J. Robin,Editors, , Introduction aux Méthodes Electrochimiques, No. 1 of the Monographies du centre...
1
ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AND 1NTERFACIAL ELECTROCHEMISTRY 155 Elsevier Sequoia S.A., Lausanne - Printed in The Netherlands BOOK REVIEW Introduction aux Mkthodes Electrochimiques, No. 1 of the Monographies du centre d'actualisation scientifique et technique, edited by J. Robin, Masson et Cie., Paris, 1967, 360 pages, 65 F. This volume is a record of the lectures delivered during advanced courses in 1964 and 1965 in the Institut National des Sciences Appliqu6es de Lyon. They are primarily designed for analysts and it would have been preferable to have used a title which made this clear. In such a collective volume it is almost inevitable that the con- tributions are uneven. This is most evident in the first half of nine chapters under the general title of VoltampbromOtrie. This begins with a very elementary account of current-voltages curves, sometimes misleading, as in the equations on p. 29 (where io is not the exchange current) and on p. 36 where the discovery that the system H +/H2, is rapid on platinized-platinum is ascribed to Mme. Courtot in 1960. A much better and more systematic introduction to irreversible reactions is, in fact, given in the ninth chapter on corrosion. The later chapters in this section are more systematic and better referenced. The accounts of fuel cells, corrosion and melts form a useful introduction. In contrast to the melts chapter, the one on non-aqueous solution is rather qualitative and vague ; for example, the use of ferrocene and rubidium reference scales is given without any mention of Strehlow or Pleskov. The second half entitled Polarographie, of seven chapters, is more even in standard. Chapters 10, 11 and 15 discuss clearly material which is the staple of many well-established texts on polarography. Chapters 13 and 14 summarize inorganic and organic polarography, respectively, in 5 or 6 pages each, although the former gives more references than any other chapter in the book. Chapter 12 gives a useful ele- mentary account of some o f the newer polarographic methods including square-wave and pulse-polarography. This material is not yet so well worked over. The final chap- ter is on electrochemical applications of electron spin resonance. The origin of ESR spectra and electrochemical applications are briefly but clearly discussed. From the evidence of this book, the course on which it was based seems to have been of a good standard and particularly useful to modern analytical chemists. However, it seems doubtful in view of the many other books covering similar ground, whether this course should have been given the permanence of print. The answer to this doubt may depend on the language of the reader. English-speaking readers will find most of the material readily available elsewhere. The price is high for a paper- back. Roger Parsons, University of Bristol J. Electroanal. Chem.i 22 (1969) 155
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Transcript of J. Robin,Editors, , Introduction aux Méthodes Electrochimiques, No. 1 of the Monographies du centre...
ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY AND 1NTERFACIAL ELECTROCHEMISTRY 155 Elsevier Sequoia S.A., Lausanne - Printed in The Netherlands
BOOK REVIEW
Introduction aux Mkthodes Electrochimiques, No. 1 of the Monographies du centre d'actualisation scientifique et technique, edited by J. Robin, Masson et Cie., Paris, 1967, 360 pages, 65 F.
This volume is a record of the lectures delivered during advanced courses in 1964 and 1965 in the Institut National des Sciences Appliqu6es de Lyon. They are primarily designed for analysts and it would have been preferable to have used a title which made this clear. In such a collective volume it is almost inevitable that the con- tributions are uneven. This is most evident in the first half of nine chapters under the general title of VoltampbromOtrie. This begins with a very elementary account of current-voltages curves, sometimes misleading, as in the equations on p. 29 (where io is not the exchange current) and on p. 36 where the discovery that the system H +/H2, is rapid on platinized-platinum is ascribed to Mme. Courtot in 1960. A much better and more systematic introduction to irreversible reactions is, in fact, given in the ninth chapter on corrosion.
The later chapters in this section are more systematic and better referenced. The accounts of fuel cells, corrosion and melts form a useful introduction. In contrast to the melts chapter, the one on non-aqueous solution is rather qualitative and vague ; for example, the use of ferrocene and rubidium reference scales is given without any mention of Strehlow or Pleskov.
The second half entitled Polarographie, of seven chapters, is more even in standard. Chapters 10, 11 and 15 discuss clearly material which is the staple of many well-established texts on polarography. Chapters 13 and 14 summarize inorganic and organic polarography, respectively, in 5 or 6 pages each, although the former gives more references than any other chapter in the book. Chapter 12 gives a useful ele- mentary account of some o f the newer polarographic methods including square-wave and pulse-polarography. This material is not yet so well worked over. The final chap- ter is on electrochemical applications of electron spin resonance. The origin of ESR spectra and electrochemical applications are briefly but clearly discussed.
From the evidence of this book, the course on which it was based seems to have been of a good standard and particularly useful to modern analytical chemists. However, it seems doubtful in view of the many other books covering similar ground, whether this course should have been given the permanence of print. The answer to this doubt may depend on the language of the reader. English-speaking readers will find most of the material readily available elsewhere. The price is high for a paper- back.
Roger Parsons, University of Bristol
J. Electroanal. Chem.i 22 (1969) 155
