Comparative Electrochemical Analysis of Two Flow Cell Systems

Abstract

The use of flow cells is increasingly common in electrochemistry as they allow for the control of the fluid environment and allow the rapid exchange of small volumes. The performance of a flow cell is dependent on several key parameters including cell design, volume and electrode orientation within the cell. Computational modeling has been previously employed to design flow cells, optimizing both time and volume required to equilibrate the cell volume. In this article we present a novel electrochemical interrogation method for assessing the performance of two flow cells; one based on impingement geometry and a second using an optimized flow design. The data from this technique supports previous simulations of flow cell performance, allowing direct comparison of the response of two flow cells with respect to exchange of fluids. This method provides a reliable alternative to validation methods of flow cell performance such as flow fluorescence studies and supports lengthy computational simulation. Furthermore, the data also describes the relationship between flow and solution accessibility at the electrode. This electrochemical validation provides a simple method for assessing flow cell performance prior to wider application.