Physical description of the impregnation mechanism of dye molecules in contact with porous electrodes

Abstract: We propose and discuss two models that take into account the decreasing of the bulk density of dyes molecules in contact with a porous electrode. We show that the models based on the standard adsorption phenomenon have to be considered just as fitting models, of limited physical significance. A more physical model has to take into account the diffusion of dye molecules into the channels present in the porous electrode and also the adsorption of dye molecules on the lateral surfaces of these channels. The agreement between the theoretical prediction of such a model and the experimental data is reasonably good. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]