Laboratory studies of carbon cathode wear during aluminium electrolysis were carried out and compared with wear in commercial cells. The following parameters were varied: current density, electrolyte velocity, cryolite ratio, with or without electrolysis, electrolyte with aluminium metal, alumina slurry and alumina carbide slurry. The chemical wear (formation of aluminium carbide) is much higher than the physical wear (detachment of carbon particles). Comparison of materials gives equal chemical wear for graphitic and anthracitic materials while the physical wear of anthracitic materials are only one fifth of the wear for graphitic materials. The resistance to physical wear appears to be an important factor in spite of this effect being weaker than chemical wear. This points to a combinatorial effect of chemical and physical wear.
