Inner, outer, and surface potentials

Electrochemical interfaces are sometimes referred to as electrified interfaces, meaning that potential differences, charge densities, dipole moments, and electric currents occur. It is obviously important to have a precise definition of the electrostatic potential of a phase. There are two different concepts. The outer or Volta potential ij)a of the phase a is the work required to bring a unit point charge from infinity to a point just outside the surface of the phase. By just outside we mean a position very close to the surface, but so fax away that the image interaction with the phase can be ignored in practice, that means a distance of about 10 5 — 10 3 cm from the surface. Obviously, the outer potential i/ a U a measurable quantity. 

In contrast, the inner or Galvani potential (f a is defined as the work required to bring a unit point charge from infinity to a point inside the phase a so this is the electrostatic potential which is actually 

The inner and outer potential differ by the surface potential Xa — (fa — ipa- This is caused by an inhomogeneous charge distribution at the surface. At a metal surface the positive charge resides on the ions which sit at particular lattice sites, while the electronic density decays over a distance of about 1 A from its bulk value to zero (see Fig. 2.1). The resulting dipole potential is of the order of a few volts and is thus by no means negligible. Smaller surface potentials exist at the surfaces of polar liquids such as water, whose molecules have a dipole moment. Intermolecular interactions often lead to a small net orientation of the dipoles at the liquid surface, which gives rise to a corresponding dipole potential. 

The inner potential fa is a bulk property. Even though it cannot be measured, it is still a useful concept, particularly for model calculations. Differences in the inner potential of two phases can be measured, if they have the same chemical composition. The surface potential a is a surface property, and may hence differ at different surfaces of a 

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