On Diffusive Confining a Galvanic Crystallization out of Molten Salts

Alexander L. Shimkevich

Institute for Advanced Power Technologies, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, Russia.

DOI: 10.4236/jcpt.2012.24021                

Abstract

The electron-energy band structure of electric Double Layer (DL) between a molten salt and metal electrode (an anode or cathode) is studied for the electrodepositing crystallization process when the width of DL metal part is less than the one in the molten salt. It is shown that just the molten-salt part of the double layer confines a rate of electrodepositing process. The reason of this is a neutralization of depositing ions into the molten-salt near the electrode and hence their diffusively confined motion in a density gradient field. It is important to minimize the electrodepositing potential for effective component crystallization out of the molten salt and its exchange process including selective extracting of salt components by their crystallization on electrodes of galvanic circuit. It is shown that this can be carried out by means of fine and controllable variation of reduction-oxidation (RedOx) potential of the non-stoichiometric salts. A possible application of a potentiometer for monitoring and managing the salt composition is considered. For this, one uses precise methods of electric-motion-force and coulometer titration by solid electrolyte(for example, M⁺–β ”–Al₂O₃) of the basic salt metal (M^。) as a reduction agent in the molten-salt solution.

Keywords

Molten Salt; Galvanic Crystallization; Metal Electrode; Electric Double Layer; Diffusive Confine

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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