Sodium- and sulfur-activity measurements using glass-membrane reference electrodes/sensors

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6196332

Bloom, I; Heiberger, J J; Rea, K; Redey, L

Development of miniature reference electrode systems and designs to measure either sodium or sodium polysulfide activity has continued. The reference electrodes use small (2-mm/sup 2/ active area), thin membranes of a highly Na/sup +/-ion-conductive glass. Stable, reproducible emf measurements which reflect activity differences have been observed from (Mo)Na vertical bar Glass vertical bar Na/sub 2/S/sub 4/(Mo) and Na/sub 2/S/sub x/(Mo) vertical bar Glass vertical bar Na/sub 2/S/sub y/(Mo) (x = 3, 4, and 5) cells at elevated temperatures. The utility of the electrode design was demonstrated by performing coulometric titrations of polysulfide electrodes (ca. 2-mAh capacity to Na/sub 2/S/sub 3/) in the temperature range of 300 to 400/sup 0/C. The coulometric titrations clearly show a sharp transition from the two-phase region to a single phase at 71 mol % sulfur. The lowest demonstrated temperature of operation for the reference electrode is 123/sup 0/C in NaCl/AlCl/sub 3/ melts.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6196332
• Report Number(s): CONF-871027-28; ON: DE87011358
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250903* -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE
GLASS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METAL-NONMETAL BATTERIES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM SULFIDES
SODIUM-SULFUR BATTERIES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMODYNAMIC ACTIVITY
TITRATION
VOLTAMETRY