Electrochemistry of iodine and iodide in chloroaluminate melts

The electrochemical behavior of iodine and iodide has been studied in AlCl₃+NaCl mixtures with compositions ranging from NaCl saturated melts to AlCl₃+NaCl (63+37 mol %) at platinum and tungsten electrodes. Iodide is oxidized in two steps to iodine and I(I); a reduction wave to iodide and an oxidation wave to I(I) are obtained in iodine solutions. The equilibrium constant for the reaction, I^?+I(I)=I₂, is 6×10⁸ l mol^?1 in molten chloroaluminate melts at 175°C.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of chloroaluminate melts

Nuclear magnetic resonance has been used to study the structures of fused (Na, K)Al₂Cl₇ at 170°C. Sodium, aluminum and chlorine magnetic resonance, and proton magnetic resonance on substitution with NH₄⁺, indicate the structure to be essentially ionic as M⁺ Al₂Cl₇⁻.     

Electrochemistry of lanthanum and uranium chlorides in organic media: Deposition of lanthanum and uranium

Molten salts have been widely used for the electrochemical preparation of lanthanum and uranium metals at high temperature. In this paper we demonstrate the feasibility of a similar process in dimethylformamide (DMF) and in the mixture g-butyrolactone/tetrahydrofuran (g-BL/THF). The best conditions for the preparation were deduced from preliminary transient electrochemistry experiments and from secondary ions mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements involving SIMS mappings and SIMS depth profile analyses.     

Semiconducting tin oxide electrodes in molten sodium chloroaluminate at 175°C

Electrode behavior of Sb-doped poly-crystalline tin oxide electrodes has been investigated by means of current and differential capacity measurements in molten chloroaluminate melts (AlCl₃+NaCl) with different pCl values. The SnO₂ is stable in the melts consisting of near equimolar composition, being used as an indicator electrode possessing a polarizable potential region between chlorine evolution and its cathodic decomposition. The differential capacity is assigned to the space charge layer capacity of the electrode side and its potential dependence is explained by using the Mott-Schottky equation. It is found that the flat band potential does depend on pCl (=?log a_Cl^?) at a rate of 2(2.3kT/e) per pCl unit. This anomaly is attributed to the specific adsorption of Cl^? ions on the oxide electrode.     

Flame-photometric determination of sodium in uranium ores

A flame-photometric method of determining sodium in uranium, phosphate, carbonate, and silicate rocks has been developed. The mutual enhancement of the alkali metals is overcome by the addition of a radiation buffer added to both the sample and to the standards. The method is rapid and suitable for routine analysis. Results obtained are within ± 2% of the sodium content.     

Polarographic reduction of hexavalent uranium in sodium tripolyphosphate: Estimation of uranium

A polarographic method of estimating of uranium, based on the reduction of its tripolyphosphate complex at the dropping mercury electrode, has been developed and applied to uraniferous tantaloniobates and monazite. In the presence of elements such as copper, iron and vanadium which interfere with the cathodic step of the uranyl complex, a preliminary separation as uranyl ammonium phosphate in presence of EDTA is necessary.     

Possibility of electrochemical refining of uranium alloys with aluminum in chloride melts

Selectivity of liquid aluminum electrodes in separation of uranium from fission products was studied. The composition of a salt electrolyte and modes of electrolysis for electrorefining of uranium-aluminum alloys in molten chlorides were determined.     

Electrochemistry of uranium in ionic organic media: Ethylammonium nitrate and acetamide-KSCN eutectic

The electrochemical reduction of hexavalent and tetravalent uranium is investigated in ethylammonium nitrate at 298 K and in the acetamide-KSCN eutectic at 400 K. The transient techniques describe a two-step reduction of UO ₂ ²⁺ in acetamide-KSCN while only one step is observed in ethylammonium nitrate. The reduction of tetravalent uranium proceeds in one step giving trivalent uranium in the two media. In any cases, additional kinetic phenomena are the source of difficulties for the understanding of the reactions. In controlled potential electrolysis, side-reactions between the reduced species and the solvent impede completely the mechanism foreseen by transient methods.     

Electrochemistry of tellurium(IV) in KCl−AlCl3 melts

The reduction of Te(IV) at tungsten electrodes in basic and neutral KCl?AlCl₃ melts has been studied in the temperature range from 300 to 400°C using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse polarography. In basic melts Te(IV), present as TeCl₆^2? and TeCl₅^?, is reduced to soluble Te(II) species, which can be further reduced to elementary tellurium insoluble in tungsten. The divalent species are stabilized by increasing the temperature. From the pCl^? dependence of the reduction process, Te(II) in basic melts is suggested to be present as TeCl₃^? and TeCl₂. In neutral melts a third oxidation state (possibly monovalent tellurium) is formed when Te(II) is reduced.     

Electrochemistry of cytochrome P450 BM3 in sodium dodecyl sulfate films

Direct electrochemistry of the cytochrome P450 BM3 heme domain (BM3) was achieved by confining the protein within sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) films on the surface of basal-plane graphite (BPG) electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry revealed the heme FeIII/II redox couple at -330 mV (vs Ag/AgCl, pH 7.4). Up to 10 V/s, the peak current was linear with the scan rate, allowing us to treat the system as surface-confined within this regime. The standard heterogeneous rate constant determined at 10 V/s was estimated to be 10 s-1. Voltammograms obtained for the BM3-SDS-BPG system in the presence of dioxygen exhibited catalytic waves at the onset of FeIII reduction. The altered heme reduction potential of the BM3-SDS-graphite system indicates that SDS is likely bound in the enzyme active-site region. Compared to other P450-surfactant systems, we find redox potentials and electron-transfer rates that differ by approximately 100 mV and >10-fold, respectively, indicating that the nature of the surfactant environment has a significant effect on the observed heme redox properties.     

Cation electrochemical stability in chloroaluminate ionic liquids

The electrochemical stability of 10 organic cations, which can be used in ionic liquids (IL), was investigated as solutes in acetonitrile (ACN). The stability of three of the salts, BenMe2EtNCl (salt III), 1-butyl-2-methyl pyrrolidium chloride (salt VI), and its structural isomer, BuMe2ProNCl (salt VII), were also compared in chloroaluminate ILs. The chloroaluminate ILs of salts VI and VII are investigated for the first time. The NaCl-neutralized ILs of salts VI and VII have melting points of 43.2 and 3.7 degrees C, respectively. The benzyl-substituted cation, salt III, was more easily reduced in ACN or as the neutral chloroaluminate IL than the alkyl-substituted cation, salt VII, due to the better leaving ability of the benzyl group. Mass spectroscopy measurements before and after electrolysis on the benzyl-substituted solutions confirmed that reduction involves the loss of an alkyl group. In ACN, salt VI was found to be the most difficult to reduce (1 mA/cm2 at -2.09 V) due to its cyclic structure. However, in the chloroaluminate IL, the pyrrolidinium cation was more easily reduced than salt III or its isomer, salt VII, resulting in an insoluble black deposit. This is consistent with the mass spectrometry data, which do not show formation of low-molecular-weight products, as in the reduction of salts III and VII. The IL of salt VII was the most stable in the presence of sodium. Sodium ions could be reduced and reoxidized with a maximum Coulombic efficiency of 94.1% versus 87.2% for salt VI. Reduction of the pyrrolidinium cation produces insoluble products, most likely through opening of the cyclic ring, and an inferior medium for sodium ion reduction compared to the benzyl- and butyl-substituted cations, even though reduction of the cation occurs at a more negative potential in acetonitrile.     

Synthesis of nanosized group IV borides in ionic melts of anhydrous sodium tetraborate

The preparation of nanosized Group IV metal diborides by reacting powdery titanium, zirconium, and hafnium with fine-grained boron in Na₂B₄O₇ ionic melts in the temperature range 600–850°C has been studied. Nanosized titanium, zirconium, and hafnium diborides are formed at temperatures of at least 750°C.     

Polarographic reduction of hexavalent uranium in sodium tripolyphosphate: General studies

The behaviour of some tripolyphosphate complexes at the dropping mercury electrode has been examined, in particular that of the uranyl tripolyphosphate complex. The uranyl ion in alkaline tripolyphosphate medium undergoes an irreversible one-electron reduction with an E $\text{1}\text{2}$ of-1.07V us. S.C.E. at pH 9. Indifferent salts shift the E$\text{1}\text{2}$ to more positive potentials whereas maximum suppressors have an opposite effect. The wave obtained in presence of 0.01% camphor is well-defined and suitable for use in uranium analysis.     

Electrostatic stabilization of liquid crystalline ordering in binary melts of sodium and potassium alkanoates

Abstract

The mesophase electrostatic stabilization energy (E) has been examined by using the ionic continuous solid solution model for binary systems of sodium and potassium alkanoates with a common anion. It is found that E increases with a decrease in chain length of the alkanoate anion and that there is an inverse proportionality between E and the square of the mesophase bilayer spacing. The electrostatic stabilization factor is shown to be responsible for the formation of an ionic mesophase in binary acetate and propionate systems derived from two non-mesomorphic components.     

Electrostatic stabilization of liquid crystalline ordering in binary melts of sodium and potassium alkanoates

The mesophase electrostatic stabilization energy (E) has been examined by using the ionic continuous solid solution model for binary systems of sodium and potassium alkanoates with a common anion. It is found that E increases with a decrease in chain length of the alkanoate anion and that there is an inverse proportionality between E and the square of the mesophase bilayer spacing. The electrostatic stabilization factor is shown to be responsible for the formation of an ionic mesophase in binary acetate and propionate systems derived from two non-mesomorphic components.     

Oxidation state and coordination environment of uranium in sodium iron aluminophosphate glasses

An analysis of the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) of uranium determined the oxidation state and coordination environment of uranium atoms in glasses containing 40 mol % Na₂O, 10 mol % Al₂O₃, 10 mol % Fe₂O₃, and 40 mol % P₂O₅ to which uranium oxides were added to a concentration of 50 wt % (above 100%). If the added amount of UO₂ was small, uranium occurred as U(IV) in a near-octahedral oxygen environment with an average U–O distance in the first coordination sphere of 2.25 Å. At higher concentrations of uranium oxides introduced both as UO₂ and as UO₃, uranium occurred as U(V) and U(VI); the first coordination sphere is split; shorter (~1.7–1.8 Å) and longer (2.2–2.3 Å) distances were observed, which corresponded to the axial and equatorial U–O bonds in uranyl ions, respectively; and the redox equilibrium shifted toward U(VI). The glass with the maximal (~33 wt %) UO₃ concentration contained mainly U(VI). The existence of low-valence uranium species can be related to the presence of Fe(II) in glasses. The second coordination sphere of uranium manifests itself only at high concentrations of uranium oxides.