Bimetallic Cell Systems: Sodium-Bismuth Cell Studies

In preliminary studies of cells of Type 2, it was observed that the non electrochemical (or irreversible) transfer of sodium from the anode, through the electrolyte, and into the cathode was sufficiently large to cause a steadily decreasing cell potential as the concentration of sodium in the cathode alloy increased. Therefore, a cell of Type 2 could be operated only at a single temperature during a run. For calculations of thermodynamic properties, the initial potential of the cell is required. This potential is obtained by extrapolation to zero time. In order to obtain data at more than one temperature per experiment, cells of Type 1 have been operated.