Determination of lead in an Sb-Pb alloy by anodic linear scan voltammetry

Abstract

Anodic linear scan voltammetry (ALSV) has been used to determine the content of Pb (up to 3.5 wt%) in a eutectic type of binary Sb-Pb alloy. The effect of type of electrolyte and as well as the rate of the potential change on the dissolution of Pb from this alloy were investigated by ALSV. The method can be used for the determination of low concentrations of Pb in the investigated alloy and well-defined current peaks of Pb dissolution can be detected on the voltammograms. Well-defined linear dependencies between the quantities of electricity under the current peak of Pb dissolution (Q Pb ) and the respective contents of Pb (w) in the alloy, so-called "check curves", were found. The smallest ratio of Pb in Sb-Pb alloy which could be detected by ALSV was 0.45 wt%.The dissolution involves only ten atomic layers of the less precious metal (Pb) from the surface of the alloy samples.