Numerical solution of coupled systems of ordinary and partial differentialequations. Application to the study of electrochemical insertion reactionsby linear sweep voltammetry

Modelling of some electrochemical reactions leads to systems combining ordi nary differential equations (ODE) and partial differential equations (PDE). Using the Laplace transform method, the mass-transfer equations can be sol ved for thin-layer materials to give theoretical expressions for the relate d transfer functions containing terms such as tanh root taus / root taus or coth root taus / root taus or a combination of these terms, depending on t he mass-transfer boundary conditions. Using transfer functions makes it pos sible to transform the PDEs into systems of ODEs of infinite size which can be solved numerically after truncation. This method is used here to study electrochemical insertion reactions in thin films of host materials by line ar sweep voltammetry (LSV). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reser ved.