When chromate ion is electro-reduced in molten LiCl- KCl
in the presence of Mg (II), Zn (II) or Ni (II), the product is typically
of composition LixMyCr04 , in which X + 2 Y = 5. Variations
in composition accompany variations is experimental conditions,
except in the case of Zn(II), for which X = 1 and Y = · 2.
With Co (II), the product is either LixCoyCr04 or Co2Cr04 or a
mixture of the two, depending upon the conditions. A mechanism
involving a first two-electron reduction followed by a competition
between further one-electron reduction and an internal chemical
redox reaction accounts -satisfactorily for the variation of product
with changes in experimental conditions
