Voltammetry - Instrument:

The basic instrument consists of two significant components:

Figure: Basic instrument for voltammetry

1.  Normal three electrode polarograph.

2.  Linear scan voltage generator to give various kinds of signals.

The polarographic cell is made up of a three electrodes dipped within a solution holding the electroactive species and excess of inert electrolyte commonly known supporting electrolyte.

i)  Working electrode, usually a microelectrode whose potential is varied linearly along with time.

ii) Reference electrode: Generally a standard electrode is used whose potential is constant throughout the experiment (saturated calomel electrode or Ag/AgCl electrode).

iii) Counter electrode that is a coil of platinum wire or a pool of mercury that simply serves to conduct electricity from the signal source by the solution to the micro electrode.

The potentiostat permit imposing the potential scanning among the working and reference electrodes while the current flowing by the circuit is recorded among the working and auxiliary electrodes.

The computer CVA Trace analyzer from Metrohm Ltd. could be used as an intergrated instrument along with keyboard or a commercially available personal computer interface to measuring system (with software):

i) For send scanning parameters to the potentiostatic analyzer and check its accuracy and correctness.

ii) Handle the current potential result data.