Electrochemical studies in cyclic esters

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jul 17 00:00:00 EDT 1958

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4305596· OSTI ID:4305596

Harris, William Sidney ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

Solubilities and conductivities of inorganic salts in the cyclic esters ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, γ-butyrolactone, and γ- valerolactone have been studied. A number of common inorganic salts were found to be highly soluble in all of these solvents. The variation of solubility with the physical properties of the solvents is discussed. Conductivity measurements have shown that a number of salts investigated behaved as strong electrolytes. Certain solutions of highly soluble inorganic salts were found to have high viscosities in these solvents. Such relatively low-melting covalent halides as AlCl₃, NbCl₅, and FeCl₃ were found to be quite soluble. The solubilities and conductivities characterizing these solutions conform to present- day concepts, and are explained in the light of modern solubility theory. Solutions of a variety of salts were electroreduced, providing further data for the characterization of these solvents. This study indicates that, in addition to those metals which may be obtained from aqueous solutions, some of the highly electropositive metals may also be electrodeposited. These solvents arc characterized by high dielectric constants, low vapor pressures, relatively low toxicity, and high chemical stability, and are relatively nonreactive with anodically liberated halogens. Such properties are desirable in an easily handled ionizing mediuun.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• NSA Number: NSA-12-015328
• OSTI ID: 4305596
• Report Number(s): UCRL--8381
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ALUMINUM CHLORIDES
ANODES
CARBONATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DIELECTRICS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROLYTES
ESTERS
ETHYLENE
HALIDES
HALOGENS
IONIZATION
IRON CHLORIDES
MEASURED VALUES
MELTING POINTS
METALS
NIOBIUM CHLORIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRESSURE
PROPYLENE
REDUCTION
SALTS
SOLUBILITY
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENTS
STABILITY
TOXICITY
VAPORS
VISCOSITY
VOLATILITY
WATER