voltammetry
Quick Summary
Voltammetry is an electroanalytical method used in chemical analysis for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. It involves using a set of electrodes dipped into an analyte solution, with a regularly varying electrical potential applied to an indicator electrode relative to a reference electrode. The analyte undergoes an electrochemical reaction at the indicator electrode, and the resulting current is monitored.
Different forms of voltammetry exist, such as linear sweep voltammetry, where the potential changes linearly over time, and polarography, which uses a liquid metal electrode, often mercury. AC voltammetry adds an alternating potential to a DC ramp, measuring only the AC current to study reversible electrochemical reactions. The shape of the resulting voltammogram (a plot of current versus potential) can identify substances, and the height of the current wave or peak is proportional to the analyte's concentration.12
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