Electrochemical behavior of zirconium in the LiCl-KCl molten salt at Mo electrode

The electroreduction process of Zr(IV) was studied at molybdenum electrode in LiCl-KCl-K(2)ZrF(6) molten salt. The transient electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry and chronopotenimetry were used. The experimental results showed that the electrochemical reduction of Zr(II)/Zr and Zr(IV)/Zr(II) were both diffusion-controlled process. In the 773-973K range, the diffusion coefficients of Zr(ii) and Zr(IV) were determined: D(Zr(II)) = 0.15567exp{-69.65x10(3)RT(K)} cm(2)/s, D(Zr(IV)) = 1.09x10(-4)exp{-44.39x10(3)RT(K)} cm(2)/s. The activation energy values for the diffusion process were 69.65 kJ/mol and 44.39 kJ/mol, respectively. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier B. V.