510 likes | 1.04k Views
Chemistry 232. Electrochemistry Notes. Electrochemical Cells. Galvanic cells – an electrochemical cell that drives electrons through an external circuit spontaneous redox reaction occurring inside cell. . The Zn/Cu Galvanic Cell half-reactions
E N D
Chemistry 232 Electrochemistry Notes
Electrochemical Cells • Galvanic cells – • an electrochemical cell that drives electrons through an external circuit • spontaneous redox reaction occurring inside cell. • The Zn/Cu Galvanic Cell • half-reactions Cu2+ (aq) + 2 e- Cu (s) (cathode, RHS) Zn2+ (aq) + 2 e- Zn (s) (anode, LHS)
A Schematic Galvanic Cell e- Porous Disk e- e- Reducing Agent Oxidizing Agent Anode Cathode
The Zinc/Copper galvanic cell. 1.10 V e- e- Porous Disk or Salt Bridge Cu(s) Zn(s) e- e- a(Zn2+) = 1.00 a(Cu2+) = 1.00 Anode Cathode
Cell Reactions • The difference in the RHS and the LHS reaction Cu2+ (aq) + Zn (s) Cu (s) + Zn2+ (aq) • For each half reaction, we can write the reaction quotient as follows Cu2+ (aq) + 2 e- Cu (s) Q = 1/ a(Cu2+) Zn2+ (aq) + 2 e- Zn (s) Q = 1/ a(Zn2+) Overall Qcell = a(Zn2+) / a(Cu2+)
Pt Cu (s) Cu2+ (aq) Zn2+ (aq) Zn (s) Pt Note phase boundary liquid junction salt bridges Cell Diagrams • A shorthand way of expressing what takes place in an electrochemical cell. • For the above electrochemical cell.
Pt H2 (g) H+ (aq) Cu2+ (aq) Cu (s) Pt Another Example • The cell reaction H2 (g) + Cu2+ (aq) 2 H+ (aq) + Cu (s) • Electrochemical cells • a cell that has not reached equilibrium can do electrical work by driving electrons through an external wire.
Reversible Electrochemical Cells • In order for us to make measurements on an electrochemical cell, it must be operating reversibly. • Place an opposing source of potential in the external circuit • Cell operates reversibly and at a constant composition. we,max = G
The Measurement of Cell Potentials • Measure the potential of an electrochemical cell when the cell is at equilibrium, i.e., the state between the galvanic and the electrolytic cell. Counter potential (load) e- Porous Disk e- e- Reducing Agent Oxidizing Agent Anode Cathode
Derivation of the Nernst Equation • Consider an electrochemical cell that approaches the equilibrium state by an infinitesimal amount d Reminder
The Work in Transporting Charge • The maximum work • For the passage d electrons from the anode (LHS) to the cathode (RHS) F = Faraday’s constant = e NA = 96485 C/mole
The Cell Potential • The work to transport charge
Standard Cell Potentials • From the reaction Gibbs energy We define
The Nernst Equation • E represents the standard cell potential, the potential of the cell when all cell components are under standard conditions. • f (all gases) = 1 • a (solutes) = 1 • T = 298.15 K • P = 1.00 bar pressure
Cells at Equilibrium • When the electrochemical cell has reached equilibrium Kcell = the equilibrium constant for the cell reaction. Knowing the E° value for the cell, we can estimate the equilibrium constant for the cell reaction.
Pt Sn2+ (aq), Sn4+ (aq) Fe3+ (aq) Fe2+ (aq) Pt Equilibrium Constant Calculations from Cell Potentials • Examine the following cell. • Half-cell reactions. Sn4+ (aq) + 2 e- Sn2+ (aq) E(Sn4+/Sn2+) = 0.15 V Fe3+ (aq) + e- Fe2+ (aq) E (Fe3+/Fe2+) = 0.771 V • Cell Reaction Sn2+ (aq) + 2 Fe3+ (aq) Sn4+ (aq) + 2 Fe2+ (aq) Ecell = (0.771 - 0.15 V) = 0.62 V
Standard Reduction Potentials • Standard reduction potentials are intensive properties. • We cannot measure the potential of an individual half-cell! • We assign a particular cell as being our reference cell • Assign values to other electrodes on that basis.
The Standard Hydrogen Electrode • Eo (H+/H2) half-cell = 0.000 V e- f{H2(g)} = 1.00 H2 (g) a (H+) = 1.00 Pt gauze
A Galvanic Cell With Zinc and the Standard Hydrogen Electrode. 0.763 V e- e- Porous Disk or Salt Bridge Zn(s) H2 (g) Pt gauze a (H+) = 1.00 a(Zn2+) = 1.00 Source of H+ (e.g., HCl (aq), H2SO4 (aq)) Zn2+, SO42- Anode Cathode
Pt Zn (s) Zn2+ (aq),a=1 H+ (aq), a=1 H2 (g), f=1 Pt The Cell Equation for the Zinc-Standard Hydrogen Electrode. • The cell reaction 2 H+ (aq) + Zn (s) H2 (g) + Zn2+ (aq) • When we measure the potential of this cell Ecell = ERHS - ELHS but ERHS = E(H+/H2) = 0.000 V Ecell = E(Zn2+/Zn) = 0.763 V
The Spontaneous Direction of a Cell Reaction • Examine the magnitude the of the standard cell potential! • If the standard cell potential is positive, the rG is negative!
The Composition Dependence of the Cell Potential • Nonstandard cell potential (Ecell) will be a function of the activities of the species in the cell reaction. • To calculate Ecell, we must know the cell reaction and the value of Qcell.
Pt H2 (g) H+ (aq) Cu2+ (aq) Cu (s) Pt Example • For the following system • Calculate the value of the cell potential when the f (H2) = 0.50, a(Cu2+) = 0.20, and a(H+) = 0.40.
Concentration Cells • Electrolyte concentration cell • the electrodes are identical; they simply differ in the concentration of electrolyte in the half-cells.
Concentration Cells (II) • Electrode concentration cells • the electrodes themselves have different compositions. This may be due to. • Different fugacities of gases involved in electrode reactions (e.g., The H+ (aq)/H2 (g) electrode). • Different compositions of metal amalgams in electrode materials.
Applications of Electrochemistry • Measurement of activities and activity coefficients. • Electrochemical series. • Equilibrium constants and thermodynamic functions of cell reactions
Pt H2 (g) HCl (aq) AgCl (s) Ag (s) Pt Obtaining Standard Cell Potentials • Look at the following cell Ecell = E(AgCl/Ag) - E (H+/H2) = E(AgCl/Ag)
Ecell Values and Activity Coefficients • In dilute solution, using the DHLL Plot LHS vs. m1/2 • Once Ecell is known, we can obtain experimental estimates of the mean activity coefficients.
Electrochemical Series • Look at the following series of reactions Cu2+ (aq) + 2 e- Cu (s) E(Cu2+/Cu) = 0.337 V Zn2+ (aq) + 2 e- Zn (s) E(Zn2+/Zn) = -0.763 V • Zn has a thermodynamic tendency to reduce Cu2+ (aq) Pb2+ (aq) + 2 e- Pb (s) E(Pb2+/Pb) = -0.13 V Fe2+ (aq) + 2 e- Fe (s) E(-Fe2+/Fe) = -0.44 V • Fe has a thermodynamic tendency to reduce Pb2+ (aq)
Thermodynamic Information • Note • And
Entropy Changes • To obtain the entropy change for the cell reaction
Enthalpy Changes • To obtain the enthalpy change for the cell reaction
The Liquid Junction Potential • Examine the following electrochemical cell • Activity difference of the HCl between compartment 1 and compartment 2 • There should be a transport of matter from one cell compartment to the other!
A Concentration Cell 0.0592V e- e- Porous Disk or Salt Bridge Ag(s) Ag(s) a(Cl-) = 0.010 a (Cl -) = 0.0010 Left Right
HCl (a2) HCl (a1) Ag/AgCl electrode The Development of Liquid Junction Potentials • The cell compartments are identical except for the activities of the electrolyte solutions.
H+ Cl- Ag/AgCl electrode • Note that we now have the migration of both cations and anions through the liquid junction.
----------- + + + + + - - - - - Ag/AgCl electrode • After a period of time
Ag AgCl Cl- (aq) a1Cl- (aq), a2AgCl (s) Ag (s) Note: liquid junction • Choose the lower compartment as our LHS electrode. • For the passage of one mole of charge through the cell -F Ecell = GJ
The Cell Reactions • For the LHS and RHS electrodes AgCl (s) + e- Ag (s) + Cl- (a1) LHS AgCl (s) + e- Ag (s) + Cl- (a2) RHS • Net change Cl- (a1) Cl- (a2) • Note that the charge at the interface is transported by the anions and cations in the cell reaction!
The Transport Numbers • How is the charge carried at the interface of the cells? • t+ moles of charge carried by the H+ (cation). • t- moles of charge carried by the Cl- (anion). • Passage of one mole of “+” charge through the interface • requires the passage of t+ moles of H+ (aq)from the LHS RHS, and the passage of t- mole of Cl- charge from the RHS LHS.
At the boundary t+ H+(a1) + t- Cl-(a2) t+ H+(a2) + t- Cl-(a1) • For the entire cell Cl- (a1) t+ H+(a1) + t- Cl-(a2) Cl- (a2) t+ H+(a2) + t- Cl-(a1) • The cell reaction involves the transport of t+ moles of HCl from the LHS to the RHs of the cell.
The Gibbs Energy Changes • For the above cell reaction, we can write the Gibbs energy expressions as follows
Cells With Transference • Note a(H+) a (Cl-) = {a (HCl)}2 Note that the cell potential with transference, Ewt is determined as follows
Cells without Transference • What if we were able to set up a cell so that the transport at the interface did not contribute to the overall G? • The potential of this cell would be the cell potential without transference, Ewot. Cl- (a1) Cl- (a2)
The Liquid Junction Potential • The liquid junction potential is the difference in the cell potentials with and without transference!
L.J. Potentials Depend on Transport Numbers • What is the following were true? • t+ t- 0.5 ELJ would be very small and would only make a small contribution to the overall cell potential !
L.J. Potentials Depend on Transport Numbers • ELJ a potential problem any time we measure the cell potential whose electrodes have different electrolytes • How does the salt bridge help? • e.g., for species with t+ t- 0.5, the ELJ values are small and are readily established!