Digital Waveform Generator and Potentistat Controller for Pulse Electrochemical Techniques

ABSTRACT An instrument which uses two computers operating in parallel for waveform generation, data acquisition, and general control of an electrochemical potentiostat is described. It is presently programmed to perform eight different pulse methods, but other methods can be tried and then included in the program, if desired. Liquid or solid electrodes, either dropping or stationary, may be used. Step times down to 31 μs (sweep rates in excess of 100 V/s) are available with total timing errors of less than 20 ns. Exact control of step time, time between step application and current integration, length of integration, and delay between drop fall and experiment beginning is provided. Different values of the above parameters, except for drop fall delay, may be selected for the anodic and cathodic steps in differential methods, allowing unsymmetrical operation. Circuits to provide drop profile data in tast polarography and to record drop times for surface tension measurements are included.