ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF COPPER(I) OXIDE IN PROPYLENE CARBONATE.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of various parameters on the electrochemical reduction of copper(I) oxide in propylene carbonate (PC) and to establish the composition of the end products of the reaction. It is found that the process of reduction can occur by two pathways. In one case lithium from the electrolyte is inserted into the crystal lattice of copper oxide with the formation of an intermediate compound of variable composition or solid solution, which breaks down with time, forming new phases - metallic copper and lithium oxide. In the second case oxygen from the crystal lattice of copper oxide diffuses out of the depth of the grain to the surface, forming a layer of the corresponding compound of oxygen with the cation of the electrolyte. The results of the investigation suggest that the end product of the reduction of Cu//2O in PC is metallic copper, while the lithium content in the reduced electrode is proportional to the amount of electricity passed through.