Electrochemical behavior of Zr(IV) and co-reduction synthesis of Al-Zr alloys in KF-AlF3-Al2O3-ZrO2 molten salt

The electrochemical behavior of Zr(IV) on a molybdenum (Mo) electrode in a KF-AlF3-Al2O3-ZrO2 molten salt system was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), square-wave voltammetry (SWV) and chronopotentiometry (CP). The reduction process of Zr(IV) was found to follow a two-step, two-electron transfer mechanism: Zr(IV)+ 2e  & RARR;Zr(II) and Zr(II)+2e  & RARR;Zr(0). The reduction process was quasi-reversible and controlled by diffusion. Al-Zr alloys were successfully obtained on Mo and liquid aluminum electrodes by potentiostatic electrodeposition. Flower-like AlZr3 and irregular granular Al3Zr were obtained on the Mo electrode, which were mainly attributed to the electrochemical co-reduction of Al(III) and Zr(IV) in the molten salt. Three Al-Zr alloy phases, Al3Zr, Al3Zr2, and Al2Zr, were obtained on the liquid aluminum electrode, among which Al3Zr was dominant in the product, followed by Al3Zr2.

Automated summary

The electrochemical behavior of Zr(IV) on a molybdenum electrode in a KF-AlF3-Al2O3-ZrO2 molten salt system was investigated through cyclic voltammetry, square-wave voltammetry, and chronopotentiometry. The reduction process of Zr(IV) followed a two-step, two-electron transfer mechanism. The electrodeposition of Al-Zr alloys was successfully achieved on both the Mo and liquid aluminum electrodes.