Working Electrodes
High quality working electrodes including platinum and gold electrodes
Perfect for use in standard cyclic voltammetry electrochemistry cells
Due to their resistance to oxidation in both air and acids, platinum and gold disc working electrodes are widely used in standard cyclic voltammetry electrochemistry cells to investigate the oxidation and reduction potentials of organic and inorganic semiconductors. Organic semiconductors such as polymers in solution can be drop-cast onto the disc to form films, or alternatively the electrochemical cell can be set up to measure the properties of a material in solution. Both platinum and gold disc working electrodes are easy to use and clean.
Solvent and acid resistant working electrodes are now available to buy with either a highly polished platinum (included with our potentiostat system for cyclic voltammetry) or gold disc embedded in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plastic bodies.
Save 5% and 10% per electrode when you buy packs of five and ten respectively or get three electrodes and cell glassware with an electrochemical cell kit.
Net electrodes and L-shape platinum electrodes of different sizes are also available to our customers upon request. Please contact us for more details.
The working electrode is probably the most important component of an electrochemical cell: the working electrode is where the electrically driven chemical reaction and electron transfer happens.
Platinum, gold, carbon and mercury are the most commonly used materials but being electrochemically inert and easy to be fabricated into many forms, platinum is often preferred. Gold electrodes are less tolerant to oxidation in the positive potential range, but good to form self-assembled monolayer on its surface while carbon electrodes are more tolerant to more negative potentials.
Redox Reactions
Redox reactions, also referred to as oxidation-reduction reactions, involve the loss or gain of electrons. The loss of electrons is called oxidation and the gain of the electrons reduction.
Oxidation could happen onto the working electrode if the working electrode of the electrochemical cell is driven to a relatively positive potential to the reference electrode. However, while a negative potential is applied to the working electrode, it will result into a reduction reaction. When the potential reaches to a point where an oxidation or reduction is induced, current starts to flow.
The potential of this point is referred to as the onset oxidation or reduction potential (Eonset), shown below where Epa is the anodic peak potential, Epc is the cathodic peak potential and E1/2 is the half-wave potential [E1/2 = (Epa + Epc)/2].
When the applied potential rises through the half-wave potential, oxidation becomes thermodynamically favourable as the current also continues to increase. The oxidation process, however, becomes limited by rate of diffusion process to the electrode surface, characterised by a drop of the current resembling a duck beak.
The potential sweep of the electrode is then reversed and scanned in the opposite direction until the initial potential is reached. For a chemically reversible charge transfer process, the reversed potential sweep gives the rise of the cathodic peak potential passing the half-wave potential by the reduction of the electrochemically generated species from the first half sweep.
The reversed potential sweep is mostly associated with a reductive (negative) current.
Specifications
All dimensions are in millimetres. For L-shaped and net platinum and gold electrodes please contact us.
Platinum Disc Working Electrode
Other available disc sizes in diameter 1 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm.
| Purity | 99.99% |
Gold Disc Working Electrode
Other disc sizes are available on demand. Available disc sizes in diameter 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, please contact us for more details.
| Purity | 99.99% |
Pricing and Options
| Product Name | Product Code | Price |
| Platinum Disc Working Electrode - 2mm dia. - Single | C2013A1 | £163.00 |
| Platinum Disc Working Electrode - 2mm dia. - Pack of 5 | C2013A1-5 | £774.00 |
| Platinum Disc Working Electrode - 2mm dia. - Pack of 10 | C2013A1-10 | £1,460.00 |
| Gold Disc Working Electrode - 2mm dia. - Single | C2013B1 | £163.00 |
| Gold Disc Working Electrode - 2mm dia. - Pack of 5 | C2013B1-5 | £774.00 |
| Gold Disc Working Electrode - 2mm dia. - Pack of 10 | C2013B1-10 | £1,460.00 |
| Platinum Disc Working Electrode - 1mm dia. | C2013C1 | £126.00 |
| Platinum Disc Working Electrode - 3mm dia. | C2013D1 | £202.00 |
| Platinum Disc Working Electrode - 4mm dia. | C2013E1 | £283.00 |
To the best of our knowledge the technical information provided here is accurate. However, Ossila assume no liability for the accuracy of this information. The values provided here are typical at the time of manufacture and may vary over time and from batch to batch.