ELECTROCHEMICAL-BEHAVIOR OF YTTRIUM ION IN LICL-KCL-NACL EUTECTIC MELT

The electrochemical reduction of yttrium ion on a molybdenum electrode in a LiCl-KCl-NaCl eutectic melt at 723 K was found to be almost reversible and to proceed by a one-step three electron reaction. The diffusion coefficient D of the Y(III) ion was measured to be (3.3 +/- 0.4) x 10(-6) cm2 s-1 by cyclic voltammetry, (5.0 +/- 0.9) x 10(-6) cm2 s-1 by the rotating disk electrode method, and (7.1 +/- 0.7) x 10(-6) cm2 s-1 by chronopotentiometry. The D values obtained by the latter two methods are in fairly good agreement with each other. The rather low D value obtained by cyclic voltammetry might be attributed to the fact that yttrium metal can dissolve slightly in the chloride melt. The standard potential of Y(III)/Y(0) couple was determined to be (-3.174 +/- 0.006) V (vs. Cl2/Cl-) by open-circuit potentiometry, (-3.15 +/- 0.02) V (vs. Cl2/Cl-) by the rotating disk electrode method and (-3.16 +/- 0.02) V (vs. Cl2/Cl) by chronopotentiometry. These three values are in good agreement with each other. Several types of Ni-Y intermetallic compounds were found to be formed on a nickel electrode.