Nucleation and Growth of New Phases on Electrode Surfaces

Nucleation theory, based on Gibbs thermodynamics statements, uses the macroscopic properties characteristic of bulk phases. The nature of the active sites, the dispersion of their activities, and the dependence of nucleation rates on the state of the surface remain matters that have been minimally explored. For 3D nucleation with diffusion-controlled growth (3DDC), an interesting alternative approach to the problem of surface heterogeneities has been proposed and a suitable model was developed. Studies on the electrochemical formation of new phases on electrode surfaces has been built upon fundamental concepts of the equilibrium of heterogeneous systems, statistical and irreversible thermodynamics, the equilibrium structure of surfaces, interfacial and atomic bonding energies, crystal growth, chemical kinetics, mass transfer, stochastic processes, and statistical geometry.