Active/Passive Transition of Niobium in Strong Acid and Alkaline Solutions
Journal
Journal of Electrochemical Science and Engineering
ISSN
0872-1904
Date Issued
2006
Author(s)
Abdurauf, Prusi
Grcev, Toma
Arsov,Ljubomir
DOI
10.4152/PEA.200603377
Abstract
By cyclic voltammetry the active/passive transition of Nb electrode has been investigated in concentration range from 0.1 M to 10 M aqueous solutions of H2SO4 and KOH. Results indicate the strong influence of the concentration and electrolyte nature to the active/passive transitions and stability of passive films. Depending on electrolyte concentrations, at potential of 1 V the calculated thickness of passive films varied from 2.2 nm to 3.2 nm. For the same concentrations of H2SO4 and KOH the formed passive films in KOH are thicker than in H2SO4. By multiple cycle sequences in which the final anodic potential is gradually enlarged, the barrier properties of passive films on Nb electrode were confirmed. In the first positive scan after the active/passive transition, no cathodic or reactivation peaks for both 1 M H2SO4 and KOH were observed. Only for higher concentrations of KOH (> 2 M) the small reactivation process was recorded. In concentration of 5 M and 10 M KOH, if after the passive film formation the Nb electrodes were maintained for 15 min at cathodic potential of -1.55 (SHE), the cyclic voltammograms indicated the complete dissolution of passive films. The voltammetric data have confirmed that the Nb electrode is more resistant in concentrated H2SO4 than in concentrated KOH solutions.
