Quantum Statistical Aspects of Charge Transfer on Electrodes

Here we present a new attempt to treat the problem of charge transfer on metal electrodes using the new techniques of quantum statistical mechanics. Making some of the assumptions which are common in chemical kinetics we obtain a simple generalization of the linear response theory. When this result is applied to the charge transfer, it leads to a current-overpotent1al relation differing qualitatively from the prediction of the absolute reaction rate theory. A comparison of the two for some standard reactions seems to favor our prediction