ELECTROREDUCTION OF BENZYL VIOLOGEN CATIONS, AND NUCLEATION AND GROWTH OF NEUTRAL BENZYL VIOLOGEN SPECIES ON PLATINUM AND MERCURY-ELECTRODES

The electrodeposition of neutral benzyl viologen species (BV0) onto pl atinum and mercury electrodes from aqueous 0.1 M Na2SO4 solutions has been investigated by applying voltammetric and potentiostatic step tec hniques. It was found that the deposition of BV0 molecules occurs thro ugh direct nucleation onto the electrode surface and three-dimensional growth under mass transport control. The steady state nucleation rate was studied as a function of the overpotential, and the numbers of mo lecules in the critical nuclei on the different substrates were obtain ed.