I am using three electrode systems (Ag/AgCl reference electrode filed with 3M NaCl, Pt wire counter electrode and my material (nickel foam) as working electrode. I am depositing metal nitrates on NF at -1V. After deposition, the electrodes turns to black and this will not remove with DI water. Especially the wire inside the reference electrode has become black permanently and the color is almost covering the whole parts of the wire. I am changing the 3M NaCl solution after use and keep it inside the solution. Should I throw and buy new electrode or is there any mechanism to treat and reuse it again?
Thank you in advance for your comments!
Hello Birhanu Bayissa Gicha
Did you try to add a frit and/or a bridge to you RE first? Otherwise, I would suggest to try to perform an electrochemical polishing in PB using cyclic voltammetry (0.5 to -0.8 V; -0.65 is enough but you would need to try what is best for your experiment).
Best regards,
Marie B.
For the reference electrode a gray/black colour on the Ag wire is normal (for the AgCl layer). If you change frequently the electrolyte inside the electrode (NaCl solution) and it is not saturated with Ag+ ion, you may destroy the reference electrode: If the Ag wire was gray and now it is black, maybe you have lost the AgCl layer.
I will try the options you mentioned!
Thank you for your comments!
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