The sulphur electrode, fused salts and solid electrolytes : R.P. Tischer (Editor). Academic press,...

J. Electroarzal. Chem., 182 (1985) 217-218 Elsevier Sequoia S.A., Lausanne - Printed in The Netherlands Book reviews 217 The Sulphur Electrode. Fused Salts and Solid Electrolytes. R.P. Tischer (Editor). Academic press, New York, 1983, xiv + 375 pp., USS68.00. This is a collective work but for once not a collection of papers given at a meeting but a properly organised integrated review of chapters covering a well- defined subject area. There are eight chapters, the first five summarising the fundamental research on these systems while the last three describe the applica- tion to cells intended for practical use. Chapter 1, Sulphur Vapour - Thermodynamics and Electrodes by H. Keller and H. Rickert, is a thorough discussion of equilibria in sulphur vapour and of this with solid metal sulphide galvanic cells. The other four fundamental chapters are concerned with melts. B. Cleaver deals largely with the equilib- rium properties of polysulphide melts including solutions in liquid sulphur and in molten KSCN. He also discusses the wetting of carbon and metals by liquid sulphur. The electrochemistry of sulphur in halide melts by J.R. Selman and M.L. Saboungi consider the solubility of sulphur and metal sulphide and particularly iron sulphide electrodes. They include applications to extraction metallurgy while the related batteries are discussed by Selman in a brief chapter on molten-salt cells. D.A. Aikens in his chapter on The Sulphur Electrode in Molten Polysulphide and in Thiocyanate Melts comes the closest to a con- ventional electrode kinetics approach though these systems are practically difficult and beset with problems such as film formation_ R. Marassi and G. Mamantov in Electrochemistry of Sulphur in strongly Acidic Media consider the redox behaviour of cationic sulphur species in media like the chloro- aluminates. Of the three chapters on applications, it is no surprise that the longest and most detailed is that on The Sodium-Sulfur Battery with P-Alumina Elec- trolyte by J.L. Sudworth and A.R. Tilley. This is a clear and comprehensive survey of the present position of this research. One of the shorter chapters was mentioned above. The other describes another Sodium Sulphur Ceil - with a Glass Electrolyte. C.A. Levine suggests that this may have some ad- vantages over the p-alumina cells due largely to the lower operating temper- ature. The book finishes with an appendix on Physical Properties Data: Sulphuz and Polysulphides assembled by G.J. Janz and D.J. Rogers. Together with the tables in the body of the book this provides a useful reference work. The book is well produced and pleasant to handle. It will be the standard work in this field for many years. ROGER PARSONS Bristol

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Transcript of The sulphur electrode, fused salts and solid electrolytes : R.P. Tischer (Editor). Academic press,...

Page 1: The sulphur electrode, fused salts and solid electrolytes : R.P. Tischer (Editor). Academic press, New York, 1983, xiv + 375 pp., US$68.00

J. Electroarzal. Chem., 182 (1985) 217-218 Elsevier Sequoia S.A., Lausanne - Printed in The Netherlands

Book reviews

217

The Sulphur Electrode. Fused Salts and Solid Electrolytes. R.P. Tischer (Editor). Academic press, New York, 1983, xiv + 375 pp., USS68.00.

This is a collective work but for once not a collection of papers given at a meeting but a properly organised integrated review of chapters covering a well- defined subject area. There are eight chapters, the first five summarising the fundamental research on these systems while the last three describe the applica- tion to cells intended for practical use.

Chapter 1, Sulphur Vapour - Thermodynamics and Electrodes by H. Keller and H. Rickert, is a thorough discussion of equilibria in sulphur vapour and of this with solid metal sulphide galvanic cells. The other four fundamental chapters are concerned with melts. B. Cleaver deals largely with the equilib- rium properties of polysulphide melts including solutions in liquid sulphur and in molten KSCN. He also discusses the wetting of carbon and metals by liquid sulphur. The electrochemistry of sulphur in halide melts by J.R. Selman and M.L. Saboungi consider the solubility of sulphur and metal sulphide and particularly iron sulphide electrodes. They include applications to extraction metallurgy while the related batteries are discussed by Selman in a brief chapter on molten-salt cells. D.A. Aikens in his chapter on The Sulphur Electrode in Molten Polysulphide and in Thiocyanate Melts comes the closest to a con- ventional electrode kinetics approach though these systems are practically difficult and beset with problems such as film formation_ R. Marassi and G. Mamantov in Electrochemistry of Sulphur in strongly Acidic Media consider the redox behaviour of cationic sulphur species in media like the chloro- aluminates.

Of the three chapters on applications, it is no surprise that the longest and most detailed is that on The Sodium-Sulfur Battery with P-Alumina Elec- trolyte by J.L. Sudworth and A.R. Tilley. This is a clear and comprehensive survey of the present position of this research. One of the shorter chapters was mentioned above. The other describes another Sodium Sulphur Ceil - with a Glass Electrolyte. C.A. Levine suggests that this may have some ad- vantages over the p-alumina cells due largely to the lower operating temper- ature.

The book finishes with an appendix on Physical Properties Data: Sulphuz and Polysulphides assembled by G.J. Janz and D.J. Rogers. Together with the tables in the body of the book this provides a useful reference work. The book is well produced and pleasant to handle. It will be the standard work in this field for many years.

ROGER PARSONS Bristol