Interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions

Voltammetry at the Interface Between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions 

The electrodes used in conventional polarography and voltammetry are electronic conductors such as metals, carbons or semiconductors. In an electrode reaction, an electron transfer occurs at the electrode/solution interface. Recently, however, it has become possible to measure both ion transfer and electron transfer at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) by means of polarography and voltammetry [16]. Typical examples of the immiscible liquid-liquid interface are water/nitrobenzene (NB) and water/l,2-dichloroethane (DCE). 

An example of electron transfer at ITIES can be obtained if NB contains ferrocene (Fc) and water contains [Fe(CN)6]3. The reaction at the interface is 

the half-wave potential for the electron transfer polarogram can be correlated with the fonnal potentials of the redox couples, [Fe(CN)6]3-/[Fe(CN)6] t in water and Fc+/Fc in NB. 

Extensive studies have been carried out concerning ion transfers, electron transfers and combinations of ion and electron transfers at liquid-liquid interfaces. Po-larography and voltammetry at liquid-liquid interfaces are of analytical importance, because they are applicable to ionic species that are neither reducible nor oxidizable at conventional electrodes. They are also usefid in studying charge-transfer processes at liquid-liquid interfaces or at membranes solvent extractions, phase transfer catalyses, ion transport at biological membranes, etc. are included among such processes. 

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An interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) is formed between two liqnid solvents of a low mutual miscibility (typically, <1% by weight), each containing an electrolyte. One of these solvents is usually water and the other one is a polar organic solvent of a moderate or high relative dielectric constant (permittivity). The latter requirement is a condition for at least partial dissociation of dissolved electrolyte(s) into ions, which thus can ensure the electric conductivity of the liquid phase. A list of the solvents commonly used in electrochemical measurements at ITIES is given in Table 32.1. 

ITIES interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions... 

A. R. Brown. Photoelectrochemical Processes at the Interface Between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions. PhD Thesis, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, 1992. 

The structure of the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) has been the matter of considerable interest since the beginning of the last century [1], Typically, such a system consists of water (w) and an organic solvent (o) immiscible with it, each containing an electrolyte. Much information about the ITIES has been gained by application of techniques that involve measurements of the macroscopic properties, such as surface tension or differential capacity. The analysis of these properties in terms of various microscopic models has allowed us to draw some conclusions about the distribution and orientation of ions and neutral molecules at the ITIES. The purpose of the present chapter is to summarize the key results in this field. 

In particular, the coupling between the ion transfer and ion adsorption process has serious consequences for the evaluation of the differential capacity or the kinetic parameters from the impedance data [55]. This is the case, e.g., of the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions each containing a transferable ion, which adsorbs specifically on both sides of the interface. In general, the separation of the real and the imaginary terms in the complex impedance of such an ITIES is not straightforward, and the interpretation of the impedance in terms of the Randles-type equivalent circuit is not appropriate [54]. More transparent expressions are obtained when the effect of either the potential difference or the ion concentration on the specific ion adsorption is negli-... 

ITIES interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions K tautomeric equilibrium constant between the zwitterionic and the neutral forms of a compound... 

V. Gobry, F. Re5miond and H. H. Girault, Refinment of Ionic Partition Diagrams and Determination of Partition Coefficients of Multiprotic Compounds by Electrochemistry at the Interface between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions, submitted. 

Potential differences at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) are typical Galvani potential differences and cannot be measured directly. However, their existence follows from the properties of the electrical double layer at the ITIES (Section 4.5.3) and from the kinetics of charge transfer across the ITIES (Section 5.3.2). By means of potential differences at the ITIES or at the aqueous electrolyte-solid electrolyte phase boundary (Eq. 3.1.23), the phenomena occurring at the membranes of ion-selective electrodes (Section 6.3) can be explained. 

Electrical double layers are also characteristic of the semiconductor-electrolyte solution, solid electrolyte or insulator-electrolyte solution interface and for the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) (Section 4.5). 

For semiconductor electrodes and also for the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES), the greatest part of the potential difference between the two phases is represented by the potentials of the diffuse electric layers in the two phases (see Eq. 4.5.18). The rate of the charge transfer across the compact part of the double layer then depends very little on the overall potential difference. The potential dependence of the charge transfer rate is connected with the change in concentration of the transferred species at the boundary resulting from the potentials in the diffuse layers (Eq. 4.3.5), which, of course, depend on the overall potential difference between the two phases. In the case of simple ion transfer across ITIES, the process is very rapid being, in fact, a sort of diffusion accompanied with a resolvation in the recipient phase. 

Z. Samec, E. Samcova, and H.H. Girault, Ion amperometry at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions in view of realizing the amperometric ion-selective electrode. Talcmta 63, 21—32 (2004). 

This definition requires some explanation. (1) By interface we denote those regions of the two adjoining phases whose properties differ significantly from those of the bulk. These interfacial regions can be quite extended, particularly in those cases where a metal or semiconducting electrode is covered by a thin film. Sometimes the term interphase is used to indicate the spatial extention. (2) It would have been more natural to restrict the definition to the interface between an electronic and an ionic conductor only, and, indeed, this is generally what we mean by the term electrochemical interface. However, the study of the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions is so similar that it is natural to include it under the scope of electrochemistry. 

The previous chapters dealt with ISE systems at zero current, i.e. at equilibrium or steady-state. The properties of the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES), described in sections 2.4 and 2.5, will now be used to describe a dynamic method based on the passage of electrical current across ITIES. Voltammetry at ITIES (for a survey see [3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,18]) is an inverse analogue of potentiometry with liquid-membrane ISEs and thus forms a suitable conclusion to this book. 

By using the electrolysis at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions, Marecek and Samec determined acetylcholine by a differential pulse stripping voltammetric method [23],... 

Nevertheless, an important application of electrostatic models is to the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions. This can be viewed as two electrolyte double layers arranged back to back. In reality, however, total immiscibility never occurs and the degree of miscibility increases with the presence of electrolyte, so that corrections to the models need to be introduced. 

Electroinactive species — Ions and neutral compounds that show no signal in electrochemical measurements. In this sense, -> supporting electrolyte ions are electroinactive at least in the potential window. However, note that whether a species is electroactive or not should depend on the electrode used and measurement conditions. For example, tetramethylammonium ion is electroinactive at conventional electrodes, but electroactive at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions, where it gives a voltammetric wave for transfer across the interface. 

For the potential difference at the interface of two immiscible liquids see -> Interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions. 

ET reactions at the polarizable - interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) have been studied by cyclic voltammetry [ii], AC impedance [iii], and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) [iv]. A simple method was introduced that allows evaluation of the ET rates at the interface between the thin film of an organic solvent and the aqueous electrolyte solution [v]. 

Four-electrode system — For electrochemical measurements with the -> interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (or the oil/water interface), the four-electrode system is used. In potentiostatic measurements such as cyclic voltammetry, two reference elec-... 

See also - electrode surface area, -> Gibbs-Lippmann equation, - interfacial tension, -> interface between two liquid solvents, -> interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions -> Lippmann capillary electrometer, -> Lippmann equation -> surface, -> surface analytical methods, - surface stress. 

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