High purity indium metal has been prepared by electrolysis at constant potential from a mixed
normalAl+normalIn
complex electrolyte that contains typically
2 normalmol Alfalse(C2H5)3
and
0.06 normalmol Infalse(C2H5)3 normalper mol C6H5CH2Nfalse(CH3)3F
. Based on the results of cyclic voltammetry applied to the pure Al complex electrolyte and to the mixed electrolyte, a mechanism for the cathodic and anodic steps in the electrorefinement process is proposed. This mechanism is described by the following net electrode reactionsnormalAnode In+3normalAlC2H54⊖→normalInC2H53+3normalAlC2H53+3e⊖
normalCathode 3normalInC2H52⊕+3e⊖→normalIn+2normalInC2H53It is the opinion of the authors that the
false[Al2Ffalse(C2H5)6]⊖
and
false[Al3Ffalse(C2H5)9]⊖
ions that are shown by NMR studies to exist in equilibrium with uncomplexed
normalAlfalse(C2H5)3
and
Al2false(C2H5)6
, respectively, serve merely as supporting electrolyte. The indium metal obtained by electrorefinement in a mixed
normalAl+normalIn
alkyl electrolyte is suitable for the synthesis and bulk crystal growth of In containing compound semiconductors. However, a further reduction of the ∼2 ppm Al contamination level is required for making the electrorefined In a useful source material for epitaxial growth processes.
Durch Elektrolyse bei konstanter Spannung in einem Elektrolyten der 2 mol AlEt3 und 0.06 mol InEt3 pro mol PhCH2NMe3F enthält wird hochreines In‐Metall dargestellt.
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