Abstract:

Sb/CNTs（carbon nanotubes） nanotubes were prepared by electrolysis in choline chloride-ethylene glycol eutectic solvent using solid Sb₂S₃/CNTs as cathode and graphite as anode. The electrochemical reduction behavior of solid Sb₂S₃ was studied by cyclic voltammetry and the effects of electrolysis voltage， electrolysis time and temperature on the electro-desulfurization of solid-state Sb₂S₃ were systematically investigated. The cyclic voltammetry results show that solid-state Sb₂S₃ can be directly electrochemically reduced metallic Sb in the deep eutectic solvent， and the electrochemical reduction of solid-state Sb₂S₃ to metallic Sb is a one-step reduction process. The XRD and EDS results indicate that increasing the electrolysis voltage and extending the electrolysis time lead to more comprehensive electro-desulfurization of solid-state Sb₂S₃. After electrolysis at a voltage of 2.4 V for 6 h at 353 K， solid-state Sb₂S₃/CNTs can be completely electrochemically reduced to Sb/CNTs. SEM results indicate that as the electrolysis voltage increases， the particles of the electrolysis product become smaller and the surface porosity increases. The findings provide a novel pathway for the direct electrochemical reduction of solid sulfides to metals at low temperatures and even at room temperature.

Key words: deep eutectic solvent（DES）, antimony sulfide, antimony, electrochemical reduction