Am. Polcaro et al., Reticulated vitreous carbon electrode for copper(II) removal from dilute acid solutions: Effect of the dissolved oxygen, IND ENG RES, 38(4), 1999, pp. 1400-1405
Reticulated vitreous carbon 45 pores per inch is adopted to deposit copper(
II) from dilute solutions of 10-20 ppm to below 1 ppm. Three working potent
ial values are tested: E = -0.4 V and E = -0.5 V, at which metal deposition
is under diffusion control, and E = -0.25 V, at which the effect of O-2 re
duction is limited, but deposition does not occur at its maximum rate. A th
eoretical model, which takes into account the reabsorption of O-2 from air,
is proposed to interpret the trend of faradic yield as the metal concentra
tion in the solution becomes lower. The behavior of the system is correctly
interpreted from the model when electrolyses are performed at E = -0.4 V.