Electrochemical process

A method for operating an electrochemical device wherein a nonlinear chemical reaction operating in a non-oscillatory regime takes place;

• wherein the electrochemical device comprises a working electrode, and a counter electrode, and at least one electrolyte;
• and wherein the method comprises intentionally imposing an additive extrinsic stochastic disturbance to the potential difference which is established between the electrodes of the electrochemical device;
• thus an additive and intentionally imposed extrinsic stochastic disturbance is supplied in addition to the applied voltage;
• and wherein the additive and intentionally imposed extrinsic stochastic disturbance is externally controlled;
• wherein the additive and intentionally imposed extrinsic stochastic disturbance is higher in absolute value and different to the inherent and intrinsic noise present within any signal;
• wherein the term nonlinear chemical reaction means that the chemical reaction exhibits nonlinear dynamics as evidenced by the nonlinear relationship between electric current and applied voltage between electrodes;
• wherein a chemical reaction operating in a non-oscillatory regime refers to dissipative systems wherein the system variables do not follow a harmonic function and the system is away from the equilibrium state;
• wherein the mean value of the additive and intentionally imposed extrinsic stochastic disturbance supplied to the potential of the working electrode is within the range Eonset ±1V;
• wherein Eonset is the potential at which the electrochemical reaction begins to occur with the proviso that when the working electrode comprises a photoactive material, the mean value of the additive and intentionally imposed extrinsic stochastic disturbance supplied to the potential of the working electrode is at a point before reaching the turning point of the I-V curve of the electrode;
• and
• wherein the method is only applicable to the non-oscillatory regime.