The electrochemistry of zinc deposition

Abstract

Two topics have been carried out in the thesis; a development of an on-line computing method for the investigation of electrode reactions and an investigation of the kinetics of zinc deposition from aqueous chloride solutions at pH 3. The first topic was to assess the possibility of analysing a current time response to a small amplitude potential using a Laplace transform and Fourier transform method. The development work was successful, and the system was experimentally tested on the lead ion reduction. This is a stringent test for the method as the reaction is fast compared to diffusion of lead ions in the solution. The method was then applied to the zinc ion reduction on mercury. Further measurements were carried out on the zinc ion reduction on Hg and zinc amalgams by impedance and other electrochemical methods. Finally the reduction of zinc ions on solid zinc was investigated. A mechanism for the zinc ion reduction is proposed.