Kinetics of electrode processes in fused salts and organic media containing thorium, uranium or neptunium ions: Application to concentrated solutions

We demonstrate in this paper that the electrochemical Tafel-plots method gives a good account for the understanding of the overall mechanisms of reactions occurring in concentrated solutions. The Tafel-plots method is capable of predicting the results of long time electrolysis such as preparation of metallic thorium in the (Li-K)Cl eutectic from Th4+ ion and preparation of trivalent uranium from U4+ ion in DMF at room temperature. The values of the transfer coefficient gained by the Tafel-plots method are compared with the same values deduced from sampled polarography in dilute solutions. In all cases, the mechanisms of the various electrode reactions are made clear while comparing the experimental Tafel slopes with theoretical values calculated from models for different paths of reaction.