RE:Apple connectionIt's a nice thought, but there is no connection to Apple or Elysis. It has nothing to do with plasma.
Short version: Elysis is about a change to the anode that is used in the chemical reaction process of smelting. By changing this prevously carbon-based anode, they eliminate the Co2 burned off as a reaction to the anode, rendering only oxygen. No plasma component involved.
Long version:
The conventional aluminum smelting process, the Hall–Hroult process (invented in 1886), involves dissolving alumina (Al
2O
3) in molten cryolite, and electrolyzing the molten salt bath, typically in a purpose-built cell with carbon electrodes. The mixture is electrolyzed by passing a low voltage direct current at 100–300 kA through it, causing liquid aluminium metal to be deposited at the cathode. Oxygen from the alumina combines with carbon from the anode to produce mostly carbon dioxide. That's the greenhouse gas.
Elysis provides a different approach to the electrolysis of alumina, specifically ending the use of carbon anodes in the aluminum smelting process by replacing them with proprietary materials of some sort (newly developed by Rio and Alcoa) that are stable, non-inert, and non-reactive -- thus eliminating direct greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 specifically) from the aluminum smelting process, emitting oxygen instead.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y8jE5V70Lc https://www.elysis.com/en https://cdn-ceo-ca.s3.amazonaws.com/1gtp871-Elysis.jpg AverageJoe wrote: Interesting article with apple buying carbon free from Aluminum from Elysis, a joint venture with Alco and Rio Tinto and Elysis which is based in Montreal. Me thinks where there is smoke there is fire or in this case, Plasma!
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-aluminum/apple-buys-first-ever-carbon-free-aluminum-from-alcoa-rio-tinto-venture-idUSKBN1Y91RQ