Electrochemical Behavior of the Aluminum Electrode in Molten Salt Electrolytes

Abstract

The kinetics for dissolution and deposition of solid aluminum in molten and electrolytes were studied by means of galvanostatic and potentiostatic techniques over a temperature range of 175°–313°C. The apparent exchange current densities varied from 1 to 56 mA/cm2. Surface diffusion was found to be the rate‐determining step at low overpotentials, and charge transfer the rate‐determining step at high over‐ potentials. The most probable anodic rate‐determining step was found to be ; the most probable cathodic ratehyphen;determining step was electrolyte and electrolyte. Current efficiencies for dissolution were close to 100%.