Studies on Alternating Current Electrolysis: I . The Nature of Polarization Capacity and Polarization Resistance

Abstract

The work here reported involves impedance bridge measurements on electrolytic cells subjected to alternating currents. A study of the cleaning and conditioning of platinum electrodes was followed by a study of reversible and irreversible oxidation‐reduction systems. Relationships were sought among the following variables: polarization capacity, polarization resistance, reversibility, frequency, current density, concentration, and redox ratio. It was found that the polarization capacitance is compounded of three different kinds of capacitance: Co, Ch and Cp, and that Cp is a function of the reversibility and the redox ratio. It was also found that the number of coulombs passing per half cycle at the capacitive elevation point is independent of the frequency and of the electrolyte (water was always present).