Kinetics of dissolution of zinc in zinc chloride solution

The kinetics of dissolution of zinc in acidic zinc chloride solution have been investigated in order to understand and optimize its performance in zinc-chlorine hydrate battery. Polarisation experiments were carried out using pure zinc rods and electrodeposited zinc as electrods. For a concentration change of zinc chloride from 0.5 to 1.5 M. the exchange current densities were found to vary from 1.4 to 2.4 mA/cm2 in the case of cast zinc rod electrodes, and from 2.2 to 6.2 mA/cm2 in the case of electrodepasited zinc; this increase is attributed to the greater reactivity as well as the increased surface area of the freshly electrodeposited zinc