C
SECTION C — CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
 C

Note(s)

  1. In section C, the definitions of groups of chemical elements are as follows:

    Alkali metals: Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr

    Alkaline earth metals: Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra

    Lanthanides: elements with atomic numbers 57 to 71 inclusive

    Rare earths: Sc, Y, Lanthanides

    Actinides: elements with atomic numbers 89 to 103 inclusive

    Refractory metals: Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W

    Halogens: F, Cl, Br, I, At

    Noble gases: He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn

    Platinum group: Os, Ir, Pt, Ru, Rh, Pd

    Noble metals: Ag, Au, Platinum group

    Light metals: alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, Be, Al, Mg

    Heavy metals: metals other than light metals

    Iron group: Fe, Co, Ni

    Non-metals: H, B, C, Si, N, P, O, S, Se, Te, noble gases, halogens

    Metals: elements other than non-metals

    Transition elements: elements with atomic numbers 21 to 30 inclusive, 39 to 48 inclusive, 57 to 80 inclusive, 89 upwards

  2. Section C covers :
    1. pure chemistry, which covers inorganic compounds, organic compounds, macromolecular compounds, and their methods of preparation;
    2. applied chemistry, which covers compositions containing the above compounds, such as: glass, ceramics, fertilisers, plastics compositions, paints, products of the petroleum industry. It also covers certain compositions on account of their having particular properties rendering them suitable for certain purposes, as in the case of explosives, dyestuffs, adhesives, lubricants, and detergents;
    3. certain marginal industries, such as the manufacture of coke and of solid or gaseous fuels, the production and refining of oils, fats and waxes, the fermentation industry (e.g., brewing and wine-making), the sugar industry;
    4. certain operations or treatments, which are either purely mechanical, e.g., the mechanical treatment of leather and skins, or partly mechanical, e.g., the treatment of water or the prevention of corrosion in general;
    5. metallurgy, ferrous or non-ferrous alloys.
  3. In all sections of the IPC, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, the Periodic System of chemical elements referred to is the one with 8 groups as represented in the table below. For example, group C07F 3/00 "Compounds containing elements of the 2nd Group of the Periodic System" refers to the elements of columns IIa and IIb. [2009.01]

    1. In the case of operations, treatments, products or articles having both a chemical and a non-chemical part or aspect, the general rule is that the chemical part or aspect is covered by section C.
    2. In some of these cases, the chemical part or aspect brings with it a non-chemical one, even though purely mechanical, because this latter aspect either is essential to the operation or treatment or constitutes an important element thereof. It has seemed, in fact, more logical not to dissociate the different parts or aspects of a coherent whole. This is the case for applied chemistry and for the industries, operations and treatments mentioned in Notes (1)(c), (d) and (e). For example, furnaces peculiar to the manufacture of glass are covered by class C03 and not by class F27.
    3. There are, however, some exceptions in which the mechanical (or non-chemical) aspect carries with it the chemical aspect, for example:
    4. In still other cases, the pure chemical aspect is covered by section C and the applied chemical aspect by another section, such as A, B or F, e.g., the use of a substance or composition for:
    5. When the chemical and mechanical aspects are so closely interlocked that a neat and simple division is not possible, or when certain mechanical processes follow as a natural or logical continuation of a chemical treatment, section C may cover, in addition to the chemical aspect, a part only of the mechanical aspect, e.g., after-treatment of artificial stone, covered by class C04. In this latter case, a note or a reference is usually given to make the position clear, even if sometimes the division is rather arbitrary.
  
METALLURGY
 C25
ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR (electrodialysis, electro-osmosis, separation of liquids by electricity B01D; working of metal by the action of a high concentration of electric current B23H; treatment of water, waste water or sewage by electrochemical methods C02F 1/46; surface treatment of metallic material or coating involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this class C23C 28/00, C23F 17/00; anodic or cathodic protection C23F; single-crystal growth C30B; metallising textiles D06M 11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q 1/04; electrochemical methods of analysis G01N; electrochemical measuring, indicating or recording devices G01R; electrolytic circuit elements, e.g. capacitors, H01G; electrochemical current or voltage generators H01M)  [4]
 C25

Note(s)

  1. Electrolytic or electrophoretic processes or apparatus or operational features are classified
    1. in the groups for the compounds or articles produced, and
    2. in the groups which cover the apparatus or operational features.  [2]
  2. The electrolytic or electrophoretic purification of materials is classified according to the nature of the liquid in the relevant places, e.g. A01K 63/00, C02F 1/46, C25B 15/08, C25D 21/16, C25F 7/02.  [2]
 C25
Class index
ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION
Inorganic compounds, non-metals C25B 1/00
Organic compounds C25B 3/00
Non-metallic coatings C25D 9/00
Metals C25C 1/00, C25C 3/00, C25C 5/00
Metallic coatings C25D 3/00, C25D 5/00, C25D 7/00
ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS WITH SIMULTANEOUS PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY C25B 5/00
ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION
Compounds, non-metals C25B 7/00
Coatings C25D 13/00
ELECTROFORMING C25D 1/00
ANODISING, PHOSPHATISING, CHROMATISING C25D 11/00
COATINGS WITH EMBEDDED MATERIAL C25D 15/00
ELECTROLYTIC CLEANING, PICKLING, OR REMOVAL OF METALLIC COATINGS C25F 1/00, C25F 5/00
ELECTROLYTIC ETCHING OR POLISHING C25F 3/00
CELLS, ELECTRODES, DIAPHRAGMS
Production of compounds or non-metals C25B 9/00, C25B 11/00, C25B 13/00, C25B 15/00
Production of metals C25C 7/00
Production of coatings C25D 17/00, C25D 19/00, C25D 21/00
Cleaning, pickling, surface treatment C25F 7/00

 C25C
PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION, RECOVERY OR REFINING OF METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR  [2]
P:20 C25C 1/00
Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of solutions (C25C 5/00 takes precedence)  [2]
 C25C 1/02
·  of light metals  [2]
 C25C 1/04
·  ·  in mercury cathode cells  [2]
 C25C 1/06
·  of iron group metals, refractory metals or manganese  [2]
 C25C 1/08
·  ·  of nickel or cobalt  [2]
 C25C 1/10
·  ·  of chromium or manganese  [2]
 C25C 1/12
·  of copper  [2]
 C25C 1/14
·  of tin  [2]
 C25C 1/16
·  of zinc, cadmium or mercury  [2]
 C25C 1/18
·  of lead  [2]
 C25C 1/20
·  of noble metals  [2]
 C25C 1/22
·  of metals not provided for in groups C25C 1/02-C25C 1/20  [2]
 C25C 1/24
·  Alloys obtained by cathodic reduction of all their ions  [2]
P:10 C25C 3/00
Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metals by electrolysis of melts (C25C 5/00 takes precedence)  [2]
 C25C 3/02
·  of alkali or alkaline earth metals  [2]
 C25C 3/04
·  of magnesium  [2]
 C25C 3/06
·  of aluminium  [2]
 C25C 3/08
·  ·  Cell construction, e.g. bottoms, walls, cathodes  [2]
 C25C 3/10
·  ·  ·  External supporting frames or structures  [2]
 C25C 3/12
·  ·  ·  Anodes  [2]
 C25C 3/14
·  ·  Devices for feeding or crust breaking  [2]
 C25C 3/16
·  ·  Electric current supply devices, e.g. bus bars  [2]
 C25C 3/18
·  ·  Electrolytes  [2]
 C25C 3/20
·  ·  Automatic control or regulation of cells (controlling or regulating in general G05)  [2]
 C25C 3/22
·  ·  Collecting emitted gases  [2]
 C25C 3/24
·  ·  Refining  [2]
 C25C 3/26
·  of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum or vanadium  [2]
 C25C 3/28
·  ·  of titanium  [2]
 C25C 3/30
·  of manganese  [2]
 C25C 3/32
·  of chromium  [2]
 C25C 3/34
·  of metals not provided for in groups C25C 3/02-C25C 3/32  [2]
 C25C 3/36
·  Alloys obtained by cathodic reduction of all their ions  [2]
P:0 C25C 5/00
Electrolytic production, recovery or refining of metal powders or porous metal masses  [2]
 C25C 5/02
·  from solutions  [2]
 C25C 5/04
·  from melts  [2]
P:30 C25C 7/00
Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells; Servicing or operating of cells (for the production of aluminium C25C 3/06-C25C 3/22)  [2]
 C25C 7/02
·  Electrodes (consumable anodes for the refining of metals C25C 1/00-C25C 5/00); Connections thereof  [2]
 C25C 7/04
·  Diaphragms; Spacing elements  [2]
 C25C 7/06
·  Operating or servicing  [2]
 C25C 7/08
·  ·  Separating of deposited metals from the cathode  [2]