2023/09/14 by Ole Nickel, Nickel, Ole, Ludwig J. V. Ahrens-Iwers +5
Chemical Engineering · Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Electrochemical Analysis and Applications #Natural Sciences and Mathematics::530: Physics #Natural Sciences and Mathematics::541: Physical #Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies #Theoretical::541.3: Physical Chemistry #Thermodynamic properties of mixtures
paper · pdf · doi:10.15480/882.9620
openalex publication_date 2023/09/14 · openalex created_date 2023/09/16 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
A temperature difference between two electrolyte-immersed electrodes often yields a voltage Δψ between them. This electrolyte Seebeck effect is usually explained by cations and anions flowing differently in thermal gradients. However, using molecular simulations, we found almost the same Δψ for cells filled with pure water as with aqueous alkali halides. Water layering and orientation near polarizable electrodes cause a large temperature-dependent potential drop χ there. The difference in χ of hot and cold electrodes captures most of the thermovoltage, Δψ≈χhot-χcold.