Local Rate of Potentiostatic Nucleation of Zinc on Zirconium Electrode from Alkaline Solution

Abstract

A novel method of calculation of the average local rate A¯ of potentiostatic nucleation within a short time interval at an arbitrary moment of the electrode process has been proposed. This method has been applied to Zn nucleation on a zirconium electrode from zincate electrolyte using the kinetic model developed by Scharifker and Mostany (J. Electroanal. Chem., 177, 13 (1984)). An increase of A¯ during the nucleation period has been explained by activation of the oxidized electrode surface, while a decrease of A¯ can be caused by consumption of more active centers of the electrode. We assume that formation of new active nucleation centers is caused by the stage of reduction of the surface Zr oxides.