Electrolytic Cells

MEMBERS

Members:
Abanador, Almero, Baldeo, Dapula, Dimaala, Guevarra
OVERVIEW
• Electrolytic cell
• Factors affecting the product of electrolytic cell
• Standard Reduction Potential of the Species
• Concentration of Species
• Nature of Electrodes
• Electrolysis using Inert Electrodes
• Purification of Copper
• Comparison between Voltaic cell and Electrolytic cell
• Commercial electrolytic process
• Quantitative aspects
Lesson Objectives
 Predict the spontaneity of a cell reaction.
 Explain the electrode reactions during
electrolysis.
 Describe the reactions in some commercial
electrolytic processes.
 Apply Faraday's first law in calculations
involving electrolysis.
What is an Electrolytic
Cell?
I. An electrolytic cell can be defined as an
electrochemical device that uses
electrical energy to facilitate a non-
spontaneous redox reaction.
II. Electrolytic cells are electrochemical
cells that can be used for the electrolysis
of certain compounds.
 What is an Electrolytic Cell?
Example:
Water can be subjected to electrolysis (with the help of
an electrolytic cell) to form gaseous oxygen and gaseous
hydrogen.
This is done by using the flow of electrons (into the
reaction environment) to overcome the activation
energy barrier of the non-spontaneous redox reaction.
Electrolytic Cell
THREE PRIMARY COMPONENTS
1. Cathode
2. Anode
3. Electrolyte
 FACTORS AFFECTING THE PRODUCT OF
ELECTROLYTIC CELL
I. Nature and state of the electrolyte
II.Nature and electrode potential of ions
present in the electrolyte Nature of the
electrode and
III.Overvoltage at the electrodes
 STANDARD REDUCTION POTENTIAL OF THE SPECIES
I. Standard reduction potential is the likelihood of a particular molecule or atom to be
reduced, or gain electrons.
II. Generally, the cation that is discharged at the cathode is the one that will gain electrons,
while anion that is discharged at the anode is the one that will lose electrons.
III. Standard electrode potential series is a list that describes the arrangement of elements in
order of their increasing electrode potential values.
IV. A cation that is lower in the electrochemical series discharged in preference to a cation
higher in the series
V. In an anion the higher the chemical is in the electrochemical series it is the one that is
discharged in preference over the lower in the series,
ELECTROCHEMICAL SERIES
 CONCENTRATION OF SPECIES

• Concentration of species or Molarity is a measure of the

concentration of a chemical species,
• The ion concentration can only influence the discharge of
only the anions.
• The anion with the highest concentration in the solution is
the one who is going to be discharged.
 NATURE OF ELECTRODES

An electrode is defined as an electrical conductor by which

electrons flow through to generate current and these
substances usually connect non-metallic parts of a circuit
There are two types of electrodes, Cathode that attracts the
positively charged cations and Anode that attracts
negatively charged anions.
 NATURE OF ELECTRODES

USES OF ELECTRODES:
• The main use of electrodes is to generate electrical current and pass it
through non-metal objects to basically alter them in several ways.
Electrodes are also used to measure conductivity.
• The physical properties of electrodes are mainly determined by the material
of the electrode and the topology of the electrode. The defining property for a
material to be used as an electrode is that it should be conductive.
• Important properties of the electrodes are: the
• electrical resistivity, the specific heat capacity, the electrode potential and the
hardness
 ELECTROLYSIS USING INERT ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS OF MOLTEN SALT (NACI)
• A source of direct current is connected to a pair of inert electrodes immersed
in molten sodium chloride. Because the salt has been heated until it melts,
the Na+ ions flow toward the negative electrode and the Cl- ions flow toward
the positive electrode.
 ELECTROLYSIS USING INERT ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER
Water is a very poor conductor of electricity. We therefore add an electrolyte to
water to provide ions that can flow through the solution, thereby completing
the electric circuit. The electrolyte must be soluble in water. Most importantly,
it must contain ions that are harder to oxidize or reduce than water.
 ELECTROLYSIS USING INERT ELECTRODES

E L E C T R O LY S I S O F D I L U T E NAC L S O LU T I O N
• When an electric current is passed through concentrated sodium chloride
solution, hydrogen gas forms at the negative electrode , chlorine gas forms at
the positive electrode, and a solution of sodium hydroxide also forms.
• In the electrolysis of dilute NaCl, water is prevalent and the result is
hydrogen yielded at cathode and oxygen at the anode.
 ELECTROLYSIS USING INERT ELECTRODES

E LE C T R O LY S I S O F D I LU T E NAC L S O LUTI O N
(BRINE)
• The process of electrolysis involves using an electric current to bring about a
chemical change and make new chemicals. The electrolysis of brine is a
large-scale process used to manufacture chlorine from salt. Two other useful
chemicals are obtained during the process, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and
hydrogen (H2).
Product of electrolysis of brine
• Chlorine
• Sodium
• Hydroxide
Electrolysisusinginertelectrodes
Purification of copper
I. Copper is purified by electrolysis. Electrolysis of copper transfers copper atoms from
an impure copper anode to a pure copper cathode, leaving the impurities behind.
Electricity is passed through solutions containing copper compounds, such as
copper(II) sulfate.
II. (a) The positive electrode (anode) is made of the impure copper which is to be purified
(b) The negative electrode (cathode) is a bar of pure copper.
(c) The two electrodes are placed in a solution of copping(II) sulfate.

Anode: Cu(s) — Cu2 - (aq) + 2e Cathode: Cu2(aq) + 2e - Cu(s)

Comparisson
between
electrolytic cell
and voltaic cell
Commercial electrolytic
process
• E L E C T R O P LAT I N G
Is a process in which a thin coat of metal is applied to an object.
a. Object to be coated is used as the cathode in the electroplating cell.
b. The anode and cathode are both connected to an external supply of direct current.
• The anode is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply while the cathode (the object to
be plated) is connected to the negative terminal.
• When the external power supply is switched on, the anode is oxidized to form cations. The cations
are reduced at the cathode and deposited on the cathode as a thin layer of metal, iron rod being
electroplated with copper.
Commercial electrolytic process
(a)The electrolyte is a solution of copper ions, such as
copper(II) sulfate solution.
(b) The copper is connected to the positive terminal
and acts as anodes.
(c) The iron rod is connected to the negative terminal
and acts as the cathode where Cu3 ions are reduced.
Copper metal is Cathode: Cu2(aq) + 2e - Cu(s)

1.Clean the surface of the meta.l you want to plate.

2.Connect the metal you want t.o plate by
cathode or the negative pole of electric
3.Connect the metal you want to plate with by anode
or the positive pole of the electric source.
4.Dip them in an electrolyte that contains the cation
of metal you want to plate with.
Quantitative aspects of electrolysis
FARADAY’S LAW OF ELECTROLYSIS

The amount of a substance consumed or produced at one of the

electrodes in an electrolytic cell is directly proportional to the amount
of electricity that passes through the cell.
Quantitative aspects of electrolysis

1 coulomb = 1 q = charge = # of
ampere × 1 coulombs (C) I= t = time (s)
second q = It current (A = 1C/s)

F= Faraday's
n= moles of
constant = 96,485*
electrons that
C/mol of e-
travel through the
(bridge to get
wire in the given
from coulombs to
time
electrons)
 Quantitative aspects of electrolysis
In order to use Faraday's law, we need to recognize the
following relationships:

The charge on a single electron is 1.60 x 10-19 C

1.60 x 10-19 C / 1 e-1 x 6.02 x 1023 e-1 / 1mole = 96,500C/mol e-

By definition. 1 Faraday = 96,500 C =1 mole e-

By definition, one coulomb of charge is transferred when 1 amp of

current flows for 1 second. 1 C = 1 amp-s OR 1 amp = 1 C/s
 Calculate the number of grams of sodium metal that will form at the
Quantitative aspects cathode when a 10.0 amp current is passed through molten NaCI
of electrolysis for a period of 4.00 hours?
Quantitative aspects What mass of iron can be produced when 45.2 A is passed
through a molten FaCl3 cell for 1.50 hours?
of electrolysis
 QUIZ
What is an electrolytic cell?
- An electrolytic cell is a type of electrochemical cell that uses electrical energy to
drive a non-spontaneous chemical reaction.

What is Faraday's law of electrolysis?

- Faraday's law of electrolysis states that the amount of chemical change produced
by an electric current is proportional to the quantity of electricity passed through the
electrolyte.

What is the purpose of an electrolytic cell?

- Electrolytic cells are used for a variety of purposes, such as electroplating,
electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen, and purification of metals.
Thank You!