Electrochemical and chemical behaviors of titanium in AlCl3-BMIC melt

Abstract

The electrochemical and chemical behaviors of titanium were examined in aluminum chloride-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AlCl3-BMIC) ionic liquid. The reduction of Ti(IV) in AlCl3-BMIC occurs in three consecutive steps: Ti(IV) → Ti(III) → Ti(II)→ Ti, and Ti(III) ion can quickly react with Cl- anion to form sparingly soluble TiCl3. However, No elemental titanium can be obtained in either acidic or basic AlCl3-BMIC melt. Metal titanium can be oxidized to Ti(II) by Ti(IV) in AlCl3-BMIC melt. In addition, the anodic oxidation rate of titanium obviously increases in the presence of Ti(IV) and Ti(III) ions, suggesting that the anodic dissolution of titanium involves chemical dissolution. These results indicate that it is difficult to nucleate or stabilize pure titanium in ionic liquid, which makes pure titanium deposition quite difficult.