Single empirical Tafel equation

Tafel equation is an empirical equation, but development of the electrode kinetics allowed dipper understanding of charge transfer processes at electrified interfaces. If reaction (2) is a single step -electron charge transfer a general expression holds [2] ... 

For many years the Tafel equation was viewed as an empirical equation. A theoretical interpretation was proposed only after Eyring, Polanyi and Horiuti developed the transition-state theory for chemical kinetics, in the early 1930s. Since the Tafel equation is one of the most important fundamental equations of electrode kinetics, we shall derive it first for a single-step process and then extend the treatment for multiple consecutive steps. Before we do that, however, we shall review very briefly the derivation of the equations of the transition-state theory of chemical kinetics. 

The controversy that arises owing to the uncertainty of the exact values of and b and their variation with environmental conditions, partial control of the anodic reaction by transport, etc. may be avoided by substituting an empirical constant for (b + b /b b ) in equation 19.1, which is evaluated by the conventional mass-loss method. This approach has been used by Makrides who monitors the polarisation resistance continuously, and then uses a single mass-loss determination at the end of the test to obtain the constant. Once the constant has been determined it can be used throughout the tests, providing that there is no significant change in the nature of the solution that would lead to markedly different values of the Tafel constants. 

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