MTX ChemSense
Categories
FAQs
What are SPE’s drawbacks when compared to GCE?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
The drawback of SPEs compared to GCE is that SPE is not as effective with gas samples and the repeatability of electrodes raises concerns. We are unable to proceed with bulk electrolysis.
Read More
How Screen Printed Electrodes (SPE) better than Glassy carbon electrodes (GCE)?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
Ease of modification and minimal area is required for the experimental setup. Minimum electrolyte or analyte volume is sufficient. Surface polishing is not necessary. Ease of customization and design of portable sensing devices.
Read More
How are Screen Printed Electrodes (SPE) better than conventional 3-electrode based electrochemical systems?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
The choice between SPEs and three-electrode systems depends on experiment or application. Both offer benefits. The "better" system will vary depending on the experiment's design and requirements. SPEs over conventional 3-electrode system: Convenient and user-friendly. Cost-effective because all the 3 electrodes are integrated on a single substrate. As a result, no requirement for individual counter, working, or reference electrodes. Cleaning is not mandatory in between experimental trials they are disposable and hence time-saving. Minimal area for the experimental setup. Better sensitivity and ease of modification. Point of care and on-site analysis.
Read More
What are the uses and applications of Screen Printed Electrodes (SPE)?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
Applications of SPE based electrochemical sensors: Electrochemical sensors based on SPEs are more efficient and convenient in performing point of care analysis using electrochemical techniques compared to traditional benchtop experiments. Food industries – To examine the ageing, sulphites level, and allergenic protein in wine samples. Environmental monitoring - Organic, inorganic, and biological pollutants can occur in soil and water. SPE based sensors are employed in the detection of pesticide and herbicide contamination in soil as well as the monitoring of heavy metals such as Hg2+, Pb2+, Cu2+, and Cd2+ in water. Forensic Electrochemistry – SPE based sensors are used to...
Read More
How carbon (or Gold) (or platinum) Screen Printed Electrodes (SPE) are cleaned?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
The most often and convenient method to clean SPE is using an H2O2 solution and performing multiple Cyclic Voltammetry cycles at a low sweep speed. Carbon-based SPE electrodes are washed with ethanol followed by soaking it in 0.01 M hydrochloric acid solution. For cleaning Gold and platinum-based SPE electrodes, the negative sweeping method is preferred as it increases the roughness of the electrode surface. [Reference: 10.3390/pr10040723]
Read More
What are the different methods used to clean Screen Printed Electrodes (SPE)?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
Different techniques are used to clean SPE, depending on SPE surface type and level of contamination. The cleaning may be further divided into three types: Chemical cleaning methods (using solvents). Piranha solution (owing to strong aggression, not preferred). Aqua regia Thermal cleaning method: UV ozone cleaning Electrochemical cleaning methods (using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique) KOH sweep method. Potential cycling using H2SO4 or HCl. CV sweeping using potassium ferricyanide. Taking negative sweeping potential (using CV technique). [Reference: 10.3390/pr10040723]
Read More
How should the Screen Printed Electrode be dried after placing the sample?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
After placing the sample in the electrode proper adhesion is required, drying can be done at room temperature or by using oven or UV lamps.
Read More
How does cleaning influence the performance of the Screen Printed Electrodes?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
Yes, effective cleaning helps to improve the binding properties of the materials and enhance electrochemical performance by increasing surface area.
Read More
What are the fabricating materials used for working, counter, and reference electrodes in Screen Printed Electrode (SPE)?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
The Counter Electrode (CE) in SPE is made up of carbon ink because of the low cost and inertness. The main purpose of the CE is to maintain electrical neutrality and it helps to complete the circuit. The Working Electrode (WE) is usually made up of silver, gold, or other metals inks based on the application or target analyte as it must be sensitive to analyte concentration. Silver and silver chloride mixture ink is commonly used to print Reference Electrodes (RE) because of their low cost and easy availability. These silver/silver chloride inks are good conductors and it is very...
Read More
What are the benefits of using SPE compared to other Electrochemical setups?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
SPEs are extensively used for electrochemical sensing applications because of their accuracy, sensitivity, and reproducibility. These are inexpensive to mass-produce and they can be used as basic transducers. Additionally, they come in a variety of shapes including a ring, a disc, or a band for different applications.
Read More
Applications of Screen Printed Electrodes (SPE)?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
SPEs are widely used in electrochemical analysis by researchers, scientists, industrialists, and quality control analysts to develop electrochemical sensors, point-of-care devices for biomedical applications and environmental monitoring.
Read More
What are the optimal working conditions and temperature range for Screen Printed Electrodes?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
Screen Printed Carbon Electrodes are used only in aqueous regions and their thermal stability ranges from 10°C to 80°C depending upon the substrates used such as plastics since they are of low cost. Whereas, Gold and platinum screen-printed electrodes are used in both aqueous and non-aqueous regions and their thermal stability ranges from 10°C to 200°C since they are fabricated on ceramics.
Read More
What is a screen-printed electrode (SPE)?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 21, 2023
Screen Printed Electrodes (SPE) are fabricated by printing on non-conductive materials like alumina, ceramic, and plastic which serves as the electrode's support. It consists of three electrodes namely, the working electrode (WE), Counter electrode (CE), and Reference electrode (RE), and these electrode surfaces are coated with various conductive inks like, WE (carbon, platinum, or gold inks) CE (Carbon ink) RE (silver/silver chloride ink) The electrochemical performance, selectivity, and sensitivity of the SPE based sensors are determined by different conductive inks like Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Carbon.
Read More
How to clean contaminated platinum counter electrode?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 19, 2023
In general, inert nature of the platinum does not result in contamination, and washing with distilled water post-experimentation is sufficient. However, contamination can occur over time in the presence of strong acidic or alkaline solutions. In such cases, Piranha solution can be used to clean the contaminated platinum electrode. It is a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide (1:3). Another method used to clean the counter electrode is to immerse the electrode in 10% nitric acid solution.
Read More
What makes platinum or carbon the ideal material for a counter electrode?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 19, 2023
Platinum or Carbon as counter electrode material is preferred because both require low maintenance and don't easily get oxidized or reduced. Platinum: Platinum, due to its inertness and electrical conductivity, is found to be one of the best counter-electrode materials. Platinum electrodes are available in different forms such as - mesh, foil, wire, and tip. Based on experimental requirements, different forms of platinum electrodes are employed and a mesh kind of platinum electrode is widely used due to its high surface area and porous nature. Limitations: Cost-effective Carbon (graphite rods): Graphite rods are more affordable than platinum, have higher corrosion...
Read More
What are the criteria for a counter electrode?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 19, 2023
The counter electrode must be made up of inert metals like gold, platinum, or carbon species. It should have a large surface area, to enable a high current flow even with low potentials. Also, in general, counter electrode size is maintained slightly larger than the working electrode as it enhances measurement accuracy, minimizing the energy losses and the influence of electrolyte resistance.
Read More
Role of Counter Electrode (CE) in electrochemistry?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 19, 2023
The Counter Electrode serves two crucial roles, it completes the circuit and maintains electrical neutrality and it protects the reference electrode from any other potential changes. The main function of CE is to promote electron flow while minimizing any undesirable polarisation effects.
Read More
What happens if you place a Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE) in an alkaline or acidic environment?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 19, 2023
When GCE is used in an acidic medium, it produces surface oxides through an acid-catalyzed process, resulting in activation of the GCE surface and causing bulk oxidation. In alkaline media, The carbon layers become hydrophilic and dissolve as a result of oxidation.
Read More
What happens if a Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE) is exposed to a high anodic potential?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 19, 2023
High anodic potentials leads to oxidation of carbon and affect the catalyst's electrochemical performance on the surface of the modified GCE. However, in some cases, such oxidations activate the modified GCE surface and enhance the rate of electron transfer in the resulting redox process.
Read More
What grade of alumina powder may be used to polish glassy carbon electrodes (GCE)?
By MTX Labs Team
/ October 19, 2023
There are 3 different sizes of alumina powder for polishing the GCE surface namely 1.0, 0.3, and 0.05 microns. Alumina with a particle size of 0.05 micron is commonly used. After polishing the electrode surface with 0.05 micron slurry, if some scratches or residues are still found on the electrode surface, continue polishing using 1.0, 0.3, and 0.05 microns in a sequence. The resulting GCE surface will be mirror-shiny.
Read More