Mechanism of cathode process of B(III) in LiF-NaF-KBF4 melt by electrochemical titration technique

The mechanism of cathode process of B(III) at molybdenum and platinum electrodes in LiF-NaF-KBF4 melt was studied and the transferred electron number of the reaction was calculated by means of cyclic voltammetry. The effect of adsorption of electroactive component on the electrochemical response (e.g., the voltammetric i-E curves) was analyzed and discussed. The "electrochemical spectra" for linear sweep voltammetry was used to elucidate the electrode reaction accompanied by a following transform process. The results show that the reduction of B(III) to B(0) proceeds in reversible one step three-electron reaction and the cathode process of B(III) is affected by product adsorbed strongly at the electrode surface. It is assumed that the reduction and deposition of B(III) at molybdenum and platinum electrodes proceed in two kinds of mechanism: (1) B(III) + 3e = B-ads --> B (surface diffusion deposition mechanism) and (2) B(III) + 3e = B (direct deposition mechanism).