Gouy-Chapman theory, electrode-electrolyte interface

Figure 2.11 According to the Gouy-Chapman theory, the capacity of the electrode/electrolyte interface should be a cosh function of the potential difference across it (see text). Concentration of electrolyte in (b) > than that in (a).

There have been considerable efforts to move beyond the simplified Gouy-Chapman description of double layers at the electrode-electrolyte interface, which are based on the solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for point charges. So-called modified Poisson-Boltzmann (MPB) models have been developed to incorporate finite ion size effects into double layer theory [61]. An early attempt to apply such restricted primitive models of the double layer to the ITIES was made by Cui et al. [62], who treated the problem via the MPB4 approach and compared their results with experimental data for the more problematic water-DCE interface. This work allowed for the presence of the compact layer, although the potential drop across this layer was imposed, rather than emerging as a self-consistent result of the theory. The expression used to describe the potential distribution across this layer was... 

Reference electrodes of mercury have been used by several investigators in an attempt to measure single electrode potentials. Stastny and Strafelda (5 ) concluded that the zero charge potential of such an electrode in contact with an infinitely dilute aqueous solution is -0.1901V referred to the standard hydrogen electrode. Hall ( ) states that the potential drop across the double layer under these conditions is independent of solution composition when specific adsorption is absent. Daghetti and Trasatti (7, ) have used mercury reference electrodes to study the absolute potential of the fluoride ion-selective electrode and have compared their estimates of ion activities in NaF solutions with those provided by other methods. Their method is based on the assumption that the potential drop across the mercury I solution interface is independent of the electrolyte concentration once the diffuse layer effects are accounted for by the Gouy-Chapman theory. 

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