Physicochemical properties of 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolinone-ZnCl2 solvated ionic liquid and its application in zinc electrodeposition
(1. Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral (Ministry of Education), Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China;
2. State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China;
3. State Key Laboratory of Baiyunobo Rare Earth Resource Researches and Comprehensive Utilization, Baotou Research Institute of Rare Earths, Baotou 014030, China)
2. State Key Laboratory of Rolling and Automation, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, China;
3. State Key Laboratory of Baiyunobo Rare Earth Resource Researches and Comprehensive Utilization, Baotou Research Institute of Rare Earths, Baotou 014030, China)
Abstract: Zinc chloride (ZnCl2) was dissolved in the 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolinone (DMI) solvent, and the metallic zinc coatings were obtained by electrodeposition in room-temperature ambient air. The conductivity (σ), viscosity (η), and density (ρ) of the DMI-ZnCl2 solvated ionic liquid at various temperatures (T) were measured and fitted. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry was used to study the electrochemical behavior of Zn(II) in the DMI-ZnCl2 solvated ionic liquid, indicating that the reduction of Zn(II) on the tungsten electrode was a one-step two-electron transfer irreversible process. XRD and SEM-EDS analysis of the cathode product confirmed that the deposited coating was metallic zinc. Finally, the effects of deposition potential, temperature and duration on the morphology of zinc coatings were investigated. The results showed that a dense and uniform zinc coating was obtained by potentiostatic electro- deposition at -2 V (vs Pt) and 353 K for 1 h.
Key words: electrodeposition; zinc; 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolinone; physicochemical properties; cyclic voltammetry