Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Electrochemical Systems01:24

Electrochemical Systems

Electrochemical systems provide a fascinating insight into the dynamic interplay of charged species within various phases. One notable example is the interaction between a membrane permeable to K⁺ ions but not to Cl⁻ ions, separating an aqueous KCl solution from pure water. As K⁺ ions diffuse through the membrane, they generate net charges on each phase, leading to a potential difference between them.Similarly, when a piece of Zn is immersed in an aqueous ZnSO₄ solution, the Zn metal, composed...
The Electrical Double Layer01:30

The Electrical Double Layer

In the region where two bulk phases meet, an intricate electric charge distribution arises due to charge transfer, ion adsorption, molecular orientation, and charge distortion. This complex distribution is commonly referred to as the electrical double layer.When a solid electrode interfaces with ions in an electrolyte solution, the speed of electron transfer dictates the rates of oxidation and reduction. The electrode acquires a charge through the escape of atoms into the solution as cations or...
Interfacial Electrochemical Methods: Overview01:06

Interfacial Electrochemical Methods: Overview

Interfacial electrochemical methods focus on the phenomena occurring at the boundary between an electrode and a solution, as opposed to bulk methods that concentrate on the solution's overall properties. These interfacial methods are classified as either static or dynamic based on the presence of a nonzero current in the electrochemical cell and the consistency of analyte concentrations. Static methods, such as potentiometry, measure the cell's potential without any significant current passing...
Processes at Electrodes01:30

Processes at Electrodes

The electrode interacts with ions in the electrolyte solution at its interface. The rate of oxidation and reduction depends on the speed at which electrons can transfer through this interface. As ions attach to or leave the electrode surface, the electrode acquires a charge, and an electrical potential forms across the interface, making the process more difficult to reach equilibrium. The charge on the electrode affects the local ion concentrations in the solution, though thermal motion...
Theory of Strong Electrolytes01:23

Theory of Strong Electrolytes

The interionic forces of the strong electrolytes depend on the solvent's dielectric constant, which is the ability of a solvent to store electrical energy, based on its polarizability. and the solution's concentration. In high-dielectric solvents and in dilute solutions, weak electrostatic forces keep ions apart. However, in low-dielectric solvents or concentrated solutions, stronger interionic forces may cause ions to pair up as ionic doublets despite being fully ionized. The theory of strong...
Solubility Equilibria: Ionic Product of Water01:16

Solubility Equilibria: Ionic Product of Water

Pure water is a weak electrolyte; only a small amount ionizes into hydrogen and hydroxide ions. At any given temperature, the concentration of undissociated water is almost constant, so the ionic product of water is the product of the hydrogen and hydroxide ion concentrations, denoted as Kw. The square root of Kw gives the individual ion concentrations.
The ionic product of water varies with temperature, and its value is 1.0 x 10−14 at standard experimental conditions. Per Le Chatelier's...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Modeling interfacial electron transfer using path integral molecular dynamics.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026
Same author

Bringing the 4Ms Home: Elevating the Role of Nonmedical Home Care in Age-Friendly Health Systems.

Journal of gerontological nursing·2025
Same author

Transport of Delocalized Excitons through DNA-Based Molecular Photonic Wires.

ACS nano·2025
Same author

Genome topology analysis and transcriptomics of human osteoclasts reveals enhancer-promoter interactions at loci for bone traits and diseases.

JBMR plus·2025
Same author

Evaluating antibiosis resistance to cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L., 1758) in vegetable brassicas (Brassica oleracea L.) and related C-genome brassica species.

Pest management science·2025
Same author

Competitive Carbonate Binding Hinders Electrochemical CO<sub>2</sub> Reduction to CO on Cu Surfaces at Low Overpotentials.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2025
Same journal

Ambient stability and surface adhesion of 2D polyaramid nanofilms.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

Spiers Memorial Lecture: Spin-mediated promotion of magnetic metal catalysts.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

Helium spin-echo as a surface-sensitive probe of vibrational energy dissipation.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

Near-infrared vibrational second harmonic generation: a new nonlinear interfacial vibrational spectroscopy.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

CO on a Rh/Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> single-atom catalyst: high-resolution infrared spectroscopy and near-ambient-pressure scanning tunnelling microscopy.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same journal

Evolution of size-selected Pt cluster catalysts on prototypical oxide supports.

Faraday discussions·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
10:52

Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics

Published on: April 12, 2019

Water at an electrochemical interface--a simulation study.

Adam P Willard1, Stewart K Reed, Paul A Madden

  • 1Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.

Faraday Discussions
|February 21, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that water strongly orders at metal electrode surfaces, influencing ion behavior and deviating from continuum models. This atomistic view is crucial for understanding electrochemical reactions.

More Related Videos

Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy
10:28

Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy

Published on: May 27, 2018

Precise Electrochemical Sizing of Individual Electro-Inactive Particles
05:03

Precise Electrochemical Sizing of Individual Electro-Inactive Particles

Published on: August 4, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
10:52

Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics

Published on: April 12, 2019

Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy
10:28

Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy

Published on: May 27, 2018

Precise Electrochemical Sizing of Individual Electro-Inactive Particles
05:03

Precise Electrochemical Sizing of Individual Electro-Inactive Particles

Published on: August 4, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Physical Chemistry
  • Computational Chemistry
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Electrochemical interfaces are critical in many chemical processes.
  • Continuum models often simplify the complex behavior of water and ions near electrode surfaces.
  • Understanding atomistic interactions is key to accurate electrochemical predictions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structure and dynamics of water and ions at a model electrochemical interface using molecular dynamics.
  • To compare simulation results with predictions from continuum theories.
  • To elucidate the atomistic origins of deviations from established electrochemical models.

Main Methods:

  • Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of water and ions near a polarizable metallic electrode.
  • Constant electrical potential maintained at the electrode-solution interface.
  • Analysis of water ordering, ion distribution, and fluctuation statistics.
  • Calculation of Marcus free-energy profiles for charge transfer.

Main Results:

  • Water molecules are strongly attracted to and ordered at the electrode surface, forming structures different from continuum predictions.
  • This water ordering significantly impacts ion accessibility to the surface.
  • Ionic atmosphere fluctuations are substantial and depend on surface structure and ionic strength, rendering mean descriptions inadequate.
  • Simulations show significant departures from continuum theory predictions for charge transfer free-energy profiles.

Conclusions:

  • Atomistic simulations provide a more accurate picture of the electrochemical interface than continuum models.
  • The strong ordering of water and significant ionic fluctuations near metal surfaces are critical factors in electrochemical reactions.
  • This work highlights the necessity of atomistic simulations for a fundamental understanding of electrochemistry.