Structural Relaxation in the Activated Molten Chloride Electrolytes of Polyvalent Metals

Abstract

The molten salt electrolytes from which the polyvalent active metals are extracted are strongly structured at unusually long distances that increase the energy consumption of the electrowinning cell. Under influence of strong electrical pulses they are transferred to a non-equilibrium state with modification of the structure and intensification of electrochemical properties. The observed regularities in the electrolytes activation are due to stimulated dissociation of complex ions on the simpler and more mobile complex and elementary ions. This is confirmed by the disappearance of characteristic Raman peaks when the melts are activated. During the relaxation process in non-equilibrium melts their electrochemical parameters and Raman peaks are seeking to recover their equilibrium values and pattern. All the observed patterns of the duration and the dynamics of the relaxation in non-equilibrium melts show that we definitely have deal with the structural relaxation in ionic.