Development and Characterization of Novel Flow Injection,
Thin-Layer, and Batch Cells for Electroanalytical Applications Using
Screen-Printed Electrodes
posted on 2021-12-01, 15:36authored bySayed A. M. Marzouk, Aisha R. Alyammahi, Pablo Fanjul-Bolado
In the present paper, the design,
fabrication, and analytical applications
of three novel cells for flow injection, thin-layer, and batch electrochemical
measurements using screen-printed electrode chips (SPECs) are described.
Each cell consisted of an acrylic base and a transparent acrylic cover.
The essential construction feature of each cell base was a cavity
to accommodate the SPEC, whereas the construction features of the
clear acrylic cover determined the cell shape and its function. The
presented cells offered several common advantages, which include (i)
convenient electrical connection of the SPEC to any potentiostat without
the need for special cables, (ii) the SPEC was completely contained
within the cell body, which eliminated the risk of its breakage, (iii)
suitable for use with a large number of commercially available SPECs,
and (iv) excellent SPEC sealing. The flow cell offered additional
advantages of convenient customization of the cell dead volume and
convenient visual inspection of the surface and the vicinity of SPEs.
The presented thin-layer cell is the first report on a dedicated cell
which realized a near-ideal thin-layer steady-state voltammetry using
SPECs. The universal batch cell (UBC) offered extreme versatility
and proved suitable for all batch applications in sample volumes ranging
from 25 μL to 40 mL with an optional controlled temperature
and atmosphere. Moreover, a novel way to achieve stirred-solution
chronoamperometry and hydrodynamic voltammetry using SPECs (with superior
signal-to-noise ratios) using the UBC is described. Electrochemical
measurements to demonstrate the merits and the applicability of all
cells are also presented.