An electrochemical approach for the preparation of Mg-Li-Ce alloys by co-reduction of Mg,Li and Ce on a molybdenum electrode in KCl-LiCl-MgCl2-CeCl3 melts at 873 K was investigated.Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) and square wave voltammograms indicated that the underpotential deposition (UPD) of cerium on pre-deposited magnesium led to the formation of Mg-Ce alloys at electrode potentials around-1.87 V.The order of electrode reactions was as follows:discharge of Mg(Ⅱ) to Mg-metal,UPD of Ce on the surface of pre-deposited Mg with formation of Mg-Ce alloys,discharge of Ce(Ⅲ) to Ce-metal and after that the discharge of Li+ with the deposition of Mg-Li-Ce alloys,which was investigated by CVs,chronoamperometry,chronopotentiometry and open circuit chronopotentiometry.X-ray diffraction (XRD) illuminated that Mg-Li-Ce alloys with different phases were obtained via galvanostatic electrolysis by different current densities.The microstructures of Mg-Li-Ce alloys were characterized by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM),respectively.The analysis of energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) showed that Ce existed at grain boundaries to restrain the grain growth.The compositions and the average grain sizes of Mg-Li-Ce alloys could be obtained controllably corresponding with the phase structures of the XRD patterns.
The electrochemical behaviour of Al, Li, and Er were investigated by electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammograms, chronopotentiometric, chronoamperograms, and open circuit chronopotentiogram on molybdenum electrodes. The results showed that the underpotential deposition of erbium on pre-deposited Al electrodes formed two Al-Er intermetallic compounds. The codeposition of Al, Li, Er occurred and formed Al-Li-Er alloys in LiCl-KCl-AlCl3 -Er2O3 melts at 773K. Different phases such as Al2Er, Al2Er3 and βLi phase of Al-Li-Er alloys were prepared by galvanostatic electrolysis and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that Er element mainly distributed at the grain boundary. ICP analyses showed that lithium and erbium contents of Al-Li-Er alloys could be controlled by AlCl3 and Er2O3 concentration and electrochemical parameters.
An electrochemical approach for the preparation of Mg-Li-Y alloys via co-reduction of Mg, Li, and Y on a molybdenum electrode in LiCl-KCl-MgCl2-YCl3 melts at 943 K was investigated. Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) illuminated that the underpotential deposition (UPD) of yttrium on pre-deposited magnesium led to the formation of a liquid Mg-Y alloy, and the succeeding underpotential deposition of lithium on pre-deposited Mg-Y led to the formation of a liquid Mg-Li-Y alloy. Chronopotentiometry measurements indicated that the order of electrode reactions was as follows: discharge of Mg(II) to Mg-metal, electroreduction of Y on the surface of Mg with formation of ε-Mg24+xY5 and after that the discharge of Li+ with the deposition of Mg-Li-Y alloys. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that Mg-Li-Y alloys with different phases were formed via galvanostatic electrolysis. The microstructure of different phases of Mg-Li-Y alloys was characterized by optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis results of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) showed that the chemical compositions of Mg-Li-Y alloys corresponded with the phase structures of the XRD patterns, and the lithium and yttrium contents of Mg-Li-Y alloys depended on the concentrations of MgCl2 and YCl3 .
