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Etymology edit

over- +‎ potential

Noun edit

overpotential (plural overpotentials)

  1. (physics) The difference between the electric potential of an electrode or cell under the passage of a current and the thermodynamic value of the electrode or cell potential in the absence of electrolysis
    • 1998 June 12, Erik Reddington et al., “Combinatorial Electrochemistry: A Highly Parallel, Optical Screening Method for Discovery of Better Electrocatalysts”, in Science[1], volume 280, number 5370, →DOI, pages 1735–1737:
      One of the factors that limits their development and use is that known anode and cathode electrocatalysts produce useful current densities only at high overpotentials.

Synonyms edit