The Kinetics of Indium Electroreduction from Chloride Solutions

Abstract

The electroreduction of indium on indium electrode (99.98%) in perchlorate-containing chloride electrolytes is studied by the methods of linear sweep and cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, and chronoamperometry. The indium electroreduction is limited by diffusion, the reaction rate constant is 1.3 10^–4 cm/s at the indium salt concentration of 0.1 M. The values of the apparent rate constant for the charge transfer stage found by linear sweep and cyclic voltammetry and also by impedance spectroscopy are 2.37 × 10^–3, 3.62 × 10^–3, 3.06 × 10^–3 cm/s, respectively. The values of diffusion coefficient of indium(III) ions calculated according to the Cottrell equation based on chronoamperametric measurements and from the Warburg impedance found by impedance spectroscopy are in good agreement. The presence of the Gerischer impedance is stated, which suggests that a homogeneous reaction of formation of indium chloride complexes proceeds and its mechanism is chemical-electrochemical.