Page 8 - MODERN ELECTROCHEMISTRY

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

This book had its nucleus in some lectures given by one of us (J.O’M.B.) in a course
on electrochemistry to students of energy conversion at the University of Pennsylva-
nia. It was there that he met a number of people trained in chemistry, physics, biology,
metallurgy, and materials science, all of whom wanted to know something about
electrochemistry. The concept of writing a book about electrochemistry which could
be understood by people with very varied backgrounds was thereby engendered. The
lectures were recorded and written up by Dr. Klaus Muller as a 293-page manuscript.
At a later stage, A.K.N.R. joined the effort; it was decided to make a fresh start and to
write a much more comprehensive text.
Of methods for direct energy conversion, the electrochemical one is the most
advanced and seems the most likely to become of considerable practical importance.
Thus, conversion to electrochemically powered transportation systems appears to be
an important step by means of which the difficulties of air pollution and the effects of
an increasing concentration in the atmosphere of carbon dioxide may be met. Corro-
sion is recognized as having an electrochemical basis. The synthesis of nylon now
contains an important electrochemical stage. Some central biological mechanisms
have been shown to take place by means of electrochemical reactions. A number of
American organizations have recently recommended greatly increased activity in
training and research in electrochemistry at universities in the United States. Three
new international journals of fundamental electrochemical research were established
between 1955 and 1965.
In contrast to this, physical chemists in U.S. universities seem—perhaps partly
because of the absence of a modern textbook in English—out of touch with the
revolution in fundamental interfacial electrochemistry which has occurred since 1950.
The fragments of electrochemistry which are taught in many U.S. universities belong
not to the space age of electrochemically powered vehicles, but to the age of thermo-

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