The Form of Electrodeposited Iridium Ions in a Molten Chloride Salt and the Effects of Different Iridium Concentrations

A molten salt system was prepared using an optimized method. We studied the complex structure of Ir3+ ions in the molten salt system and the influence their concentration had on the quality of the coatings prepared via electrodeposition. Using TG-DSC and in situ XRD experiments, we studied the high-temperature characteristics and properties of IrCl3 alongside its thermal stability. Using in situ XRD and Raman spectroscopy, we analyzed the Ir ions’ complex structure and the variation in the molten salt system at high temperatures. Finally, the changes in the Ir ion concentration in the molten salt system and the influence of the microstructure of the coatings’ surfaces were investigated under different anode conditions. IrCl3 easily decomposes above 400 °C, and temperature increases accelerate the rate of this decomposition. When the NaCl-KCl-CsCl system is in a high-temperature, molten state, IrCl3 forms stable complex structures (IrCl6)3− and (IrCl6)2−, and the valence state of Ir will be transformed with the increase in temperature. Generating these complex structures is conducive to improving the Ir coating quality. During the electrodeposition process, too few Ir ions in the molten salt can lead to concentration polarization, affecting the quality of the coating. Application of the molten NaCl-KCl-CsCl system is conducive to the electrodeposition of Ir coatings in a suitable temperature range. At the same time, using Ir as the anode can enhance the quality of the coatings.