Effect of adding cerium to lithium on the performance of discharge and hydrogen evolution of the lithium anode

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe effect of cerium as an inhibitor on the discharge and hydrogen evolution at a lithium anode in alkaline electrolyte with additives was evaluated. The electrochemical behaviors of lithium and lithium-cerium alloy are assessed by hydrogen evolution collection, discharge current density, anodic potential, XRD (X-ray diffraction) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). For these conditions, the results show that minor addition of cerium to lithium decreased the hydrogen evolution on the surface of lithium-cerium alloy in an alkaline electrolyte containing corrosion inhibitors. SEM and XRD observation showed that the slow dissolution of lithium-cerium alloy generates the formation of LiOH, LiOHÁH 2 O and Ce(OH) 3 . The lithium-cerium surface is less porous than the lithium surface. Hydrogen evolution decrease, prompted by adding cerium to lithium, which is related to reduced porosity of the film enhanced by Ce(OH) 3 .