## 4 Conclusions  
Potentiostatic measurements and high-speed imaging were conducted to analyze bubble growth on a 100 \(\upmu\)m platinum microelectrode in a 0.5 M H\({}_{2}\)SO\({}_{4}\) electrolyte. Experiments were performed at various applied electrical potentials at room temperature and pressure. Our study highlights the complex interplay between applied potential and bubble behavior, demonstrating how increasing potential promotes bubble growth and coalescence, ultimately influencing mass transfer and current density stability. The critical transition from microbubble detachment to the dominance of coalesced bubbles suggests that optimizing applied potential is crucial for balancing efficiency and bubble management in electrolytic systems. Furthermore, the role of surface hydrodynamics and electrode geometry in bubble detachment dynamics underscores the importance of considering microstructural properties in electrode design. The following findings were made:  
1. In the range of 2.5-2.8 V, bubble coalescence was minimal, with microbubbles individually detaching from the electrode surface. As the potential was increased, electrical current density fluctuations became more pronounced. Initially, the departure frequency rose, but at very high potentials, the departure frequency decreased due to the formation of very large bubbles. In general, higher potentials lead to the detachment of a single coalesced bubble. 2. Below 3.2 V, the departure frequency was difficult to quantify due to moderate coalescence and the departure of individual bubbles. Potentiostatic measurements at these applied potentials showed that fluctuations in electrical current density were less pronounced compared to the measurements at 3.2 V and above due to limited bubble coalescence. The observed trends in bubble diameter increase over time aligned well with theoretical predictions. 3. As observed by [53; 57], bubble coalescence becomes significant at higher potentials. Increased potential enhances gas production rates, leading to the formation of larger bubbles. This observation aligns well with our findings that, at very high potentials, departure frequency decreases due to larger bubble formation. Notably, our study provides a novel insight by identifying a distinct potential range (2.5-2.8 V) where microbubbles detach individually with minimal coalescence--a behavior less emphasized in previous works. The observed trends provide valuable insights for scaling these phenomena from microscale systems to industrial-scale electrolyzers, where bubble behavior significantly impacts operational efficiency. In future studies, the impact of surface texture could be incorporated to further investigate bubble growth and coalescence behavior. Such research would provide an in-depth understanding of bubble management strategies for improving the overall electrolysis process. More research efforts are also needed to visualize the triple contact line and nucleation site density of microbubbles in relation to the detaching bubble. This could explain the force balance as well as provide deeper insight into the dominating mechanisms of bubble growth. While our study provides valuable insights into the initial stages of bubble formation and coalescence on a platinum microelectrode, it is important to acknowledge the limitations inherent in the short duration of our experiments. The long-term degradation mechanisms are not captured within the timeframe of our current study. Future research should focus on extended-duration experiments to assess the impact of prolonged operation on catalytic activity and bubble dynamics. Such studies would bridge the gap between our current findings and their applicability to industrial electrolyzers, ensuring that insights gained at the microscale translate effectively to long-term, real-world applications. Conceptualization, K.A. and M.M. ; methodology, K.A. ; software, K.A. ; validation, M.M., M.Z. and I.G. ; formal analysis, K.A. and M.M. ; investigation, K.A. ; resources, M.Z. and I.G. ; data curation, K.A.