A material, for instance used as an
aluminium-wettable component (21,21', 41,41', 51), in particular of a
cell for the
electrowinning of
aluminium (60), comprises an openly porous or reticulated
ceramic structure whose surface during use is exposed to and wetted by molten
aluminium. The structure is made of
ceramic material
inert and resistant to molten aluminium, such as
alumina, and an aluminium-wettable material that comprises
metal oxide and / or partly oxidised
metal, in particular of
manganese, iron,
cobalt,
nickel,
copper or
zinc, which is / are reactable with molten aluminium to form a
surface layer containing
alumina, aluminium and
metal derived from the metal
oxide and / or partly oxidised metal. The
ceramic structure comprises a
coating of the aluminium-wettable material on the
inert and resistant ceramic material, or is made of a mixture of the
inert and resistant material and of the aluminium-wettable ceramic material. The aluminium-wetted component is suitable for use as a
cathode (21,21'), as a sidewall (41,41') or as another component (51) which during use is exposed to molten aluminium (60) and / or
electrolyte (5), or another oxidising and / or corrosive media at high temperature.