Periodic current oscillations of zinc in nitric acid solutions

Abstract

This paper presents current oscillations of a Zn anode in solutions of nitric acid and potassium dichromate. The effects of the nitric acid concentration were investigated. The system was analyzed using cyclic voltammetry, current-time plots and attractors. It was found that the concentration of nitric acid has a major effect on the behavior of the system and it is proposed that zinc hydroxide precipitation-dissolution processes are responsible for the current oscillations.

Keywords

• zinc
• corrosion
• dynamic behavior
• current oscillations
• attractor