Electrochemical studies of the tetrabutyl- and tetramethyl-ammonium ion transfer across the water-1,2-dichloroethane interface: A comparison with the water—nitrobenzene interface

The results of electrochemical studies on the reaction of tetrabutyl- and tetramethylammonium (TBA⁺ and TMA⁺) ion transfer from water to 1,2-dichloroethane are presented in this paper and are compared with se of the water—nitrobenzene interface. The TMA⁺ ion transfer has been studied by the chronopotentiometric cyclic voltammetry methods and that of the TBA⁺ ion by the chronopotentiometric method only.It has been found that the reactions are diffusion controlled over the current density range up to about 1O μA cm^?2 and at polarization rates up to 0.15V s^?1. Diffusion coefficients of the studied ions have been detemined, as well as their formal potentials with respect to an ion-selective tetrabutylammonium electrode to a partition electrode containing tetraethylammonium picrate whose potential is close to zero. In additon, kinetic parameters of the transfer reaction have been determined for the tetrabutylammonium ion from data obtained at current densities over 10 μA cm^?2 (irreversible range).