Electrical Double Layer Structure in Surface-Inactive Electrolytes on a Liquid Cd–Ga Electrode in Methanol and Propylene Carbonate

Abstract

Differential capacitance curves and potentials of zero charge are obtained for liquid Cd–Ga electrodes in methanol and propylene carbonate solutions of a surface-inactive electrolyte. It is found that double-layer characteristics of the Cd–Ga electrode differ from those of a Ga electrode both in nonaqueous solutions and in water. The lyophilic nature of the Cd–Ga electrode, relative to methanol and propylene carbonate, is shown to approach that of the In–Ga electrode. In the absence of a metal–solvent chemisorption interaction, the difference between reciprocal “metallic” capacitances for Cd–Ga and Hg electrodes is independent of the solvent nature. The chemisorption interaction between the solvents and Cd–Ga, Ga, and In–Ga electrodes increases with the solvents' donor number.