Formation mechanism and treatment status of perfluorocarbon in the electrolytic aluminum industry: A review

The electrolytic aluminum plays an irreplaceable role in the Chinese national economy. The large amount of fluorine flue gas produced by it contributes to tremendous pressure on the environment. When the concentration of PFCs in the environment reaches a certain value, it will cause damage to the central nervous system and liver of human body. The treatment method of perfluorocarbon (PFCs) is mainly based on source or end-of-pipe control, with the former having low emissions and low energy consumption and the latter having high removal rate. However, reviews of the formation mechanism and influencing factors of PFCs has seldom been conducted. Therefore, it is very important to comprehensively understand the formation mechanism and treatment status of PFCs, finding effective and rational processing technologies in the electrolytic aluminum industry for realizing effective control. This paper provides a more systematic review of the micro-formation mechanism of PFCs, pollutant source management, and ultimate pollution and carbon reduction. Each technology research progress and influencing factors in terms of material properties and process conditions are analyzed in recent years. This review aims to provide some references for subsequent related research in PFCs treatment and purification in electrolytic aluminum flue gas. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd