Electrochemistry is the intersection of chemical reactions and electrical currents, with applications in industrial processes, technology, and biological processes. Redox reactions involve gaining or losing electrons and can generate usable energy. Electrochemistry is used in scientific laboratories, galvanic processes, batteries, and corrosion.
Electrochemistry is a branch in the field of chemistry that involves the intersection of chemical reactions and electrical currents. Some chemical reactions can be catalyzed by the presence of an electric current and conversely, electricity can be generated through the process of a chemical reaction. While this research may seem esoteric, it is very likely that you are benefiting from electrochemistry right now, or will be at some point today, because it is the process behind a huge range of things, from chemical signaling in the your own body to the operation of a car battery.
Modern electrochemistry has departed considerably from the 18th-century roots of this field of study. As well as inspiring a great deal of pure research, electrochemistry is used in a wide range of industrial processes and technology used in a number of contexts. Previous researchers were primarily interested in explaining phenomena they did not understand, while modern researchers are interested in finding new applications for electrochemistry and understanding complex electrochemical reactions. They are also interested in understanding very small-scale, basic-level electrochemical reactions now that the technology for precise observations of this kind is available.
All living organisms use electrochemistry in one way or another, from the electric eel to the humble houseplant. Living organisms have evident electric fields which are generated by chemical reactions in their bodies and electrochemical reactions are involved in numerous biological processes. For this reason, some biologists are interested in electrochemistry, as are other people who work in the natural world or are interested in the natural environment.
One of the basic concepts of electrochemistry is the reduction/oxidation or redox reaction, which describes a situation in which electrons are gained or lost. While a small-scale reaction doesn’t generate usable energy, it does involve electrons themselves moving through the wiring in a house, and these reactions can be used to generate a usable electric current. Processes such as photosynthesis and respiration involve redox reactions, making them electrochemical in nature.
Electrochemistry is also used in scientific laboratories, for processing and analyzing a wide range of materials. It is also used in processes such as galvanic, in which the property of electrodeposition is exploited, and in the operation of batteries, which use a chemical reaction to generate electricity. Another example of a natural electrochemical reaction is corrosion, especially the oxidation of iron, better known as “rust” among laymen.
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