Solid-electrolyte interface, advances

Transport phenomena during anodization were also studied by Mackintosh and Brown " In AljOj the halogens and alkah metals moved into the specimen, the former ones to greater, the latter ones to lesser depth than implanted rare gases. Ag, Ba, Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, In, Mn, Ni, Sr, Tl, Sb and V moved outwards. In elemental A1 the alkali and alkaline earth metals moved towards the solid-electrolyte interface, The remaining metals moved partly with the advancing oxide front outwards into the growing oxide. Fowler et al. implanted Bi, Sn, Pb, Tl, Ce, Kr, Ag, Cr,... 

Figure 5.2 Tafel plots of In k versus overpotential for a mixed self-assembled monolayer containing HS(CH2)i600C-ferrocene and HS(CH2)isCH3 in 1.0 M HCIO4 at three different temperatures V, 1 °C O/ 25 °C , 47°C. The solid lines are the predictions of the Marcus theory for a standard heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant of 1.25 s-1 at 25 °C, and a reorganization energy of 0.85 eV (= 54.8 kj moh1). Reprinted with permission from C. E. D Chidsey, Free energy and temperature dependence of electron transfer at the metal-electrolyte interface, Science, 251, 919-922 (1991). Copyright (1991) American Association for the Advancement of Science...

In topochemical reactions all steps, including that of nucleation of the new phase, occur exclusively at the interface between two solid phases, one being the reactant and the other the product. As the reaction proceeds, this interface gradually advances in the direction of the reactant. In electrochemical systems, topochemical reactions are possible only when the reactant or product is porous enough to enable access of reacting species from the solution to each reaction site. The number of examples electrochemical reactions known to follow a truly topochemical mechanism is very limited. One of these examples are the reactions occurring at the silver (positive) electrode of silver-zinc storage batteries (with alkaline electrolyte) ... 

With the advances in AFM, especially the optical beam deflection method in the repulsive-force regime, the AFM study of solid surfaces under an electrolyte becomes practical. Atomic resolution with AFM at a liquid-solid interface has been routinely achieved (Manne et al., 1990, 1991). A typical fluid cell for the AFM study of electrochemistry is shown in Fig. 15.10. The top of the cell is made of glass to allow light to go in and out. 

At the beginning, the electric double layer at the solid-aqueous electrolyte solution interface was characterized by the measurements of the electrokinetic potential and stability of dispersed systems. Later, the investigations were supported by potentiometric titration of the suspension, adsorption and calorimetric measurements [2]. Now, much valuable information on the mechanism of the ion adsorption can be obtained by advanced spectroscopic methods (especially infrared ATR and diffuse spectroscopy) [3], Mosbauer spectroscopy [4] and X-ray spectroscopy [5]. Some data concerning the interface potential were obtained with MOSFET [6], and AFM [7]. An enthalpy of the reaction of the metal oxide-solution systems can be obtained by... 

Although one of the more complex electrochemical techniques [1], cyclic voltammetry is very frequently used because it offers a wealth of experimental information and insights into both the kinetic and thermodynamic details of many chemical systems [2], Excellent review articles [3] and textbooks partially [4] or entirely [2, 5] dedicated to the fundamental aspects and apphcations of cyclic voltammetry have appeared. Because of significant advances in the theoretical understanding of the technique today, even complex chemical systems such as electrodes modified with film or particulate deposits may be studied quantitatively by cyclic voltammetry. In early electrochemical work, measurements were usually undertaken under equilibrium conditions (potentiometry) [6] where extremely accurate measurements of thermodynamic properties are possible. However, it was soon realised that the time dependence of signals can provide useful kinetic data [7]. Many early voltammet-ric studies were conducted on solid electrodes made from metals such as gold or platinum. However, the complexity of the chemical processes at the interface between solid metals and aqueous electrolytes inhibited the rapid development of novel transient methods. 

Abstract Recent advances in molecular modeling provide significant insight into electrolyte electrochemical and transport properties. The first part of the chapter discusses applications of quantum chemistry methods to determine electrolyte oxidative stability and oxidation-induced decomposition reactions. A link between the oxidation stability of model electrolyte clusters and the kinetics of oxidation reactions is established and compared with the results of linear sweep voltammetry measurements. The second part of the chapter focuses on applying molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory to predict the structural and transport properties of liquid electrolytes and solid elecfiolyte interphase (SEI) model compounds the free energy profiles for Uthium desolvation from electrolytes and the behavior of electrolytes at charged electrodes and the electrolyte-SEl interface. 

---