Studies of the kinetics of the lithium/aluminium electrode in molten LiCl-KCl by linear sweep voltammetry

Abstract

The deposition of lithium on aluminium leads initially to the formation of a solid solution, followed by the precipitation of various lithium/aluminium alloys. Several fundamental phenomena such as monolayer formation and nucleation were shown to affect the kinetics of the deposition process. In the present investigation, the cyclic voltammetric technique (fast) was used to study these phenomena. It is a very useful technique for the qualitative understanding of the deposition process and in its scanning coulometric modification, which is also utilised in this investigation, it can provide useful semiquantitative information. Voltammetric profiles corresponding to the formation of the α-phase (a solid solution of Li and Al), the β-phase (LiAl) and the γ-phase (Li 3Al) amongst others, were identified and their characteristics investigated. The results are discussed against the background of the possible vitiating effects of impurities in the present paper. © 1982 Chapman and Hall Ltd.