The Mechanism of Exchange Between Radioactive Ions in Solution and Metal Surfaces

Abstract

The mechanism of exchange between metals and ions in solution has been studied with radioactive cobalt ions in solutions into which various metals with different surface treatments were immersed in the presence and absence of oxygen. The metals were washed after various times of immersion in the solutions, their acquired radioactivities measured, and the distribution of radioactive cobalt on the surfaces shown by means of autoradiographs. The results indicate that local cell action, due to differences of potential on the metal surfaces, is the factor which governs the radioactivity acquired by the metals. By applying Faraday's law, it has been possible to calculate the magnitudes of local cell currents on the metal surfaces from the acquired activities.