Electrochemical saturation of antimony-lead melts with oxygen: Cell design and measurement. (1st November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mikhalev, Sergey M.; Julião, Paulo S.B.; Loureiro, Francisco J.A.; Kovalevsky, Andrei V.; Shaula, Aliaksandr L.; Frade, Jorge R.; Fagg, Duncan P.
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 394(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11-01
• Subjects: Antimony -- Lead -- Melt -- Impedance spectroscopy -- Polarization resistance; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.139206
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Highlights: Mixtures of antimony and lead are studied against their oxidation behavior. A robust test setup avoids the necessity of precious metals as current collectors. The polarization resistance and the degree of melt segregation are correlated. Abstract: Liquid metals have emerged as potential materials for fuel cell and battery applications due to their suitable redox potentials, fast redox kinetics, and/or active participation in electrode reactions. In this work, we study the electrochemical oxidation behavior of antimony-lead melts by the use of a robust, yttrium-stabilized zirconia based, test setup that can avoid the necessity for the use of precious metals as current collectors. Impedance spectroscopy results obtained at 700°C as a function of applied anodic polarization reveal the presence of two main contributions: an interfacial resistance, occurring at high-frequencies, related to the transference of oxygen-ions between the electrolyte and the anode melt and a low-frequency contribution, related to the diffusion of oxidized species within the bulk of the melt. These electrode mechanisms were followed as a function of the extent of melt oxidation, with suggested links made to the degree of melt segregation supported by SEM and XRD analyses.