Formation of a reversible cell in the electrolysis of molten silver nitrate

In the electrolysis of pure molten silver nitrate with a silver cathode and a platinum anode at temperatures from 220 to 380°C a reversible cell is formed. When the system is electrolysed for a short time at a steady current density and then the current is interrupted, it tends to reach after a few...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Triaca, Walter Enrique, Arvia, Alejandro Jorge
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:1964
País:Argentina
Recursos:Universidad Nacional de La Plata
Repositorio:SEDICI (UNLP)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:sedici.unlp.edu.ar:10915/121082
Acesso em linha:http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/121082
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Ciencias Exactas
Química
Reversible cell
Molten silver nitrate
Electrolysis
Descrição
Resumo:In the electrolysis of pure molten silver nitrate with a silver cathode and a platinum anode at temperatures from 220 to 380°C a reversible cell is formed. When the system is electrolysed for a short time at a steady current density and then the current is interrupted, it tends to reach after a few seconds a reversible emf which is independent of the current density employed in the previous electrolysis. This emf is constant provided that the composition of the system is not altered. short-circuiting the cell repeatedly always leads to the same emf. The emf is related to the residual electrochemical cell formed during the electrolysis. The cell can be represented by the following scheme: Ag/AgNO<sub>3</sub>(l)/NO<sub>2</sub>,NO,O<sub>2</sub>/Pt. The reversible reactions involved in the cell are Ag + NO<sub>2</sub> + 12O<sub>2</sub> ⇌ AgNO<sub>3</sub> and NO + 12O<sub>2</sub> ⇌ NO<sub>2</sub>. The theoretical decomposition voltage of silver nitrate is coincident with the ones found experimentally, taking account of the actual concentrations of species involved in the reactions.