Abstract
A study has been made of the passivating process at a zinc electrode in KOH solutions. Zinc electrodes were passivated at a constant overpotential and the current response during passivation was measured. The potential response after the passivating potential was removed was also measured.
The current during passivation soon reached a semi-steady-state value which increased with increasing overpotential but varied only slightly with changing KOH concentrations.
When electrodes were passivated at overpotentials >325 mV, the open circuit voltage decay showed an arrest, the duration of which decreased with increasing KOH concentration. This duration increased when ZnO was dissolved in the electrolyte, when the temperature was decreased, and when the passivating overpotential was increased.
The results are interpreted by assuming that passivation is due to the formation of a film, possibly Zn(OH)2, which can dissolve in the electrolyte. The potential of the electrode is a mixed potential.
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Dirkse, T.P. Voltage decay at passivated zinc anodes. J Appl Electrochem 1, 27–33 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00615743
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00615743