1. Electrochemical Science — Historical Review

Electrochemistry developed from the single contributions of famous researchers and scientists in the 150 years spanning 1776 and 1925. This increasing level of electrochemical knowledge over the 19th century dovetailed with the industrial revolution, turning the electrochemical discoveries of Galvani, Volta, Faraday, Coulomb, and Ohm into familiar principles, infusing their initial discoveries into every aspect of modern science – it is fair to say that no present-day scientist operates a computer or instrument without electrical current. Although modern electrochemists are no longer household names, electrochemistry has indisputably had bridging function in science and industrial applications and is at the basis of all modern sciences, from materials sciences and theoretical chemistry to biochemistry and medicine. A broad swath of electrochemical research still has a rich impact on the world, and the major scientific awards in electrochemistry are now awarded for work in biology/medicine and energy. Galvani would certainly be surprised at the follow on impact of his early studies of frog legs, and where those results leaped to over the last 220 years. This chapter surveys the history from its beginnings.