Electrochemical investigation of the redox couple Sm(III)/Sm(II) on a tungsten electrode in molten LiF–CaF2–SmF3

This article is focused on the electrochemical investigation (cyclic voltammetry and related studies) of the redox couple Sm(III)/Sm(II) in an eutectic LiF–CaF2 melt containing SmF3. The first step of reduction for Sm(III) ions involving one electron exchange in soluble/soluble Sm(III)/Sm(II) system was found on a tungsten electrode. The study of the Sm(II)/Sm(0) electrode reaction was not feasible, due to insufficient electrochemical stability of LiF–CaF2. The first step was found reversible at temperatures 1,075 and 1,125 K up to polarization rate 1 V/s and at temperature 1,175 K the process was reversible at all sweep rates applied in this study. The diffusion coefficients (D) of Sm(II) and Sm(III) ions were determined by cyclic voltammetry, showing that D decreases when oxidation state increase, while the activation energy of diffusion (E a) increases. The standard rate constants of charge transfer (k s) were calculated for the redox couple Sm(III)/Sm(II) at 1,075 and 1,125 K based on the data of cyclic voltammetry.