Common

Equivalent CORROSION BATTERY TESTING

Circuit Models
COATINGS PHOTOVOLTAICS
Part 3

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Contents

Common Equivalent Circuit Models....................................................................................3

Simplified Randles Cell..........................................................................................................6

Mixed Kinetic and Diffusion Control...............................................................................9

Additional Resources..................................................................................................... 13

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Common Equivalent Circuits Models

In the following section we show some common equivalent circuits models.

These models can be used to interpret simple EIS data. Many of these models
have been included as standard models in the Gamry Electrochemical Impedance
Spectroscopy Software.

The elements used in the following equivalent circuits are presented in Table 3.
Equations for both the admittance and impedance are given for each element.

Table 3. Circuit Elements Used in the Models

Equivalent Element Admittance Impedance

R 1/R R
C jωC 1/jωC
L 1/jωL jωL

W (infinite Warburg) Y0√(jω) 1/Y0√(jω)

O (finite Warburg) Y0√(jω)Coth(B√(jω)) Tanh(B√(jω))/Y0√(jω)

Q (CPE) Y0(jω)α 1/Y0(jω)α

The dependent variables used in these equations are R, C, L, Y0, B, and α. The
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Software uses these as fit parameters.

Purely Capacitive Coating

A metal covered with an undamaged coating generally has a very high impedance.
The equivalent circuit for such a situation is in Figure 11.

Figure 11. Purely Capacitive Coating

R
C

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The model includes a resistor (due primarily to the electrolyte) and the coating
capacitance in series.

A Nyquist Plot for this model is shown in Figure 12. In making this plot, the
following values were assigned:

R = 500 Ω (a bit high but realistic for a poorly conductive solution)

C = 200 pF (realistic for a 1 cm2 sample, a 25 μm coating, and εr = 6)
Fi = 0.1 Hz (lowest frequency is a bit higher than typical)
(highest frequency at the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy
Ff = 1 MHz
Software limit)

Figure 12. Typical Nyquist Plot for an Excellent Coating

10
1•10

9
8•10

9
6•10
(–imag)i
9
4•10

9
2•10

0
450 470 490 510 530 550
reali

The value of the capacitance cannot be determined from the Nyquist Plot. It can
be determined by a curve fit or from an examination of the data points. Notice that
the intercept of the curve with the real axis gives an estimate of the
solution resistance.

The highest impedance on this graph is close to 1010 Ω. This is close to or above
the limit of measurement capability of most EIS instruments.

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The same data are shown in a Bode Plot in Figure 13. Notice that the capacitance
can be estimated from the graph but the solution resistance value does not
appear on the chart. Even at 100 kHz, the impedance of the coating is higher than
the solution resistance.

Figure 13. Typical Bode Plot for an Excellent Coating

10
1•10
10
1•10 9
1•10
9
1•108
1•10
8
1•107
magi 1•10
7
magi 1•10 6
1• 10
6
1• 105
1•10
5
1•104
1•10
4
1•100
4 5
00.1 1 10 100 1000 1•10 1•10
4 5
0.1 1 10 100
freq 1000 1•10 1• 10
i
freqi

-86
-86

phasei -88
phasei -88

-90
4 5
-90 0.1 1 10 100 1000 1• 10 1•10
4 5
0.1 1 10 100 1000 1• 10 1•10
freqi
freqi
Water uptake into the film is usually a fairly slow process. It can be measured by
taking EIS spectra at set time intervals. An increase in the film capacitance can be
attributed to water uptake.

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Simplified Randles Cell

The Simplified Randles cell is one of most common cell models. It includes a
solution resistance, a double layer capacitor and a charge transfer (or polarization
resistance). The double-layer capacitance is in parallel with the charge-transfer
resistance. In addition to being a useful model in its own right, the Simplified
Randles Cell is the starting point for other more complex models.

The equivalent circuit for a Simplified Randles Cell is shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14. Simplified Randles Cell Schematic Diagram

Cdl
RS

Rct or Rp

Figure 15 is the Nyquist Plot for a typical Simplified Randles cell. The parameters
in this plot were calculated assuming a 1 cm2 electrode undergoing uniform
corrosion at a rate of 1 mm/year. Reasonable assumptions were made for the
Tafel coefficients, metal density and equivalent weight. The polarization resistance
under these conditions was calculated to be 250 Ω. A capacitance of 40 μF/cm2
and a solution resistance of 20 Ω were also assumed.

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Figure 15. Nyquist Plot for 1 mm/year Corrosion Rate

300

240

180
(–imag)i
120

60

0
0 60 120 180 240 300
reali

The Nyquist Plot for a Simplified Randles cell is always a semicircle. The solution
resistance can found by reading the real axis value at the high frequency intercept.
This is the intercept near the origin of the plot. Remember this plot was generated
assuming that Rs = 20 Ω and Rp = 250 Ω

The real axis value at the other (low frequency) intercept is the sum of the
polarization resistance and the solution resistance. The diameter of the semicircle
is therefore equal to the polarization resistance (in this case 250 Ω).

Figure 16 is the Bode Plot for the same cell.

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Figure 16. Bode Plot for 1 mm/year Corrosion Rate

1000

magi 100

10 4 5
0.1 1 10 100 1000 1•10 1•10

freqi

phasei 50

100
4 5
0.1 1 10 100 1000 1• 10 1•10

freqi

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Mixed Kinetic and Diffusion Control

First consider a cell where semi-infinite diffusion is the rate determining step, with a
series solution resistance as the only other cell impedance.

A Nyquist Plot for this cell is shown in Figure 17. Rs was assumed to be 20 Ω. The
Warburg coefficient, σ, is calculated to be about 150 for the diffusion of a species with
a bulk concentration of 100 μM and a typical diffusion coefficient of 1.6 x10-5 cm2/s.
Notice that the Warburg impedance appears as a straight line with a slope of 45°.

Figure 17. Nyquist Plot for a Warburg Impedance

300

240

180
(–imag)i
120

60

0
0 60 120 180 240 300
reali

The same data is plotted in the Bode format in Figure 18. The phase angle of a
Warburg impedance is 45˚.

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Figure 18. Bode Plot for a Warburg Impedance

1000

mag 100
i

10 4 5
0.1 1 10 100 1000 1• 10 1• 10

freqi

-20

phasei

-40

-60
4 5
0.1 1 10 100 1000 1•10 1•10

freqi

Adding a double layer capacitance and a charge transfer impedance, we get the
equivalent circuit in Figure 19. This is the Randles Cell; the name is taken from an
article by J.E.B. Randles in the Discussions of the Faraday Society in 1947. Since
there is no simple element to model a Warburg impedance, it isn’t possible to
construct a dummy cell that models the Randles Cell.

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Figure 19. Randles Cell: Equivalent Circuit with Mixed Kinetic and
Charge-Transfer Control

Cdl
RS

W
Rct

This circuit models a cell where polarization is due to a combination of kinetic and
diffusion processes. The Nyquist Plot for this circuit is shown in Figure 20. As in
the above example, the Warburg coefficient , σ, is assumed to be about 150. Other
assumptions: Rs = 20 Ω Rct = 250 Ω and Cdl = 40 μF.

Figure 20. Nyquist Diagram for Mixed Control Circuit

500

400

300

(–imag)i 200

100

0
0 100 200 300 400 500
reali

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The Bode Plot for the same data is shown in Figure 21. The lower frequency limit
was moved down to 1 mHz to better illustrate the differences in the slope of the
magnitude and in the phase between the capacitor and the Warburg impedance.

Figure 21. Bode Plot for

4 the Mixed Control Circuit
1• 10

4
1•10
1000

magi 1000
100
magi
100
10
4 5
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 1• 10 1• 10
10
freq 4 5
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 i 100 1000 1• 10 1•10

freqi

phasei -50

phasei -50

-100
4 5
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 1• 10 1•10
-100
freq 4 5
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 i 100 1000 1• 10 1• 10

freq
This ends our section on Common Equivalent Circuit
i Models. In the next chapter
of our Introduction to Electrochemical Spectroscopy series we will discuss the EIS
of Coated Metals.

If you would like to view our library of application notes, please visit our website.

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