Interfacial behaviour of various liquid electrode/β″-alumina systems

Three different liquid electrode/sodium-alumina interfaces were investigated. The NaNO₃/-alumina interface displays ohmic behaviour although the resistance is somewhat larger than expected. The sodium/-alumina interface exhibits asymmetric resistance with respect to d.c. current flow. Cyclic voltammetry results suggest that a Na₂O film is being modified electrochemically during the sweeps. When a sodium amalgam electrode is utilized, the film, if it is present, has very little effect. The asymmetric resistance is not observed and there is good agreement between d.c. and a.c. resistances after only a small amount of sodium deposition.