A fundamental study of a novel dynamic electrochemical technique for the measurement of trace amounts of arsenic and antimony in molten zinc

Various electrochemical experiments were performed involving the electrochemical introduction of sodium atoms into molten zinc using sodium β″-alumina electrolyte in an attempt to measure the concentration of dissolved arsenic and antimony in zinc by these dynamic techniques. Under high rates of sodium injection, the formation of the intermetallic phase NaZn13 was deduced from intermittent galvanostatic polarisation with the value ΔGfo(NaZn13)=−48 kJ mol−1 derived at 788 K. Under more moderate injection rates employing a symmetric ‘zinc/zinc cell’ configuration, a qualitative relationship between the current generated during cyclic voltammetry and the arsenic and antimony concentrations in molten zinc was observed.