Electrochemical formation of Al-Tm intermetallics in eutectic LiCl-KCl melt containing Tm and Al ions

This work focuses on investigating the electrochemical formation of Al-Tm and Al-Li-Tm alloys in LiCl-KCl-AlCl3-Tm2O3 melt on both W and Al electrodes. Thermodynamic calculation and electrochemical behavior of LiCl-KCl melt containing both AlCl3 and Tm2O3 showed that AlCl3 can chlorinate Tm2O3 to release Tm(III) ions. Three kinds of Al-Tm intermetallics at about −1.26, −1.32 and −1.43 V were detected by means of various electrochemical measurement techniques, i.e. cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry and open circuit chronopotentiometry. Potentiostatic and galvanostatic electrolysis were carried out on Al and W electrodes to prepare Al-Tm and Al-Li-Tm alloys, respectively. The composition of Al-Li-Tm alloys was analyzed by inductive coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES).