Fundamental analysis for electrochemical removal and monitoring of oxide impurities in lead lithium using LiCl-KCl melt

Abstract

• The liquid LiPb alloy is expected to be used in the blanket system. • The oxide impurities in the LiPb is forcused in this research. • LiCl-KCl is useful for the transfer of oxide impurities. • The oxide impurities in the molten salt can be extracted by applying voltage. The electrochemical treatment using chloride molten salt was focused as a method for removal and monitoring of oxide impurities in the liquid breeder materials. The anodic reactions on a glassy carbon electrode in a LiCl-KCl eutectic melt contacting with Li-Pb eutectic melt without and with Li 2 O addition were investigated. The transfer of oxide impurities to the molten salt from liquid metal was proved by the change of the concentration of oxide ions in the molten salt estimated from the cyclic voltammetry. The content of oxide impurities in the Li-Pb can be estimated by calculating backward from the transfer ratio and this technique may also be applied to monitoring. The visual observation and the weight loss of the anode indicated that the oxide impurities transferred to the molten salt could be removed as gases such as CO 2 by applying a voltage between an anodic glassy carbon rod in the molten salt and the Li-Pb used as a cathode.