The Nernst-Planck-Poisson Equations Interface
The Nernst-Planck-Poisson Equations interface (), found under the Chemical Species Transport branch () when adding a physics interface, is a predefined multiphysics interface for modeling transport of electrolyte species without the otherwise common assumption of local electroneutrality. This allows for simulating charge separation that typically arises close to an electrode surface, where ions in the electrolyte are attracted and repelled by unscreened excess charge on the electrode. The charge separation region, also called the diffuse double layer, normally extends a few nanometers away from the electrode surface into the electrolyte. The study of the charge separation is important to applications that consider very thin layers of electrolyte, such as electrochemical capacitors, atmospheric corrosion problems, ion-selective field effect transistors (ISFETs), and nanoelectrochemistry.
The Nernst–Planck–Poisson Equations predefined multiphysics interface adds () (with Migration enabled), which solves for the Nernst–Planck equations without charge neutrality, and The Electrostatics Interface(), that solves for the Poisson’s equation.
A () multiphysics node is also added. This node computes the local space charge, based on the local concentrations and species charges in the Transport of Diluted Species interface, and adds it to Poisson’s Equation in the Electrostatics interface.
Finally, a () multiphysics node is added that applies the potential dependent variable in the Electrostatics interface into the migration term of the Transport of Diluted Species interface.
The Multiphysics Branch in the COMSOL Multiphysics Reference Manual.
Diffuse Double Layer: Application Library path Fuel_Cell_and_Electrolyzer_Module/General_Electrochemistry/diffuse_double_layer