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ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES • JUNE 2014 55
HIGHLIGHTS... Emerging Professionals ASM
news
The 2nd Annual ASM and
Kent State University (KSU) Art
Show is on display at ASM head-
quarters between May 14 and Jan-
uary 2015. The venue’s views,
lighting, and sense of balance—
important to architect John Ter-
ence Kelly and still valued more
than 50 years later—create the
ideal space for artwork. ASM
hosted an opening reception on
May 14 with more than 40 guests
present. The top 20 pieces on dis-
play were selected from 158 sub-
missions by 37 artists.
Christine Havice, director,
KSU School of Art, Kathryn Shinko,
graduate assistant to the gallery
director, KSU School of Art, John
Crawford, dean, College of Arts, at
the opening reception.
Artists
Stephanie
Mote and
Hunter Elliott
enjoy the art
exhibit.
KSU Art Shines at the Dome
HANDBOOK EDITOR SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Valery Rudnev, FASM
As volume co-editor, Dr. Valery Rudnev,
FASM, was instrumental in developing
ASM Handbook Volume 4C: Induction
Heating and Heat Treatment . As a leading
global figure in the induction heating in-
dustry, Rudnev undertook the ambitious
challenge to compile an all-new, compre-
hensive ASM Handbook resource on in-
duction thermal process technologies and applications. With
more than 30 years of experience in induction heating, he
took on the immense commitment and effort of organizing
and recruiting an international team of volunteer editors, au-
thors, and peer reviewers for Volume 4C. The new volume
represents a significant expansion of ASMHandbook cover-
age on heating and heat treatment, and ASMHandbook Vol-
ume 4C would not have occurred without Rudnev, who is
director of science and technology, Inductoheat Inc., an In-
ductothermGroup Company. An ASMmember for 19 years,
and a member of many other industry, scientific, and engi-
neering committees and editorial boards, Rudnev acknowl-
edges co-volume editor Dr. George Totten, FASM, and all
contributing authors for their support and devotion during
this challenging project.
Do you have an idea for a book? Would you like to share your
knowledge and expertise with the engineering community?
ASM can help you in such an endeavor. Contact Karen
Marken at 440.338.5151 ext. 5545 or
to discuss your ideas and details of the
process.
EMERGING PROFESSIONALS
Aluminum Industry:
Game-changing Technological Development Needed
Behzad Majidi
Aluminum Research Centre – REGAL
Université Laval, Québec, Canada
In 1886, Charles Martin Hall and Paul
Héroult independently developed the
method of reduction of aluminum in
electrolysis cells. Thanks to Thomas Edi-
son’s brilliant work and his dynamo invention—which
made low cost electrical power available—the first large
scale aluminum production plant was opened by Hall in
1888 in Pittsburgh.
Technology improvements in the 20th century raised the
current efficiency of Hall-Héroult cells to 96%. However, is-
sues such as the price of electricity and greenhouse gas emis-
sions from the smelting process forced aluminum industry
experts to consider modifications to this old process.
Consumable carbon anodes—made by mixing petroleum
pitch and calcined coke—have been a priority research focus
for the aluminum community in the last three decades. The
need for nonconsumable or inert anodes for the Hall-
Héroult process is widely accepted. A successful inert anode
technology is estimated to increase the energy efficiency of
the process by 25%, reduce operating costs by 10%, and lower
greenhouse gas emissions by 6.5 million metric tons.
Electrochemical and thermodynamic stability, electrical
conductivity, and mechanical properties at 930°-1100°C are
essential parameters for candidate materials for inert anodes.
Purity of metal output of the cell is also a critical point and
the inert anodes investigated in the past failed to meet this
criterion. Anode materials are the most critical barriers to
development of industry-scale inert anodes.
Hall gave us a wise start, but it seems we are reaching a
turning point: Without advanced, low cost materials for
anodes (and cathodes), it will be very difficult for the alu-
minum industry to hold its current position in technology
development.
Industrial aluminum production started with innovations
and state-of-the-art designs from engineers. Once again,
there is a critical need for a new game-changing design that
can provide high-quality inert anodes. So, go materials sci-
entists. Go!