Chronopotentiometry in fused lithium chloride-potassium chloride

Previous work in the application of chronopotentiometry in aqueous and fused salt media has been reviewed. This investigation describes the application of this principle to the reduction of cadmium, cobalt, lead and thallium ions in a fused eutectic mixture of potassium, chloride and lithium. chloride at 450°C. Platinum microelectrodes of different areas and geometry were used. The transition time was limited to the order of 0.2 to 0.7 sec using oscillographic recording.It was found that so long as the dimensions of the electrode were considerably greater than the thickness of the diffusion, layer, linear diffusion theory was obeyed. The transition time constants for cadmium, cobalt, lead and thallium ions were found to be 0.83± 0.02, 0.90 ± 0.03, 0.95 ± 0.04, and 0.59 ± 0.02.10³ amp cm sec$\text{1}\text{2}$ per mole, respectively. The diffusion coefficients of these ions were calculated to be 2.08, 2.42, 2.18 and 3.88.IO^-5 cm² sec^-1, respectively.