THE MAGNESIUM AND MAGNESIUM AMALGAM ELECTRODES IN APROTIC ORGANIC-SOLVENTS - A KINETIC-STUDY

Cathodic discharge of magnesium into mercury and the anodic dissolution of magnesium and magnesium amalgam in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) have been studied. The magnesium electrode is intrinsically, kinetically irreversible (K//0 approximately equals 10** minus **8 cm s** minus **1 at 22 degree C) in DMF and the reaction is further severely retarded by insoluble material formed in the reaction of magnesium ions with the reduction products of molecular oxygen. The effect of water as an impurity in the electrolyte is less severe than that of oxygen but at high concentrations water too inhibits the dissolution of magnesium. Additional experiments in other solvents (acetonitrile, AN and propylene carbonate, PC) are described.