Influence of tartaric acid on diffusion coefficients of BiIII, SbIII, TeIV in aqueous medium: Application of electrodeposition of thermoelectric films

Diffusion of Bi+III, Sb+III and Te+IV cations in nitric acid, tartaric acid electrolytes were studied employing voltammetry and chronopotentiometry. From the Bard correction to the Sand equation, the diffusion coefficients of bismuth, antimony and tellurite ions were measured in the investigated solutions. The diffusivity of Sb+III was found to be systematically slower than other cations Bi+III and Te+IV. The results were discussed facing some compositions of electroplated Bi–Sb–Te films with the ones of the electrolyte solutions.