ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF SO2 IN MOLTEN AMIDES-MERCURY AND PLATINUM-ELECTRODES

The electrochemical reduction of SO2 has been studied in molten acetamide mixtures and in molten acetamide, Glassy Carbon, Platinum and a hanging Mercury drop (hmde) are th electrodes used, The reduction is found to be diffusion controlled one electron process at the glassy carbon and mercury electrodes but a two electron one step process at the platinum electrode, The one electron reduction product SO(2 over bar) is rapidly consumed in a succeeding dimerisation process. An anodic process which is the oxidation of dithionite Is also observed at all the electrodes,