Fifty years of studies of double layer effects in electrode kinetics-a personal view

Developments in the treatment of double layer effects in electrode kinetics are outlined. These include discreteness-of-charge effects in the presence of specific adsorption, solvent effects in electron transfer reactions, and effects related to the distribution of charge in polyatomic reactants. The importance of studies at single crystal electrodes is emphasized, and the development of a single crystal ultramicroelectrode described. Finally, a method of improving the estimate of the diffuse layer potential drop on the basis of Monte Carlo simulations is presented.