Behaviour of a solid electrode with periodical renewal of the diffusion layer

The voltammetric behaviour of a platinum wire electrode with periodical renewal of the diffusion layer is described. The renewal is due simply to a very sudden alternative motion of the electrode with respect to the solution, followed by a rest of a few seconds, during which electrolysis is assumed to take place in diffusion conditions.

Experimental results show that instantaneous current-time curves can be treated with the simple expression applicable in the case of a plane, linear, semiinfinite diffusion, for electrolysis times exceeding a few tenths of a second.