Nanoparticle-electrode collision studies: Brownian motion and the timescale of nanoparticle oxidation

► A simple theory including Brownian motion is used to model nanoparticle oxidation. ► Brownian motion is essential to explaining the experimental timescale of reaction. ► The timescale for oxidation events depends on the rate of reaction. ► Partial oxidations are unlikely, justifying past analysis of experiments.