Journal article

Electrochemical isotope effect and lithium isotope separation

JR Black, G Umeda, B Dunn, WF McDonough, A Kavner

Journal of the American Chemical Society | Published : 2009

Abstract

(Graph Presented) A large electrochemical isotopic effect is observed upon the electrodeposition of lithium from solutions of propylene carbonate producing isotopically light metal deposits. The magnitude of fractionation is controlled by the applied overpotential and is largest close to equilibrium. Calculated partition function ratios for tetrahedrally coordinated lithium complexes and metallic lithium predict an equilibrium fractionation close to that measured experimentally. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by NASA Astrobiology: Exobiology


Awarded by NSF EAR


Awarded by Directorate For Geosciences; Division Of Earth Sciences


Funding Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. E. Schauble for discussions and Lin Qiu for help with lithium analyses. This work was supported by NASA Astrobiology: Exobiology Award NNG05GQ92G (A.K.) and NSF EAR 0609689 (W.F.M.).