This project is in the general area of analytical and surface chemistry and in the subfield of electroanalytical chemistry. The thrust of this project is to extend a theory which the principal investigators have recently developed and to use it to compute the time-dependent behavior in response to a potential step for electron transfer at various ultramicroelectrode geometries. The theoretical predictions will be experimentally verified to access limitations either in experimental design or in theoretical models. This research will significantly aid in understanding the fundamental electrochemical behavior of microelectrodes and will make possible more extensive utilization of these powerful electrochemical probes. This research will also have impact on other fields involving time-dependent multidimensional diffusion phenomena such as chromatographic processes, biochemical reactions at localized membrane sites, and heat transfer.
