Electrochemical reduction of lanthanum trichloride in a molten equimolar mixture of sodium and potassium chlorides

The authors used linear voltamperometry for the investigation of the mechanism for the cathodic reduction of lanthanum. The mechanism for the cathodic reduction of lanthanum chloride in molten equimolar NaCl-KCl may be seen as consisting of a slow irreversible electrode reaction with a subsequent rapid irreversible chemical reaction. Lanthanum ions in a lower oxidation state were not found upon the prolonged maintenance of metallic lanthanum in molten NaCl-KCl-LaCl/sub 3/. Only an increase in the concentration of lanthanum(III) chloride in the melt was noted. The appearance of oxygen anions in the melt does not lead to a change in the mechanism of the cathodic reduction of lanthanum chloride but reduces the concentration of this chloride due to the formation of lanthanum oxochloride which is insoluble in the melt.