Investigation on the electro-oxidation of iodide in the room temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate at platinum electrode

The oxidation behavior of iodide has been investigated by linear sweep voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry at a platinum electrode in the room temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (C₄mim]BF₄]). The experimental results showed that iodide yielded two oxidation peaks P_a1 and P_a2 in C₄mim]BF₄], and both of P_a1 and P_a2 are diffusion-controlled. P_a1 yielded from iodide to triiodide at +0.58 V is a two-electron oxidation wave, and P_a2 yielded from triiodide to iodine at +1.00 V is one-electron oxidation wave. Linear relationships between I_pa1 and the concentration of iodide can be established from 0.45 to 7.2 mmol L⁻¹ with a detect limit of 0.3 mmol L⁻¹ by linear sweep voltammetry, and from 0.30 to 7.8 mmol L⁻¹ with a detect limit of 0.2 mmol L⁻¹ by differential pulse voltammetry. These methods can be used for simple, rapid determination of iodide in the crude C₄mim]BF₄].