Development of an electrochemistry apparatus for the heaviest elements

Abstract

Summary We developed a new apparatus for the study of electrochemical properties of the heaviest elements. The apparatus is based on a flow electrolytic cell combined with column chromatography. Glassy-carbon fibers modified with Nafion perfluorinated cation-exchange resin are used as a working electrode as well as a cation-exchanger. The elution behavior of 139 Ce with the number of 10 10 atoms in 0.1 M ammonium α-hydroxyisobutyric acid solution from the column electrode was investigated at the applied potentials of 0.2–1.0 V versus the Ag/AgCl reference electrode in 1.0 M LiCl. It was found that 139 Ce 3+ is successfully oxidized to 139 Ce 4+ even with tracer concentration at around the redox potential determined by cyclic voltammetry for the macro amounts of Ce with 10 17 atoms (10 −3 M). The present oxidation reaction and separation of Ce 4+ was accomplished within a few minutes.