The features of mass transfer in the electroreduction of copper from aqueous ethanol solutions of copper sulfate

The process of electroreduction of copper from aqueous ethanol solutions of copper sulfate on a copper electrode is studied using the polarization and impedance techniques. It is shown that, at the working electrode potentials in a range of −0.6 to −0.8 V, the rate-limiting step of the process is the diffusion of copper ions to the electrode’s surface. The diffusion coefficient of copper ions at an ethanol concentration of about 0.08 m. f. takes the minimum value due to the restructuring of the near-electrode layer at the given concentration of alcohol.