2ND-ORDER SURFACE PHASE-TRANSITIONS IN ELECTRODE-KINETICS

A theory, based on the Landau-Ginzburg formalism, shows that remarkabl e singularities in currents of electrode charge transfer reactions occ ur near the critical potentials where second-order surface phase trans itions take place. This happens if the fluctuations of the order param eter, which describes the transition, are exponentially coupled to the reaction system via fluctuating tunneling or activation barriers. Cou pling depending on the sign of the order parameter is considered; the corresponding singularities in Arrhenius and Tafel plots for electrode currents are predicted, and the perspectives for their experimental i nvestigation are discussed.