Trying to understand the significance of reference electrode interaction with the solution in which it is submerged (usual practice) with other electrodes (working and counter).
For exp. - For Hg/HgO reference electrode with 1 M KOH electrolyte is submerged with two other electrode in a 4 M KOH solution. What sort of reading change should I observe if I remove reference electrode outside of the 4 M KOH solution.
Thank You for the help.
The potentiostat measures the potential between WE and REF. Remove the REF from the solution, simply try it, it is not dangerous for your instrument. You will receive an error message ("Overload" or similar).
Similar experiment for a 2 electrodes cell: try to measure the voltage of a pile, with a voltmeter, connecting only one wire to the pile.
Very strange question. Surely, the ref electrode must be in solution. Otherwise you do not have a 3-electrode system.
The potentiostat measures the potential between WE and REF. Remove the REF from the solution, simply try it, it is not dangerous for your instrument. You will receive an error message ("Overload" or similar).
Similar experiment for a 2 electrodes cell: try to measure the voltage of a pile, with a voltmeter, connecting only one wire to the pile.
I was just curious to know how it interact with the solution during a experiment without damaging the instrument. Now I know it is not dangerous, I will definitely try it.
Thank You.
While I agree with Cornel above, on some instruments such a lack of control over applied potential will result in the application of increasingly higher potentials (up to the compliance voltage of the potentiostat) and might result in "burning" your electrolyte solution due to over-oxidation.
I am also agreeing with Thomsasz. The system may reach to the compliance voltage and may cause many undesirable phenomena such as:
1. You may observe continuous bubbles in the electrolyte solution (ejection of gases as a result of high potential)
2. As mentioned by thomsasz "burning" of electrolytes.
3. Damaging of working electrode material.
So if you want to be curious to see the effects try but at your own risk. But, it probably will not damage the instrument.
To add to the above answers, you would want your reference electrode as close as possible to your working electrode (generally by using a Luggin capillary) to minimise solution resistance. Compare the EIS of your system with the reference electrode close to the WE and far away from the WE.
In addition to the above good answers I would say that it is not very good idea to remove reference electrode from the solution when using three-electrode system. In this case you can get before an error message a sharp increase of a voltage in the system. This definitely leads the above mentioned changes in the system. Sometimes, dependently on your instrument, it can be even damaged. It depends
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Electrodes