Discreteness-of-charge effects in electrode kinetics. I. The electroreduction of tetrathionate anion in the presence of specifically adsorbed iodide anions

Abstract

The kinetics of electroreduction of tetrathionate anion have been studied at a Hg electrode in aqueous solutions of Nal + NaF and KI + KF with an ionic strength of 0.25 M. The rate of reaction was observed to decrease as the iodide ion concentration was increased, and when the cation was changed from K+ to Na+ at constant electrode potential. Analysis of the double layer effects on the basis of the Frumkin model results in an overestimation of the repulsive effect of the adsorbed iodide anions. This result is interpreted on the basis of the discreteness-of-charge effect and the possible non-coincidence of the reaction plane and outer Helmholtz plane.