KINETICS OF ELECTRODE PROCESSES IN FUSED-SALTS AND ORGANIC MEDIA CONTAINING THORIUM, URANIUM OR NEPTUNIUM IONS - APPLICATION TO CONCENTRATED-SOLUTIONS

We demonstrate in this paper that the electrochemical Tafel-plots meth od gives a good account for the understanding of the overall mechanism s of reactions occurring in concentrated solutions. The Tafel-plots me thod is capable of predicting the results of long time electrolysis su ch as preparation of metallic thorium in the (Li-K)Cl eutectic from Th 4+ ion and preparation of trivalent uranium from U4+ ion in DMF at roo m temperature. The values of the transfer coefficient gained by the Ta fel-plots method are compared with the same values deduced from sample d polarography in dilute solutions. In all cases, the mechanisms of th e various electrode reactions are made clear while comparing the exper imental Tafel slopes with theoretical values calculated from models fo r different paths of reaction.