Electrochemical Behavior of Zr on a Liquid Cd Electrode in LiCl–KCl Eutectic Melts

The electrochemical behavior of zirconium on a liquid cadmium electrode was studied in LiCl–KCl melts containing 1.0 mol % ZrCl 4 at 773 K. In a cyclic voltammogram of the liquid cadmium electrode, a cathodic peak was observed at around − 1.0 V (vs Ag + / Ag ) as well as at − 1.05 V attributed to zirconium metal deposition. Because the deposit obtained by potentiostatic electrolysis at − 1.03 V was confirmed to be Cd 2 Zr from X-ray diffraction analysis, the cathodic peak at − 1.0 V corresponded to Cd 2 Zr formation. The open-circut-potential of the liquid cadmium electrode with Cd 2 Zr was measured to calculate thermodynamic properties such as relative partial molar Gibbs energies of zirconium in Cd 2 Zr . The quantity of zirconium recovered in the liquid cadmium electrode by the potentiostatic electrolysis at − 1.03 V was measured by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. The result indicated 96 % of the zirconium recovery efficiency, which was defined as the quantity of electricity corresponding to the recovered zirconium divided by the total quantity of passed electricity.