2. Thermodynamics of electrolyte solutions

An electrochemical system consists of electrodes and an electrolyte solution. The essential feature of an electrolyte solution is that it contains free species that carry electric charge. Charged species interact with their environment with long-range coulombic forces which make the properties of an electrolyte solution very different from those of a solution of electrically neutral species. In this chapter, we discuss the fundamentals of the thermodynamics of electrolyte solutions. More advanced and detailed treatises are given by Bockris and Reddy [1] or Harned and Owen [2].


[1] J.O’M. Bockris, A.K.N. Reddy, Modern Electrochemistry, vol 1, 2. p. Plenum Press, New York 1988.

[2] H.S. Harned, B.B. Owen, Physical Chemistry of Electrolyte Solutions, Reinhold Publishing Company, New York 1943.