【正文】
at rates much greater than we require. The role of the slight overpotential is to unbalance the rates in the two directions to a small degree so that one of them predominates. ? On the other hand, if we ask for a current that exceeds the exchange current, the job is much harder. We have to drive the system to deliver charge at the required rate, and we can only do that by applying a significant overpotential. ? From this perspective, we see that the exchange current is a measure of any system39。 ? In a typical chemical system, the free energies of activation are in the range of a few electron volts, but the full range of measurable kiics usually corresponds to a change in activation energy of only 50200 meV, or a few percent of the total. Towards a Sustainable Energy Future Exchange current At zero current At equilibrium, the bulk concentrations of О and R are found also at the surface Towards a Sustainable Energy Future Exchange current Exchange current density Towards a Sustainable Energy Future The currentoverpotential Equation Currentoverpotential Equation Towards a Sustainable Energy Future Towards a Sustainable Energy Future The currentoverpotential Equation ? The solid curv