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The system I am considering consists of a conducting liquid sandwiched between two electrodes.

The electrodes supply a constant flux of electrons $J_{ext}$.

In the liquid there are also uncharged particles, call them $A$, that can capture the electrons and gain charge, lets call them $A^-$.

I am looking for the steady state concentration profile of both $A$ and $A^-$.

From the continuity equation for steady state

$$\nabla \cdot j=0$$

where we get the following set of differential equations in 1D

$$\frac{dJ_A}{dx}=-k C_A C_e$$

$$\frac{dJ_{A^-}}{dx}=k C_A C_e$$

$$\frac{dJ_{e}}{dx}=-k C_A C_e$$

where J's are the fluxes and C's the concentrations for the non-charged particles, charged particles and electrons. k is the rate constant for conversion between electrons and the charged particles.

From charge conservation it then follows that $J_{A^-}+J_e=J_{ext}$ so we can remove one of the differential equations by enforcing this constraint.

At the bottom electrode we have no flux of the charged and uncharged species, i.e $J_{A^-}=J_A=0$.

At the top we have the generation of uncharged particles as the charged ones lose their electrons to the electrode. Namely $J_{A^-}=-J_A$.

Thus we have two differential equations of second order (as $j\propto \nabla C$) and 3 boundary conditions, so I am missing one. The current BCs already conserve electric charge and particle number.

What other possible constraints are there on this system that would lead to a well-defined problem?

**Edit: I am asking for the physical concepts, e.g some conserved quantity, that gives me the correct boundary conditions that would allow me to turn this into a well posed differential equation problem. **

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  • $\begingroup$ Subscript $e$ is the same as $\text{ext}$? $\endgroup$ Commented May 1 at 23:39
  • $\begingroup$ @BioPhysicist No, subscript e is for the electrons in the medium between the electrodes. This is not the same as subscript ext as some of the electrons from the external source gets caputred by the particles in the medium $\endgroup$
    – Ornate
    Commented May 1 at 23:42

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