Electrochemical actor

As far as electrochemical cells relevant for applications or electrochemical measurements are concerned, we must distinguish between polarization cells, galvanic cells and open-circuit cells, depending on whether an outer current flows and, if so, in which direction this occurs. Table 1.1 provides examples of the purposes for which such cells may be used. In terms of application, we can distinguish between electrochemical sensors, electrochemical actors and galvanic elements such as batteries and fuel cells. These applications offer a major driving force for dealing with solid-state electrochemistry. 

Polarization cell Measurement of kinetic data by polarization Electrochemical composition actors (electrolyzers, pumps, windows), electrochemical composition sensors (amperometric, conductometric)... 

There is an extended special literature3,10-16 on applications of solid state electrochemistry and even more on electrochemical devices. According to our objective, in this section applications will be emphasized in which migration and diffusion in the solid state are decisive processes (as discussed in Part I2). We intend to subsume such applications under the headlines composition sensors, composition actors, and energy storage or conversion devices. 

We will begin with a description of electrochemical sensors or more specifically composition sensors based on electrochemical principles (i.e., we refer to an electrochemical detection of composition). Another group of applications refers to devices in which the transference of mass and charge is used primarily to change composition or produce chemicals (electrochemical pumps and electrochemical reactors, or electrochemical filters) we will term such devices composition actors. At the end we will discuss energy conversion and storage devices (which we do not subsume under the term composition actors as here the energy aspect is to the fore). 

In this section we will describe what may be called electrochemical composition actors, in which chemical action—and not mechanical action as usually described by the term actor (or actuator)—is caused by electrical excitation. Unlike electrochemical composition sensors which detect chemical composition via electrochemical methods, they cause changes in chemical composition. It shall not remain unmentioned that at present interesting work is pursued also to realize mechanical action on an electrochemical stimulus ( artifical muscles ).48... 

---