The Mechanism of Electrochemical Discharge (ECD)

Abstract

The paper proposes mechanism of electrochemical discharge ECD based on the results of experiments in stagnant electrolyte cell (SEC). The experiments conducted in SEC have demonstrated that the physical characteristics of ECD, instantaneous current wave form (ICWF) in the cell at the time of discharge and voltage gradient developed near the tip of the discharging electrode are polarity dependant. It has been also observed that the formation of gas-vapour sheath round the tip of electrode is the benchmark leading to the discharge. Hence, an attempt has been made to suggest the polarity dependant ionization processes that can take place in the gas-vapour sheath near the discharging electrode, assuming that the ionic processes taking place at the electrodes in an electrochemical cell do not change at the time of discharge. The emission of electrons can take place from the surface of cathode due to either the field emission or thermionic emission (since the temperature of cathode shoots up in the film boiling regime) or by positive ion impact. The field ionization of gas molecules in the sheath formed around the anode tip can take place leading to tunneling of electrons from neutral gas molecules under the action of high electric field (2-51010V/m) [1] into the surface of the anode.