Spatially resolved in situ measurements of the ion distribution near the surface of electrode in a steady-state diffusion in an electrolytic tank with confocal micro X-ray fluorescence.

Confocal micro-X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) technology based on a polycapillary focusing X-ray lens and a polycapillary parallel X-ray lens was used to carry out element-resolved and in situ analysis of ion distribution near the surface of the electrode in a steady-state diffusion in an electrolytic tank. The standard curve of the Cu Kα fluorescence intensity corresponding to the concentration of CuCl2 was measured to quantitatively determine the ion distribution near the surface of the electrode in a steady-state diffusion. The distribution of the electrolytic ions around the surface of the electrode in the electrolytic tank was measured in situ, and the effects of the concentration of the electrolyte and the bath voltage on the shape of the layer with a nonuniform distribution of the Cu(2+) ions near the cathode surface in a steady state were analyzed with the confocal MXRF. The confocal MXRF has potential applications in spatially resolved analysis of the liquid mass transfer in electrolytic tanks in situ.