Electrochemical processes at the sodium. beta. '' alumina interface

Technical Report · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6229143

Mailhe, C C

The influences of some impurities including oxygen, calcium and potassium on the polarization at the interface Na/..beta..'' alumina, were studied using a Na/Na cell. At 350/sup 0/C, the normal operating temperature of the battery and at low current density (30 to 40 mA/cm/sup 2/) voltammetry indicated Ohmic interface behavior. Deviations from this behavior occurred only for higher current densities (100 to 150 mA/cm/sup 2/) and were accentuated at low temperature (160/sup 0/C). Oxygen contamination caused an increase in resistance for sodium flowing in the ..beta..'' alumina, this effect was explained by a pile-up at the interface of the oxygen present in the sodium and eventually formation of an oxide film, whereas the decrease in resistance associated with fresh sodium flowing out of electrolyte could be attributed to a resultant decrease in oxygen concentration. The addition of vanadium to the sodium decreased the cell resistance. Vanadium is believed to reduce the oxide layer present at the surface of the ..beta..''Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/. Surprisingly, the addition of CaO, CaCl/sub 2/, Ca or KCl, which might have been expected to increase significantly the cell resistance did not result in such effects.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6229143
• Report Number(s): LBL-17687; ON: DE85004653
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250903* -- Energy Storage-- Batteries-- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
ADDITIVES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CALCIUM
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM HALIDES
CALCIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IMPURITIES
INTERFACES
METAL-NONMETAL BATTERIES
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM-SULFUR BATTERIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VANADIUM