Some Applications of Irreversible Thermodynamics to Slag/Metal Reactions

D ue to the ionic nature oj slag, electrochemical i)otentials rather than chemical i)otentials must be used in analysing the kinetic behaviour oj slag/metal systems.T he rate expressions in the exact jorm in electrochemistry and those in irreversible thermodynamics are jound to be equivalent, but oj dijJeren t structure in the linearized .forms.The linear i)henomenological equa tions, with electrochemical affinities as the driving jorces, are used to study the coupling between the simultaneous inteifacial reactions.T he electrical i)otenlial discontinuity which is generated by, and common to all, the inteifacial reactions, at the inteiface, is the link betu'een all the reactions in the absence qf an externally im/)osed electrical field.The eXj)erimentally observed condition qf no net electrical current across the interface is employed to eliminate the unknown quantity in the kinetic equations, the electrical potential dijJerence at Ihe inleiface.