Energy electrochemical system

Fuel Cell Catalysts. Euel cells (qv) are electrochemical devices that convert the chemical energy of a fuel direcdy into electrical and thermal energy. The fuel cell, an environmentally clean method of power generation (qv), is more efficient than most other energy conversion systems. The main by-product is pure water. 

Electrochemical systems convert chemical and electrical energy through charge-transfer reactions. These reactions occur at the interface between two phases. Consequendy, an electrochemical ceU contains multiple phases, and surface phenomena are important. Electrochemical processes are sometimes divided into two categories electrolytic, where energy is supplied to the system, eg, the electrolysis of water and the production of aluminum and galvanic, where electrical energy is obtained from the system, eg, batteries (qv) and fuel cells (qv). 

The industrial economy depends heavily on electrochemical processes. Electrochemical systems have inherent advantages such as ambient temperature operation, easily controlled reaction rates, and minimal environmental impact (qv). Electrosynthesis is used in a number of commercial processes. Batteries and fuel cells, used for the interconversion and storage of energy, are not limited by the Carnot efficiency of thermal devices. Corrosion, another electrochemical process, is estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars aimuaUy in the United States alone (see Corrosion and CORROSION control). Electrochemical systems can be described using the fundamental principles of thermodynamics, kinetics, and transport phenomena. 

Electrochemical systems are found in a number of industrial processes. In addition to the subsequent discussions of electrosynthesis, electrochemical techniques are used to measure transport and kinetic properties of systems (see Electroanalyticaltechniques) to provide energy (see Batteries Euel cells) and to produce materials (see Electroplating). Electrochemistry can also play a destmctive role (see Corrosion and corrosion control). The fundamentals necessary to analyze most electrochemical systems have been presented. More details of the fundamentals of electrochemistry are contained in the general references. 

Electrochemical power sources differ from others, such as thermal power plants, by the fact that the energy conversion occurs without any intermediate steps for example, in the case of thermal power plants fuel is first converted in thermal energy, and finally electric power is produced using generators. In the case of electrochemical power sources this otherwise multistep process is achieved directly in only one step. As a consequence, electrochemical systems show some advantages, such as energy efficiency. 

This equation links the EMF of a galvanic cell to the Gibbs energy change of the overall current-producing reaction. It is one of the most important equations in the thermodynamics of electrochemical systems. It follows directly from the first law of thermodynamics, since nF% is the maximum value of useful (electrical) work of the system in which the reaction considered takes place. According to the basic laws of thermodynamics, this work is equal to -AG . 

Electron work functions of metals in solution can be determined by measurements of the current of electron photoemission into the solution. In an electrochemical system involving a given electrode, the photoemission current ( depends not only on the light s frequency v (or quantum energy hv) but also on the potential E. According to the quantum-mechanical theory of photoemission, this dependence is given by... 

The potential that develops in an electrochemical system such as a fuel cell can also act to significantly influence the energies, kinetics, pathways, and reaction mechanisms. The double-reference potential DFT method [Cao et al., 2005] described earlier was used to follow the influence of an external surface potential on the reaction... 

Before we will discuss the electrochemical system, it is important to define the properties and characteristics of each component, especially the electrolyte. In the following, we assume macroscopic amounts of an electrolyte containing various ionic and nonionic components, which might be solvated. In the case that this bulk electrolyte is in thermodynamic equilibrium, each of the species present is characterized by its electrochemical potential, which is defined as the free energy change with respect to the particle number of species i ... 

The term G T, a,, A/, ) is the Gibbs free energy of the full electrochemical system x < x < X2 in Fig. 5.4). It includes the electrode surface, which is influenced by possible reconstructions, adsorption, and charging, and the part of the electrolyte that deviates from the uniform ion distribution of the bulk electrolyte. The importance of these requirements becomes evident if we consider the theoretical modeling. If the interface model is chosen too small, then the excess charges on the electrode are not fuUy considered and/or, within the interface only part of the total potential drop is included, resulting in an electrostatic potential value at X = X2 that differs from the requited bulk electrolyte value < s-However, if we constrain such a model to reproduce the electrostatic potential... 

New Carbon Based Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems... 

I. V. Barsukov et al (eds.), New Carbon Based Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems, 5-20. 2006 Springer. Printed in the Netherlands. 

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