Oxygen isotope exchange over a Pt electrode in a cell with solid oxide electrolyte

Abstract

Studies of homomolecular oxygen exchange over a Pt electrode in an electrochemical cell $$^{16} O_2 + ^{18} O_2 ,{\text{ }}Pt\left| {ZrO_2 {\text{ }}(10{\text{ }}mol.\% {\text{ }}Y_2 O_3 )} \right|Pt,{\text{ }}air$$ show that an electric current passing through the cell (a flow of O2− anions through the electrolyte) does not change the rate of exchange with respect to its open circuit value. This fact indicates that passing electric current does not affect the bond strength of oxygen adsorbed on the Pt electrode. This suggests that the present concept about the nature of the non-Faradaic electrochemical modification of catalytic activity [1] is to be specified.