Cyclic Voltammetric Studies of the Behavior of Lead-Silver Anodes in Zinc Electrolytes

Abstract

Cyclic voltammetry (CV) for lead-silver anodes has been performed in an acidic zinc sulfate solution with and without Mn 2+ at 38 °C. It has been found that the most redox peaks observed at the lowest sweep rate of 3 mV/s in the sulfate solution could be characterized by the Nernst equation. Bubbling argon into the zinc electrolyte and increasing the potential sweep rates from 3 to 300 mV/s did not change the shape of the CV diagrams. It was also found that 0.7% silver as alloying element had an important influence on the reactions of Pb-Ag anodes in the zinc electrolyte. Lead-silver alloys were oxidized more easily in sulfuric acid than in the examined zinc electrolyte. The addition of MnSO 4 to the zinc electrolyte decreased the numbers of the redox peaks on the curve of CV for lead-silver anode in zinc electrolyte.