History of Electrochemistry is nearly as long as the history of modern
chemistry. Rather than to repeat it here, here are some links to
those who have chronicled some of it.
has a nice summary
of the history of electrochemistry from the days of Galvani
up to Heyrovskı.
It first appeared as their 1997 calendar. According to that account, the
"polarograph" was born on February 10, 1922. I think it
should be a National holiday!
also received attention in the ACS's Luminaries
of Chemistry. Look for his name at the end of the New Alchemy section.
He won the 1959 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. There is more
about him and his work at the Nobel site.
Chemical Heritage Foundation has a section on Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Industries. The
CHF is a storehouse of info on the history of chemistry. Worth a visit!
Chemist at Work had a nice article on the role electrochemistry
played in industrial
chemistry. It focuses on chlorine and "caustic soda"
production at the end of the 1800s.
TCAW also published short biographies
of Humphry Davy (April 2004) and his student, Michael Faraday (May 2004) in their Chemistry
Chronicles column. NEW
and Zoski published an A-pages review entitled "Voltammetry
Retrospective" in Analytical
Chemistry, May 1, 2000; pp. 346A-352A. If you are a
subscriber, you can read it on
To Electrochemistry and Beyond!