Electrochemical Behavior of SmF 3 in Alkali Chloride Melts

Abstract

Electrochemical studies of the Sm(III)/Sm(II) redox couple were carried out in NaCl-KCl, KCl and CsCl melts in a temperature range of 973–1173 K by cyclic voltammetry. Diffusion coefficients ( D ) of Sm(III) in these melts were determined using the Randles–Sevchik equation. Diffusion coefficients decrease with a change in the composition of the second coordination sphere from sodium to cesium. It is associated with a decrease in the counter-polarizing effect during the transition from Na to Cs, which in turn causes a decrease the metal—ligand bond length in the complexes. The standard rate constants of charge transfer ( k s ) of the Sm(III)/Sm(II) redox couple were determined by cyclic voltammetry in all studied melts using the Nicholson’s equation, which is valid for quasi-reversible processes. The following series of the standard rate constants of charge transfer was found k s (CsCl) < k s (KCl) < k s (NaCl–KCl).