The electrochemcal reactions of uranium trichloride on the surfaces of dimensionally very dissimilar carbon-based materials such as glassy carbon (GC) and graphene in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cathodic scanning of CV displayed that the Li intercalation reaction into the GC electrode governs at the potential of approximately −1.45 V vs. Ag|Ag + where the electrodeposition reaction of uranium may occur. On the other hand, the graphene electrode presented electrodeposition current of the uranium without interference at −1.45 V vs. Ag|Ag + because the Li intercalation reaction was extensively diminished on the very thin graphene film. In addition, it was successful to measure the electrodeposition current of gadolinium at more positive than −2.1 V without the interference of the Li intercalation into the graphene substrate. Consequently, the significant reduction of the Li intercalation reaction on the nanometer thick carbon electrode extensively expands the electrochemical potential window of the carbon-based electrode with respect to the bulk carbon electrode in LiCl-KCl melt, emphasizing that the graphene has a great potential as a cathode electrode in high temperature molten salt electrolytes.

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