A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TO THE MODELING OF WAVE-PROPAGATION AT ELECTRODE-ELECTROLYTE INTERFACES

A simple model is developed to describe wave phenomena at electrode/electrolyte interfaces. The electrochemical kinetics include a negative faradaic impedance in order to provide the necessary feedback between the interfacial faradaic current and the local currents flowing in the electrolyte solution. The properties of the model are studied under conditions of fixed current or fixed potential, and in the absence or presence of a supporting electrolyte. Depending on the conditions, the model is shown to give rise to front propagation, pulse propagation, wave trains and spiral waves. The relation with the experimentally reported cases of wave propagation at electrode/electrolyte interfaces is discussed to some extent.