IUPAC > Gold Book > alphabetical index > C > current efficiency
icon


Indexes

current efficiency
If several reactions take place simultaneously at the electrode a partial electrode current density (c.d.) Math - text can be assigned to each reaction. It is given by the stoichiometry of the reaction and by the amount of substance of B reacting (per unit time and per unit electrode area) in the reaction considered. The current efficiency of reaction Math - text, Math - text is defined as the ratio of Math - text to the total c.d.:
Math - e
Note that Math - text may be larger than one if cathodic and anodic reactions take place simultaneously at the same electrode. However, Math - text still gives correctly the product yield, which is the quantity of industrial interest. The product yield is the amount of substance of B produced per unit charge and is equal to Math - ei (in the absence of a chemical reaction which is consecutive to the electrode reaction and which consumes or produces species B). Math - text is the charge number of electrode reaction Math - text. Note that in the case of simultaneous electrode reactions the distribution of the partial c.d. Math - text may be different from that of the total c.d., i.e. the function Math - ei may be different from Math - ei. In electroplating the term 'metal distribution' is sometimes used to designate the distribution Math - text of the partial c.d. for metal deposition.
Source:
PAC, 1981, 53, 1827 (Nomenclature for transport phenomena in electrolytic systems) on page 1836
Interactive Link Maps
First LevelSecond LevelThird Level
GraphGraphGraph
Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A.Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997). XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8. doi:10.1351/goldbook.
DOI of this term: doi:10.1351/goldbook.C01458
Original PDF version (may be out of date): http://www.iupac.org/goldbook/C01458.pdf.
Version for print | History of this term
picture