Discussion of “Electromotive Force Measurements on Cells Involving Beta-Alumina Solid Electrolyte” [N. S. Choudhury (pp. 1663–1667, Vol. 120, No. 12)]

Abstract

A. Sterten:1 One of the cells in the paper under discussion (cell [V]) was described in the following manner A1/~-alumina/A1F3, NiF2, NiThe over-all cell reaction was proposed to beassuming the transport number of sodium ions through /~-alumina equal to unity. However, since A1F3 and p-alumina are not coexistent, 2,3 reaction [1] above is not the correct one for cell [V] of the above-cited paper.Aluminum fluoride and sodium oxide in E-alumina will probably react and give a thin layer of A1203 and Na3A1F6 at the interface ~-alumina/A1F3. Na3A1Fe may react further with A1F3 and finally give NaeAl.~F14 in the layer. From these considerations it is proposed that