Electrochemical reduction of Tm ions in LiCl-KCl melt at liquid Zn electrodes

The reduction of Tm(III) on a liquid Zn electrode was investigated in a LiCl-KCl melt via cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, and open circuit chronopotentiometry. On a liquid Zn electrode, the reduction mechanism of Tm(III) ions is through one step with the exchange of three electrons via the formation of a Zn-Tm alloy. This differs from that on an inert electrode, as the reduction is Tm(III) ions were though two consecutive steps. Galvanostatic electrolysis was carried out at a liquid Zn electrode at different current densities in a LiCl- KCl-TmCl₃ melt. The Tm₂Zn₁₇ intermetallic compound was identified in the deposit, except in the Zn phase, by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). (authors)