Edge effects in an electrochemical reaction: HCOOH oxidation on a Pt ribbon

Abstract

The use of a ribbon-shaped Pt electrode gives rise to edge effects of the interfacial potential, as is predicted from the potential theory in the form of the corresponding reaction-migration equation. They are studied in the bistable region of formic acid oxidation. Essentially, the edges tend to be more passive than the bulk of the electrode, which also causes a passivation (activation) transition to originate from the edges (center) of the ribbon. The experimental results are in agreement with simulations of the reaction-migration system. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.