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Electrochemical extraction of ytterbium from LiCl–KCl-YbCl3-ZnCl2 melt by forming Zn–Yb alloys

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Abstract

The electrochemical behavior of Yb(III) was studied at a W electrode in LiCl–KCl–ZnCl2 molten salt system. Cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, open circuit chronopotentiometry, and chronopotentiometry were used to investigate the electrochemical co-deposition of Yb(III) and Zn(II) in LiCl–KCl melt. Extraction efficiency of Yb(III) from LiCl–KCl–ZnCl2 melt was calculated to be 99.49% after potentiostatic electrolysis for 40 h. Zn–Yb alloys were prepared by galvanostatic electrolysis through co-deposition of Zn(II) and Yb(III) for 3 h. XRD and SEM–EDS were used to analyze the components and morphology. YbZn2 intermetallic compound is the most stable product under the experimental electrolysis conditions.

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Funding

The work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21976047, 21790373 and 22176045), the Decommissioning of nuclear facilities and special funds for radioactive waste management ([2019]1276), and the Sino-Russian Cooperation Fund of Harbin Engineering University, and the University (2021HEUCRF004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, 150001, China

    Jianing Zheng, Pu Wang, Yongde Yan & Milin Zhang

  2. AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group CO., LTD., Harbin, 150060, China

    Jianing Zheng

  3. Engineering Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China

    Taiqi Yin

  4. Yantai Research Institute & Graduate School, Harbin Engineering University, Yantai, 264006, Shandong, China

    Yongde Yan, Milin Zhang, Fuqiu Ma & Yun Xue

  5. Institute of High-Temperature Electrochemistry UB RAS, Ekaterinburg, 620990, Russia

    Valeri Smolenski & Alena Novoselova

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  1. Jianing Zheng
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  2. Taiqi Yin
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Correspondence to Yongde Yan.

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Zheng, J., Yin, T., Wang, P. et al. Electrochemical extraction of ytterbium from LiCl–KCl-YbCl3-ZnCl2 melt by forming Zn–Yb alloys. J Solid State Electrochem 26, 1067–1074 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-022-05147-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-022-05147-5

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