Commercial Electrolytic Processes

Some commercial processes are the production of aluminum, the electrorefining of metals, metal plating, and electrolysis of sodium chloride.

Since aluminum has such a high affinity for oxygen and is never found pure, electrolysis can be used to produce 99.5% pure aluminum by separating the oxides.

Purification of metals is another application of electrolysis and is important for other chemical processes.

Metals that readily corrode can be protected by a thin layer of a metal that resists corrosion and electrolysis can help provide a smooth, even coating of the metal.

Sodium metal is mainly produced by the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride.