Electrochemical Behavior of Tb (III) in LiCl–KCl Molten Salt on Liquid Zn Electrode

Abstract

The electrochemical behavior of Tb ions on the inert W electrode and the liquid Zn electrode in LiCl–KCl molten salt was investigated at 773 K by two kinds of electrochemical techniques (cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry). The transfer electron of Tb ion was calculated to be 3 on the inert W electrode by square wave voltammetry (SWV) curve. The electrode reaction of Tb (III) and the reversibility of the reaction were analyzed on liquid Zn electrode by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The values of diffusion coefficient of Tb (III) were calculated to be 1.06 × 10−5 cm2·s−1 and 0.74 × 10−5 cm2·s−1 at 0.1 V s−1 on liquid Zn electrode by sem-integral of the CV curves and CV methods, respectively. The transfer coefficient (α) and the rate constant of standard reaction (k 0) of Tb (III) were calculated at various scan rates on liquid Zn electrode by sem-integral analysis of the CV curves.