The Production of Ductile Titanium

Abstract
An electrochemical method of producing calcium gluconate and other salts of aldonic acids has been found, comprising the use of an aqueous alkaline bromide solution of the sugar in a diaphragm‐free cell. In place of the alkali bromide, which appears to act as a catalyst, very few other salts may be used. Alkali ferricyanide is one of these few. It was also found that salts of aldonic acids can be prepared in a diaphragm‐free and halogen‐free cell when using a mercury anode. Optimum conditions for the alkali bromide cell process carried out on a semi‐plant scale are : 1 molar sugar in a 2 per cent NaBr solution ; iron or graphite cathodes; graphite anodes; 1 to 2 amp./dm.2, 40° C., no diaphragm. Losses in bromine were minimized by changing the direction of the rectified a.c. every fifteen minutes. Costs for the manufacture of calcium gluconate from glucose are appended, together with a discussion of the commercial uses for gluconic acid and its salts.