Elongated element as a model of point contact in ion-conducting medium

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel electrode architecture using elongated conducting elements immersed in electrolyte, enabling atomic-scale electrochemical auto-oscillations at point contacts, with potential applications in nanostructure formation.

Contribution

It introduces a new model of a multi-electrode system with elongated elements that facilitates atomic-scale electrochemical processes at point contacts.

Findings

Localization of electrochemical transformations at dendrite top.

Concentration of electric field at point contacts.

Realization of nanostructures through auto-oscillation processes.

Abstract

In present work it is suggested the concept of continual multi-electrode system being realized on the elongated electrically conducting element immersed into electrolyte. Conjugation of such kind of system with the point-contact structure creates the unique electrode architecture and permits realizing of the auto-oscillation process of electrochemical commutation at atomic scale. During this process the nanostructure is being realized in a form of point contact at the place of the mutual touching of the dendrite top and counter-electrode. The ability of point contacts to concentrate the electric field in assemblage with the peculiar properties of elongated element causes unambiguously the localization of all the electrochemical transformations at the dendrite top, where contact is forming.