How are sodium chloride and sodium separated from titanium sponge made by the Hunter process?

In the Hunter process, titanium tetrachloride is reduced with sodium to produce a porous material known as titanium sponge, which contains entrapped sodium chloride (NaCl) salt within its pores.1

To separate the titanium metal from the salt, the sponge is first crushed. Following this, the separation is achieved through one of two primary methods:1

• Dilute acid leach: The crushed sponge is treated with a dilute acid to dissolve and remove the salt.1
• High-temperature vacuum distillation: The mixture is subjected to high-temperature vacuum conditions to separate the metal from the salt.1

Once separated, the sodium chloride is recycled through electrolytic cells. This process recovers the sodium for reuse in the reduction of titanium and the chlorine for the chlorination of titanium ore.1