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In electromagnetism, current density is the amount of charge per unit time that flows through a unit area of a chosen cross section. [1] The current density vector is defined as a vector whose magnitude is the electric current per cross-sectional area at a given point in space, its direction being that of the motion of the positive charges at this point.
The upper graph shows the current density as function of the overpotential η . The anodic and cathodic current densities are shown as j a and j c, respectively for α=α a =α c =0.5 and j 0 =1mAcm −2 (close to values for platinum and palladium). The lower graph shows the logarithmic plot for different values of α (Tafel plot).
The Tafel equation describes the dependence of current for an electrolytic process to overpotential. The exchange current density is the current in the absence of net electrolysis and at zero overpotential. The exchange current can be thought of as a background current to which the net current observed at various overpotentials is normalized.
The Tafel equation is an equation in electrochemical kinetics relating the rate of an electrochemical reaction to the overpotential. [1] The Tafel equation was first deduced experimentally and was later shown to have a theoretical justification. The equation is named after Swiss chemist Julius Tafel.
For electrons, the current density J (amperes per meter squared) is written: = = /. where is the anode current and S the surface area of the anode receiving the current; is the magnitude of the charge of the electron and is its mass. The equation is also known as the "three-halves-power law" or the Child–Langmuir law.
Continuous charge distribution. The volume charge density ρ is the amount of charge per unit volume (cube), surface charge density σ is amount per unit surface area (circle) with outward unit normal nĚ‚, d is the dipole moment between two point charges, the volume density of these is the polarization density P.
Thus, to get current density from molar flux one needs to multiply by Faraday's constant F (Coulombs/mol). F will then cancel from the equation below. Since the valence has already been accounted for above, the charge q A of each ion in the equation above, therefore, should be interpreted as +1 or -1 depending on the polarity of the ion.
The term on the right is the divergence of the current density J at the same point. The equation equates these two factors, which says that the only way for the charge density at a point to change is for a current of charge to flow into or out of the point. This statement is equivalent to a conservation of four-current.