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Kolbe Electrolysis Flow Cell (2D)

Interactive 2D electrode-surface cross-section of Kolbe electrolysis: watch individual radicals spawn at a rate set by current density, diffuse, and either couple pairwise into dimer product or time out into a non-Kolbe byproduct — live dimer-selectivity statistics show the second-order-vs-first-order kinetic competition in action.

Chemistry & Materials2DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

This is the electrode-surface companion to the 3D Kolbe flow-cell reactor: a close-up 2D cross-section of the anode where every radical is an individual simulated particle. Turn up current density and watch the radical population on the surface thicken — and the dimer-selectivity readout climb — as second-order radical-radical coupling starts to outcompete first-order timeout into non-Kolbe byproduct. Turn it down and the surface stays sparse, radicals mostly decay alone before finding a partner, and selectivity collapses. Adjust feed concentration and anode material to see the same concentration-and-kinetics trade-off from every angle.

⚙ Under the hood

Run a continuous Kolbe electrolysis flow cell: carboxylate ions oxidize at the anode, decarboxylate into radicals, and recombine into a dimer product while a competing non-Kolbe pathway diverts some radicals to byproducts.

electrochemistryelectroorganic synthesisKolbe electrolysisflow chemistryradical recombinationgreen chemistry

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install