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.