Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Vol.460, No.1-2, 149-159, 1999
Simultaneous ion transfer across the microhole ITIES: An example of ternary electrodiffusion
Ternary electrodiffusion at the immiscible liquid\liquid interface (ITIES) is considered in the case where a univalent cation is transferring from the water to the organic phase through a microhole, and simultaneously a univalent anion is transferring in the opposite direction. The process is assumed to take place at steady-state. If the separation between the formal transfer potentials of these ions is large enough, a limiting current corresponding to the electrodiffusion of the ion with the lower formal transfer potential is observed. Thereafter, the current begins to rise again as a linear function of the cell potential because the Galvani potential across the interface has reached its limiting value and the potential is expended in the form of ohmic loss in the diffusion boundary layers. The Galvani potential across the interface cannot overcome the average value of the formal transfer potentials due to the electroneutrality condition. The present case is analogous to a redox reaction at the ultramicroelectrode with sign reversal (K.B. Oldham, J. Electroanal. Chem. 337 (1992) 91) but no suitable experimental system has yet been found with which to test this prediction. Experiments without supporting electrolytes seem to have only little value in quantitative analysis of ion transfer.