PULSE POLAROGRAPHY .4. CONTRIBUTION TO THE THEORY OF CATALYTIC CURRENTS

It is shown that the equation for the instantaneous limiting current of a catalytic process in pulse polarography, previously published by us, besides allowing variation of the values of the pulse time t without restrictions, does allow, without computation troubles, to vary the χ=(κ1+κ2)t values without limitation, where κ1 and κ2 are the rate constants of the chemical reactions. On the other hand, the accuracy with which χ can be deduced from our equation is as high that in the limiting case where the delay time is zero (the condition in which pulse polarography is converted into d.c. polarography), our equation may be considered as an alternative way of deriving the corresponding Koutecky equation for d.c. polarography but with the advantage that it is more appropriate for calculation. At the same time, we show that these results are in strong contrast with those corresponding to the Brinkman and Los equation for this process in pulse polarography. © 1979 Elsevier Sequoia S.A.