Evaluation of electrochemical charge-transfer rates by using (real) laplace space analysis: Single potential-step chronoamperometry of hexacyanoferrate(III)/(II) and Europium(III)/(II) couples

Abstract

The one-electron hexacyanoferrate(III)/(II) and europium(III)/(II) redox couples were evaluated by using single-pulse chronoamperometry at a planar glassy carbon electrode (and also a mercury-pool electrode for europium) to test Wijnen's method for calculating heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constants by using (real-axis) Laplace space analysis. The k 0 values obtained for the former couple in potassium or lithium chloride supporting electrolytes agreed well with published constants obtained by diverse real-time techniques. Transfer coefficients (α 0) obtained from (ϖ in k a /ϖη) η=0 for LiCl electrolyte were 0.4–0.5, rather than 0.22 previously reported. The cathodic rate values calculated for europium(III) reduciton (in NaClO 4/HClO 4) on both glassy carbon and mercury agreed very well with each other and with published values obtained by d.c. polarography and faradaic impedance measurements. Owing to several factors, including its ability to utilize virtually any set of recorded i( t) data points, Wijnen's Laplace technique offers an attractive alternative to conventional single-pulse analysis in real-time.