Electrochemical behavior of fission palladium in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride

Electrochemical behavior of palladium (II) chloride in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride has been investigated by various electrochemical transient techniques using glassy carbon working electrode at different temperatures (343–373 K). Cyclic voltammogram consisted of a prominent reduction wave at −0.61 V (vs. Pd) due to the reduction of Pd(II) to Pd, and two oxidation waves at −0.26 and 0.31 V. A nucleation loop is observed at −0.53 V. The diffusion coefficient of palladium (II) in bmimCl (∼10−7 cm2/s) was determined and the energy of activation (63 kJ/mol) was deduced from the cyclic voltammograms at various temperatures. Nucleation and growth of palladium on glassy carbon working electrode has been investigated by chronoamperometry and chronopotentiometry. The growth and decay of chronocurrents measured for palladium deposition has been found to follow the instantaneous nucleation model with three-dimensional growth of nuclei. The surface morphology of the deposit obtained at various applied potentials revealed the formation of dendrites immediately after nucleation and spread in all the directions with time.