Physicochemical properties of DMI–LiNO3 solvated ionic liquid and its application in electrodeposition of neodymium at room temperature

The density, conductivity, and viscosity of the 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolinone and lithium nitrate (DMI– LiNO 3 ) solvated ionic liquid were measured as a function of temperature. Additionally, the electrochemical mechanism and electrodeposition of neodymium from the DMI–LiNO 3 solvated ionic liquid were investigated. Cyclic voltammetry results indicate that the electrochemical reduction of Nd(III) is irreversible and proceeds via one-step with three-electron transfer, which is controlled by diffusion with a diffusion coefficient of 5.08×10 −8 cm 2 /s. Energy- dispersive X-ray spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data confirm that the electrodeposit obtained after electrodeposition at −4 V (vs Ag) using the DMI–LiNO 3 –Nd(CF 3 SO 3 ) 3 solvated ionic liquid contains metallic neodymium.