2 - Electrochemistry—Concepts and methodologies

Abstract

Electrochemistry is a truly multidisciplinary discipline with applications in a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological domains. Electrochemical reactions are chemical reactions that produce electrical currents and chemical reactions that are triggered by the flow of electricity. The movement of electrons from the reductant to the oxidant species, as seen above, is known as a redox reaction (oxidation-reduction). The interchange of electrons creates a pathway for converting electrical energy to chemical energy or vice versa. This chapter covers a variety of topics, including electrochemical cells, processes, equations and mechanism of charge transfer. Organic synthesis as well as the electrodeposition of homogenous and nanostructured surfaces are covered by electrosynthesis. Electroanalytical chemistry in the traditional sense of analyte detection as well as investigating mechanistic information about electroactive species’ oxidation/reduction reactions. The potential or charge acts as analytical signal in an electrochemical cell, electrochemical techniques are employed. The chapter includes two types of electrochemical techniques: (i) bulk and (ii) interfacial techniques. Further, the method of electrogravimetry is included in this chapter that usually quantitatively electroplated platinum metal on to electrode.