Low price, compact, easy to use potentiostat for electrochemistry
Available with electrochemical cell and electrodes; everything you need to get started
The Ossila Potentiostat is a powerful electrochemical measurement device for performing linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, open circuit potential, and controlled potential electrolysis. The potentiostat is the flagship product of our electrochemistry range and is suitable for both experienced chemists and newcomers to the field; easy-to-use PC software makes it straight-forward for anyone to take accurate and precise electrochemical measurements across a wide potential and current range.
Available at a low price with free worldwide shipping and a hassle-free two year warranty, more people than ever can now start measuring and analysing the electronic properties of materials. Purchase with or without an electrochemical cell, non-aqueous Ag/Ag+ working electrode, platinum disc reference electrode, and platinum wire counter electrode. No research or teaching lab should be without an Ossila Potentiostat.
What is a potentiostat?
Potentiostats are control and measurement devices designed to output a controlled potential. Unlike other voltage sources, potentiostats contain feedback circuitry between the output and measured potential. This enables them to maintain a set potential through a circuit with varying resistance by increasing or decreasing the output, ensuring that the measured potential remains constant as per Ohm's Law.
Potentiostatic experiments such as cyclic voltammetry use a three electrode system consisting of a working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode. These are placed in an electrochemical cell containing the electrolyte solution and a reference solution. During a measurement, the potential of the reference electrode remains fixed while the potentiostat varies the potential of the working electrode. The counter electrode completes the circuit and allows current to flow, counteracting the redox events taking place at the working electrode due to electrochemical reactions in the cell, and ensuring that no current passes between the reference and working electrodes.
Key Features
The Ossila Potentiostat a powerful, low price potentiostat for cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, open circuit potential, and controlled potential electrolysis. With internal circuitry based on our highly popular source meter and an aluminium outer case, the potentiostat is both reliable and durable. In addition, the small footprint makes it completely lab-proof (we use it extensively in our own lab to electrochemically characterise our range of materials) and glove box friendly.
Wide Potential and Current Range
To allow for a wide range of material characterisation, the Ossila Potentiostat is capable of outputting potentials of up to 7.5 V and can measure currents over five ranges from ±20 nA to ±200 mA.
Accurate and Precise
With an applied potential accuracy and resolution of ±10 mV and 333 µV respectively, and a current measurement accuracy and resolution at the 20 μA range of ±20 nA and 5 nA, the Ossila Potentiostat is both accurate and precise.
Proven Quality
The Ossila Potentiostat brings our experience building measurement devices to electrochemistry and, paired with the included software, provides an easy to use platform for electrochemically testing and characterising materials.
Compact and Light
At only 12.5 x 18.5 cm, the Ossila Potentiostat will easily fit into even the busiest laboratory. Its small size also means that it can be used inside the main chamber of an inert atmosphere glove box for measuring air or moisture sensitive materials.
Intuitive Software
Our intuitive PC software (included) makes it faster and easier to perform electrochemistry. Create and save settings profiles, plot your data in real time, and export the results as a CSV file.
Affordable Price
Low price with no hidden costs and free worldwide shipping. The standard package includes an electrochemical cell and a reference, working, and counter electrode at an unbeatable price.
Quick and Easy
Set up is as simple as plugging the potentiostat in and installing the included PC software. Start measuring within minutes of unboxing the device.
Backed by the Ossila Guarantee
Enjoy expert support from our in-house scientists and engineers, free worldwide shipping, fast and secure dispatch, large order discounts, and our free two year warranty.
For the best value, choose the complete 'with cell and electrodes' system. Included is everything you need to get started: the potentiostat itself, a cyclic voltammetry test chip, our Electrochemistry PC software, electrochemical cell glassware, and one of each type of electrode (working, counter, and reference). For a reduced price, the potentiostat can also be purchased as a stand-alone unit.
Testimonials
We're happy with the Ossila Potentiostat. We're currently using it in teaching labs to demonstrate basics of corrosion measurements. It is compact, easy to use, and affordable.
Branislav Dzurnak, Czech Technical University in Prague
The Ossila Potentiostat is small, portable and easy to use. We also bought the three electrode cell and this provides a stable set-up to hold the electrodes in convenient positions.
Top automotive manufacturer
Applications
The Ossila Potentiostat and Electrochemistry Software make it easy to perform the most commonly used electrochemical methods.
Cyclic voltammetry
Cyclic voltammetry is one of the most useful and commonly used electrochemical techniques. In cyclic voltammetry, a linearly ramping potential is applied between the working and reference electrodes. This potential is cycled such that the ramp is applied in one direction, then in reverse, forming a triangular wave. During the scan, the electrical current is measured between the working and counter electrodes to produce a duck-shaped plot known as a cyclic voltammogram.
Linear sweep voltammetry
Linear sweep voltammetry is a electrochemical method in which the potential is linearly swept in one direction from the lower potential limit to the upper potential limit. Linear sweep voltammetry is useful for irreversible systems and can be used to calculate the peak current, the peak current potential, and the half-peak current potential.
Open circuit potential
Open circuit potential is an electrolytic method that can be used to measure the resting potential of an electrochemical cell between the reference and working electrodes. Systems that are in equilibrium over the timescale of the experiment will have a constant open circuit potential.
Controlled potential electrolysis
Three electrode controlled potential electrolysis is a type of bulk electrolysis (or potentiostatic coulometry) in which the potential between the working and reference electrodes is kept constant while the current through the cell is measured. As the analyte is reduced or oxidised, the measured current will approach zero.
Included with the Ossila Potentiostat
Potentiostat and Electrochemistry Software
The Ossila Potentiostat
The Ossila Potentiostat with shielded cable and crocodile clips, USB-B cable, and 24 VDC power adaptor. Connect to your choice of working electrode, counter electrode, and reference electrode (included with the “with cell and electrodes” option) and start taking measurements in minutes. The Ossila Potentiostat has a potential range of ±7.5 V, a potential compliance of ±10 V, and five current ranges from ±20 μA to ±200 mA.
Compact, affordable, and covered by our free two-year warranty.
Ossila Electrochemistry PC Software
Intuitive PC software for performing linear sweep and cyclic voltammetry, open circuit potential, and controlled potential electrolysis with the Ossila Potentiostat. Simply set your experimental parameters and press measure to start collecting data. When your measurement is finished, the software lets you export the results as a CSV file so that you are never locked into one ecosystem. Your settings are saved alongside your data and can be stored in the software so that you can quickly and easily repeat your measurement or perform similar scans.
Available to download from our website at any time. Future updates are provided at no extra cost.
Ossila Test Cell Chip
The test cell chip simulates an electrochemical cell so that you can test your potentiostat under controlled conditions. The chip provides a different response (with three different maximum currents) depending on the direction of the scan. To perform a test, simply plug in your potentiostat, connect it to the cell, and take a cyclic voltammetry measurement using the electrochemistry software as normal. The resulting cyclic voltammogram can then be compared to the example in the product manual.
Electrochemical Cell and Electrodes (Optional)
Standard electrochemical cell
Our electrochemical cell glassware features a screw-fit PTFE lid with three electrode holes to hold the working, reference, and counter electrodes in place and two gas holes for degassing. To set up your three electrode system, simply place your solution (containing the chemical of interest, an electrolyte, and a solvent) in the cell and then place the electrodes in the holes in the lid. The gas intakes can be used to bubble an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon through the solution to remove any oxygen, which could otherwise cause unwanted redox processes.
Included with the Potentiostat if purchased with a cell. Available separately for £147.
Platinum disk working electrode
The working electrode is where the electrochemical reactions take place. We sell a range of different types of working electrodes, including gold disc electrodes, but platinium is the most commonly used material. Platinum is electrochemically inert so will not interfere with your measurements and is resistant to solvents, acids and oxidation.
Included with the Potentiostat if purchased with a cell. Available separately for £163.
Platinum wire counter electrode
99.99% purity platinum wire counter electrode in a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plastic body. Platinum is electrochemically inert and is resistant to oxidation, solvents, and acids, making it a popular choice of material for a counter electrode. Our platinum wire counter electrodes allow current to flow through your electrochemical cell without affecting your results.
Included with the Potentiostat if purchased with a cell. Available separately for £146.
Non-aqueous Ag/Ag+ reference electrode
Non-aqueous Ag/Ag+ reference electrodes are popular reference electrodes for cyclic voltammetry. The electrode consists of a high quality silver wire, which is sealed with a ceramic frit junction for use with a 0.01 M silver nitrate of acetonitrile solution. The ceramic frit minimises any mixing of your reference solution and your studied solution while being porous enough to allow a complete circuit to be formed. Unlike in a two electrode system, using separate counter and reference electrodes allows you to control the potential between the working and reference probes while measuring the current between the working and counter probes.
Included with the Potentiostat if purchased with a cell. Available separately for £83.
Getting Started with the Ossila Potentiostat
The Ossila Potentiostat has been designed to make it quick and easy to perform electrochemistry. Purchase the complete package to get everything you need to set up your three electrode system and enjoy a significant discount on the cell and electrodes.
Setting Up the Potentiostat
The Ossila Potentiostat is controlled by the (free to download and use) electrochemistry PC software. To get started, simply set up the physical aspects of your experiment and launch the software.
The experimental set up for cyclic voltammetry and other three electrode electrochemical methods consists of a potentiostat connected to a three electrode electrochemical cell containing the electrolyte solution. Once the electrodes have been placed in the cell, they can be connected to the socket on the front of the Ossila Potentiostat using the supplied cable and crocodile clips. The red clip connects to the working electrode, the black clip connects to the counter electrode, and the blue clip connects to the reference electrode.
Once you have set up your three electrode electrochemical cell and connected it to the potentiostat, taking an electrochemical measurement takes only a few clicks. The potentiostat will be detected automatically on starting the PC software, and from here the electrochemical method can be selected via the tabs at the top of the screen.
We also recommend switching on the potentiostat 30 minutes prior to use. This will allow it to warm up and reach a steady temperature, which will help to ensure a stable measurement.
Performing Cyclic Voltammetry with the Potentiostat
Performing cyclic voltammetry with the Ossila Potentiostat is quick and easy. The Ossila Electrochemistry PC software allows the maximum and minimum potentials to be defined along with the number of cycles, the scan rate, and the current range.
When you are ready to start the scan, click "Start" and watch in real time as the test is performed and a cyclic voltammogram is generated. The system will sweep the potential between the working electrode and reference electrode while measuring the current between the working electrode and counter electrode. This will be repeated for the specified number of cycles. If "Save After Measurement" is turned on, the measurement data and settings will be saved as CSV file once the sweep has finished.
Applications of Cyclic Voltammetry
Cyclic voltammetry reveals a number of important electrochemical properties about the material being investigated, including:
- Redox potentials. The reduction and oxidation potentials of a material describe how readily it gains or loses electrons. Reduction occurs when a chemical gains electron(s), and oxidation is when a chemical loses electron(s). Redox potential is an intrinsic property of materials.
- The reversibility of a reaction. How reversible a given electrochemical reaction is. For a completely reversible reaction, the concentration of oxidised species and reduced species should be in equilibrium.
- Electron transfer kinetics. A quantitative description of electrochemical reversibility; how fast or slow the transfer of electrons is in a reaction. For a reaction to be reversible, electron transfer must be sufficiently fast.
- Energy levels of semiconducting polymers. The energy levels of semiconducting materials. This is particularly useful for photovoltaic applications as it provides an estimate for the energy of the highest occupied (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO).
Support and Articles
Potentiostat Specifications
| Potential range | ±7.5 V |
| Potential compliance | ±10 V |
| Applied potential accuracy | ±10 mV offset |
| Applied potential resolution | 333 µV |
| Maximum current | ±200 mA |
| Current ranges | ±20 μA to ±200 mA (5 ranges) |
| Current measurement accuracy | ±20 nA offset (at 20 μA range) |
| Current measurement resolution | 5 nA (at 20 μA range) |
| Communication | USB-B |
| Overall Dimensions | Width: 125 mm Height: 55 mm Depth: 175 mm |
| Weight | 600 g |
Standard Electrochemical Cell Glassware (Optional)
Screw-fit PTFE lid with three electrode holes and two gas holes.
Platinum Disk Working Electrode (Optional)
Highly polished platinum embedded in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plastic bodies.
All dimensions are in millimetres.
| Purity | 99.99% |
| Diameter | 2 mm |
Platinum Wire Counter Electrode (Optional)
All dimensions are in millimetres.
| Purity | 99.99% |
| Diameter | 0.5 mm |
Non-aqueous Ag/Ag+ Reference Electrode (Optional)
All dimensions are in millimetres.
Pricing and Options
The complete three electrode system comes with three electrodes and a high quality cell, included at a reduced price for purchasers of the Ossila Potentiostat. A lower price option is also available if you wish to buy the potentiostat without a cell. Both packages qualify for FREE worldwide shipping and our two-year equipment warranty.
| Price with cell | £1600 |
| Price without cell (potentiostat only) | £1300 |
The Ossila Potentiostat comes with control and measurement software for performing linear sweep and cyclic voltammetry, open circuit potential, and constant potential electrolysis. Software updates are also provided at no extra charge and are available to download from our website.
As with all of our software, data is saved to comma-separated value (.csv) files so that you can analyse it with your favourite tool. The settings you define are saved alongside your measurement data so that you always have a record of your experimental parameters. Profiles allow you to save commonly used settings configurations so that you can quickly repeat measurements without re-configuring the potentiostat, further speeding up your research.
Software Key Features
Our intuitive potentiostat software enables you to easily perform linear sweep and cyclic voltammetry, open circuit potential, and controlled potential electrolysis. Simply set the relevant settings and click 'Start'. Watch the measurement as it happens with live plotting of data.
Intuitively-designed user interface
Easy to use, start using the potentiostat to take electrochemical measurements within minutes
Live updating plot
Plot voltammograms in real time
Data saved to .csv file
Software agnostic data exports enable you to use your favourite analytical tools
Create settings profiles
Repeat experiments without having to re-enter your settings
Software Requirements
| Operating System | Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit) |
| CPU | Dual Core 2.5 GHz |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Available Hard Drive Space | 120 MB |
| Monitor Resolution | 1280 x 960 |
| Communication | USB 2.0 |
Software Installation
To install the Electrochemistry PC software, download the latest version from our website or insert the supplied USB memory stick into your computer and run the "Ossila-Electrochemistry-Installer-vX-X-X-X" file.
On Windows 10, the necessary drivers are installed automatically when you first connect the Potentiostat to your computer. If you are using an older version of Windows you can find both 32-bit and 64-bit drivers either on the software download page or in the "SMU-Driver" folder on the memory stick.
Please refer to the Potentiostat product manual for more information.
Electrochemical/Photoelectrochemical Cells and Cell Kits
Working, Counter, and Reference Electrodes
To the best of our knowledge the information provided here is accurate. However, Ossila assume no liability for the accuracy of this page. The values provided are typical at the time of manufacture and may vary over time and from batch to batch. All products are for laboratory and research and development use only, and may not be used for any other purpose including health care, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food or commercial applications.