Electrochemical formation of Al–Tm intermetallics in eutectic LiCl–KCl melt containing Tm and Al ions

Abstract This work focuses on investigating the electrochemical formation of Al–Tm and Al–Li–Tm alloys in LiCl–KCl–AlCl 3 –Tm 2 O 3 melt on both W and Al electrodes. Thermodynamic calculation and electrochemical behavior of LiCl–KCl melt containing both AlCl 3 and Tm 2 O 3 showed that AlCl 3 can chlorinate Tm 2 O 3 to release Tm(III) ions. Three kinds of Al–Tm intermetallics at about −1.26, −1.32 and −1.43 V were detected by means of various electrochemical measurement techniques, i.e. cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry and open circuit chronopotentiometry. Potentiostatic and galvanostatic electrolysis were carried out on Al and W electrodes to prepare Al–Tm and Al–Li–Tm alloys, respectively. The composition of Al–Li–Tm alloys was analyzed by inductive coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES).