Exchange current density

In electrochemistry, exchange current density is a parameter used in the Tafel equation, Butler–Volmer equation and other electrochemical kinetics expressions. The Tafel equation describes the dependence of current for an electrolytic process to overpotential.The exchange current density depends critically on the nature of the electrode, not only its structure, but also physical parameters such as surface roughness. Of course, factors that change the composition of the electrode, including passivating oxides and adsorbed species on the surface, also influences the electron transfer. The nature of the electroactive species (the analyte) in the solution also critically affects the exchange current densities, both the reduced and oxidized form.