Electrochemical Behavior of Sulfur and Sulfide in Molten Sodium Tetrachloroaluminate Saturated with NaCI

The electrochemical behavior of sulfur and sulfide in molten NaA1C14 sat.urated with NaC1 has been investigated at different emperatures and with different electrode materials. In melts containing sulfur one reduction and one oxidation wave are seen at tungsten and glassy carbon electrodes. At platinum two reduction waves are observed. The oxidation waves are similar for all three electrode materials. Reduction of sulfur leads to the formation of sulfide: the oxidation leads to S (I) or S (II) depending on the temperature, the higher oxidation state being formed at higher temperatures. The data ob-tained in sulfur solutions have been confirmed by the results obtained in melts containing Na2S. The mechanism for the electrochemical oxidation of sulfur apparently involves a complex set of charge transfer and chemical steps. The chemistry and electrochemistry of sulfur in molten salts have received considerable attention in recent years because of the possible use of sulfur as