Stability of chromate electrolytes containing ions of Cr(III)

The reason for the unstable influence of Cr(III) on the maximum rate of incomplete reduction of chromic acid is studied by a method of cyclic voltammetry and analytical investigations of the electrolyte composition. It is established that the decrease in the maximum rate of electrochemical reaction Cr(VI) → Cr(III) is due to the drop of concentration of free sulfate ions in the electrolyte. The drop of the concentration of free sulfate ions increases with the content of electrochemically synthesized ions of Cr(III) in the solution. The decrease in the concentration of sulfate ions is assumed to stem from the formation of unstable complexes of Cr(III) with sulfate ions. Sulfate ions regain their initial concentration with time and upon heating solution to 50–70°C, which facilitates dissociation of unstable sulfate complexes of Cr(III). It is shown that the concentration of sulfate ions in the solution remains invariant during chemical reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), which points to the formation of inert complexes of Cr(III) that make no impact on the rate of incomplete reduction of chromic acid.