ELECTROREDUCTION OF Yb(Ⅲ) ON NICKEL CATHODE IN MOLTEN CHLORIDE
(School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Zhongshan University,Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China)
Abstract: The cyclic voltammetry, potential-time curve after potentiostatic electrolysis and X-ray diffraction were used to study the electrochemical reaction of Yb(Ⅲ) in NaCl∶KCl=1∶1(in mole) mixture on Ni cathode. The reduction of Yb(Ⅲ) to Yb(Ⅱ) was realized on Ni electrode at first step and Yb(Ⅱ) was reduced and alloyed with Ni on electrode surface respectively. The diffusion coefficient of Yb(Ⅲ) in NaCl-KCl-YbCl3is 1.25×10-5cm2/s at 973 K.
Key words: Yb(Ⅲ) electroreduction molten chloride