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Effect of Alkaloids on Hydrogen Overpotential

Abstract

IT is well known that certain substances, such as arsenious oxide1, when added to a solution in which is a working electrode evolving hydrogen, considerably increase the hydrogen overpotential at the cathode. Such substances are often referred to as 'poisons' 2, and a detailed knowledge of their effects on irreversible electrode potentials appears to be of considerable importance in the elucidation of the mechanism of over potential. It seemed probable that some additives might exist which function as 'activators'and thus decrease hydrogen overpotential at various current densities. Such substances have been found among certain alkaloids of the quinoline group.

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References

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BOCKRIS, J., CONWAY, B. Effect of Alkaloids on Hydrogen Overpotential. Nature 159, 711–712 (1947). https://doi.org/10.1038/159711b0

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