ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Electrochemical behaviour of the LiF-(CaF₂)-La₂O₃ system

Marta Ambrová, Jana Jurišová, Alexandra Sýkorová, Dalibor Uher, Vladimír Danielik, and Ján Híveš

Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Technology and Materials, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, SK-812 37 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

E-mail: marta.ambrova@stuba.sk

Received: 21 June 2007  Revised: 28 August 2007  Accepted: 31 August 2007

Abstract: The electrochemical behaviour of the LiF-La₂O₃ and LiF-CaF₂-La₂O₃ systems was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry. Several types of working electrodes (spectrographic pure graphite, W, Mo, Ni, Cu) were used. It was found that chemical reactions take place in the system during the dissolution of lanthanum oxide. The reduction of lithium cations occurred at the most positive potential from the species formed in the melt on ‘inert’ cathodes (W, Mo). The reactive cathodes (Cu, Ni) allowed the lanthanum deposition with depolarisation.

Keywords: lanthanum - molten fluorides - cyclic voltammetry - spent nuclear fuel

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-008-0005-3

Chemical Papers 62 (2) 154–159 (2008)