Reproducibility of electrodes for R and D versus electrodes for final products

At Zimmer and Peacock we are pragmatic industrial electrochemists who see that R and D is just the first step on the route to market.

The biggest issue for academia and the R and D effort is the complaint of irreproducibility of electrodes.

ZP is unique in that we are the only manufacturer who characterizes it's batches of electrodes.

In a recent short study ZP electrodes were analysed against a source of electrodes from another supplier, the researcher remarked that the ZP electrodes were very high grade relative to the competition

At ZP our philosophy is if you don't measure it you can't improve it, and so we always encourage researchers to ask their suppliers for test data on the electrodes, and ask how they characterize each batch of electrodes. If they are unable or unwilling to supply it then one should be very cautious.

RESULTS

Cyclic Voltammogram

Five P and G electrodes were tested with a known concentration of ferri/ferrocyanide, and the slope from peak to peak of the cyclic voltammetry were measured, the results were for five different electrodes of two different sets. CV% was 20% for P type and 23% for G type.

Impedance Spectroscopy

The independent researchers appreciated that cyclic voltammetry was not appropriate if the electrodes were to be used for an analysis where the assay was based on impedance spectroscopy, conductivity or resistivity, therefore on three of each type of electrode P and G they performed EIS analysis. From the Nyquist plot they calculated Rct, whose coefficient of variance was 28 % and 48 % for the P and G type respectively.