A Hydride Bath for the Electrodeposition of Aluminum

A process was developed for the deposition of aluminum from an ethereal solution of aluminum chloride and a metal hydride. The best deposits were obtained from an ethyl ether solution that was 2 to 3. M in aluminum chloride and 0.5 to 1.0 M in lithium hydride. The deposits were quite ductile, and deposition rates of 0.025 to 0.05 mm per hour were possible. Deposits 0.5 to 0.75 mm thick were produced with hardnesses of from 37 to 97 Vickers. An investigation of the effect of various inorganic addition agents on the type of deposit produced from the fused aluminum bromide‐potassium bromide bath was made.