Oxygen activity and asymmetric polarization at the sodium/beta''-alumina interface

Journal Article · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2100628· OSTI ID:6126906

Mailhe, C; Visco, S; De Jonghe, L

Asymmetric polarization at the sodium/beta''-alumina interface during ionic charge transfer has been studied using cyclic voltammetry with Na/beta''-alumina/Na cells. It was found that contamination of the sodium electrode by oxygen, as O/sub 2/ or H/sub 2/O, causes asymmetric polarization. Polarization is quite severe in the range of 150/sup 0/-200/sup 0/C, and is attributed to the presence of an adsorbed oxide film. The adsorption/desorption behavior of the resistive film could be described by a simple Langmuir model. Asymmetric polarization can be eliminated by lowering the oxide content of the sodium electrode to levels such that adsorption is negligible. This is achieved by the use of carefully dried electrolyte tubes with either electrolytically generated sodium, or sodium from which the oxygen has been scavenged with Ti sponge.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., Materials and Molecular Research, Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6126906
• Journal Information: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 135:5; ISSN JESOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
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ALKALI METALS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
ASYMMETRY
BETA-W LATTICES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
CRYSTAL LATTICES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
ELEMENTS
FILMS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERACTIONS
INTERFACES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLARIZATION
SODIUM
SORPTION
TITANIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VOLTAMETRY
WATER