Chemical Engineering Science, Vol.56, No.8, 2695-2702, 2001
Effectiveness factors in an electrochemical reactor with rotating cylinder electrode for the acid-cupric/copper cathode interface process
An expression for the global electrochemical deposition rate of copper in a rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) was developed through the effectiveness factor. The effectiveness factor of an electrochemical interface process, calculated using the Damkohler number, leads to identify the competition between intrinsic reaction (charge transfer) and bulk mass transport. The charge transfer constant was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the specific mass transfer coefficients were determined by electrolysis at controlled potential. Catalytic effectiveness factors were found between 0.08 and 0.22 establishing that the mass transport of Cu (II) ion controls the global electrochemical process at an imposed electrolysis potential of - 0.9 V vs. SSE in turbulent flow.