Application of the A.C. Admittance Technique to Double Layer Studies on Polycrystalline Gold Electrodes

Abstract

A detailed examination of the dependence of the a.c. admittance of a cell containing a polycrystalline gold electrode has been made in the double layer region as a function of d.c. potential, a.c. frequency and electrode history. It is shown that the interfacial impedance of a gold electrode with a carefully prepared surface can be treated under these circumstances as a constant phase element when it is in contact with an aqueous solution containing 0.05 M KClO4. Analysis of the frequency dependence of the cell impedance gives the surface inhomogeneity parameter n which tums out to be very close to unity. Although the electrode surface is only slightly inhomogeneous on a microscopic scale, a very large frequency dispersion of the impedance is observed experimentally. A method of estimating the true specific capacity of the electrode is presented, and conditions for carrying out the experiments in a reproducible manner discussed. double layer at gold/solution interface, a.c. admittance techniques, constant phase element model.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 24, 1992
Accession Number
ADA247108

Entities

People

  • Arthur J. Motheo
  • Colby A. Foss Jr.
  • William Ronald Fawcett
  • Zuzana Kovacova

Organizations

  • University of California, Davis

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aqueous Solutions
  • California
  • Capacitance
  • Cells
  • Chemistry
  • Dispersions
  • Electrochemical Cells
  • Electrodes
  • Elements
  • Impedance
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Resistance
  • Surface Properties
  • Surface Roughness
  • United States
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Microwave Engineering.
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.