Electrode Work Function and Absolute Potential Scale in Solid-State Electrochemistry

Abstract

A two-Kelvin-probe arrangement was used to measure, for the first time in situ, the work functions, Φ, of the gas-exposed surfaces of porous Pt, Au, and Ag working and reference electrodes exposed to and mixtures, and deposited on 8% -stabilized (YSZ) in a three-electrode solid electrolyte cell. It was found that at temperatures above 600 K the potential difference, between the working (W) and reference (R) electrode reflects the difference in the actual, spillover, and adsorption-modified work functions, and of the two electrodes