumina.

21. The cell of claim 19 or 20, wherein the bodies comprise TiB2.

22. The cell of claim 21, wherein the bodies are TiB2-Al2O3 composites.

23. The cell of claim 22, wherein the bodies are the reaction products of a mixture of particulate titanium dioxide, boron oxide and aluminium in the molar proportion 3TiO2 + 3B2O3 + 10Al mixed with an amount of preformed particulate TiB2.

24. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein the dried slurry further comprises particulate carbon.

25. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 24, wherein the dried slurry is derived from a slurry comprising 5 - 100g of TiB2 per 10ml of colloid.

26. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 25, wherein the bonded bodies are tiles, plates, slabs or bricks of the RHM or other refractory composite material having facing edges which are also bonded together by said dried slurry

27. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 26, wherein at least one face of the bodies which is not bonded is coated with said dried slurry and/or with an RHM or other refractory composite produced by reaction of a reactive slurry comprising precursors of the RHM or other refractory composite.

28. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 27, wherein the bodies are bonded to a cell bottom comprising recesses receiving parts of the bodies which are bonded in said recesses by the dried slurry.

29. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 28, wherein the component or cell bottom is carbonaceous.

30. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 29, wherein the cathode or component is coated with a coating containing RHM or other refractory composites onto which said bodies are bonded.

31. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 30, wherein surfaces of the RHM or other refractory composite bodies that are not bonded to cathode or other component are aluminized.

32. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 31, wherein the bonded bodies of refractory material are aluminium wettable and are arranged in a drained cell configuration

33. The cell of any one of claims 19 to 31, wherein the bonded bodies of refractory material are arranged on a cell bottom cathode in a pool of molten aluminium.

34. Use of the cell of any one of claims 19 to 33 for the production of aluminium by the electrolysis of alumina dissolved in a cryolite-based molten electrolyte, where the product aluminium is in contact with said bodies bonded on the cathode or other component.

35. A bonded composite structure comprising a substrate of carbonaceous or other electrically conductive refractory material to which is bonded a body of Refractory Hard Metal (RHM) or other refractory composite by an intermediate adhesive layer dried from a slurry comprising particulate preformed RHM in a colloidal carrier selected from colloidal alumina, colloidal yttria, and colloidal ceria.