Electrochemical Deposition and Dissolution Processes of Lithium Compound on Gold from Propylene Carbonate

The cathodic electrolysis of propylene carbonate containing lithium perchlorate was studied by means of an in-situ quartz crystal microbalance technique. A lithium compound was deposited at about +1.5 V vs. Li/Li+ and dissolved at about +4.0 V vs. Li/Li+. In constant potential electrolysis at +0.9 V vs. Li/Li+, the deposition process was divided into two stages. In the first stage, in which lithium carbonate was most probably deposited, an electrode reaction of ferrocene which was added to the solution was gradually retarded. In the second stage, in which some chemical reaction proceeded dominantly, the electrode reaction of ferrocene was almost completely blocked. A cathodic charge of +3.0 mC cm−2 was necessary for almost complete blocking.