Theoretical and experimental studies of multiple nucleation

The theory of the potentiostatic current transient for three-dimensional multiple nucleation with diffusion controlled growth is discussed. Reliable values of nuclear number densities and nucleation rates are obtained from the analysis of the current maximum, and good agreement is obtained with experimental data for nucleation in several electrochemical systems. The termination of the nucleation process by the expansion of diffusion fields is considered, as well as the deviations from randomness observed in the distribution of nuclei on the electrode surface.