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 Mn2+ 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 MnSO4 to the zinc electrolyte decreased the numbers of the redox peaks on the curve of CV for lead-silver anode in zinc electrolyte.