PROCESSES IN HYDROPHILIC CHANNELS OF THE ELECTRODE MODIFIED BY A NAFION FILM

The electrochemical behavior of a Nafion film (NF) is determined by hy drophilic and hydrophobic areas present in it. The redox potentials an d kinetic characteristics of the electrochemically active substance, d icarbolliliron (DCI), which is dissolved in these two areas differ. Th e fact that the reaction occurs in both the hydrophilic and hydrophobi c areas of NF determines the process as a whole. In this work, we empl oyed the NF ability to collect hydrophobic particles in its hydrophobi c area. That is why the hydrophobic part of NF was preliminary filled with a chemically inactive particle, the [(C2H5)(4)N](+) cation. This allowed us to separate the reaction of active DCI dissolved electroche mically, which proceeds only in hydrophilic channels of NE The reactio n kinetics proved to be close to that of the reaction on the NF-free e lectrode. At the same time, evidence is obtained that the probability of the formation of ionic pairs and their participation in the electro de process increases in hydrophilic channels. This may he ascribed to the influence exerted by the low dielectric constant of the fluorocarb on environment in hydrophilic channels.