Publikationsrepositorium - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

The dissolution behavior of a single H2 bubble electrochemically generated at a Pt microelectrode in 1 M H2SO4, was studied. The open circuit potential (OCP) relaxation after the polarization end was recorded and correlated with the dissolved H2 concentration at the interface electrode/electrolyte/gas. Simultaneously, the shrinking of the bubble was followed optically by means of a high speed camera. In addition, analytical modelling and numerical simulations for the bubble dissolution were performed. Three characteristic regions are identified in the OCP and the bubble radius transients: (i) slow relaxation and shrinking, (ii) transition region and (iii) a long-term slowed down dissolution process. The high supersaturation after polarisation remains longer than theoretically predicted and feeds the bubble in region (i). This reduces the dissolution rate of the bubble which differs significantly from that of non-electrochemically produced bubbles. Numerical multi-species simulations prove that oxygen and nitrogen dissolved in the electrolyte additionally influence the bubble dissolution and slow down its shrinkage compared to pure hydrogen diffusion. In region (iii), a complete exchange of hydrogen gas with nitrogen and oxygen has occurred in the gas bubble.