Characterizing electrode reactions by multisampling the current in square-wave voltammetry

Abstract

A novel and simple methodology for characterization of electrode processes by square-wave voltammetry (SWV), considered as a complex repetitive double-step chronoamperometric experiment, is proposed. Specifically, the sampling of the current at the very end of each potential pulse, as common in conventional SWV, is replaced with a multisampling protocol during each potential pulse, resulting in generation of a series of corresponding multisampled SW voltammograms constructed out of a single measurement. The evolution of such voltammograms reflects the chronoamperometric properties of the current in the course of each potential pulse, thus being specific to electrode mechanism and electrode kinetics. The proposed methodology could serve as a basis for modification of common SWV mode in commercially available instrumentation for the purpose of an advanced characterization of electrode processes. The methodology is theoretically illustrated by the analysis of three kinetically controlled common electrode mechanisms, such as the electrode reaction of a solution resident and surface confined redox couples, as well as the regenerative catalytic electrode mechanism (EC’), while the experimental verification is done with the electrode reaction of Eu3+/Eu2+ and azobenzene/hydrazobenzene redox couples.