Research on electro-deposition of carbon from LiF-NaF-Na2CO3 molten salt system

Abstract

This paper studied electro-deposition of carbon from LiF-NaF-Na2CO3 molten salt system. By using a cyclic voltammetry technique, the electrochemical behavior on a tungsten wire was researched in 46.2wt.%LiF-49.8wt.%NaF-4wt.%Na2CO3 molten salt at 700 ºC, with two platinum wires used as a counter electrode and a reference electrode, respectively. The results show that carbon is reduced at the potential of −1.77V (vs. Pt, at a scan rate of 0.4V/s). The electro-deposition experiment of carbon was conducted in the same molten salt system in a see-through cell with a platinum wire and a nickel rod used as the anode and cathode, respectively. The cathode current density is 0.215A/cm2. During the electro-deposition course, evolving of a gas bubble from the anode was found. The Raman spectra analysis result shows that carbon is electrochemically deposited on the cathode.