An introduction to bismuth film electrode for use in cathodic electrochemical detection

• Published in: Electrochemistry communications Vol. 3; no. 12; pp. 707 - 711
• Main Authors: Hutton, Emily A, Ogorevc, Božidar, Hočevar, Samo B, Weldon, Frances, Smyth, Malcolm R, Wang, Joseph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01.12.2001; Amsterdam Elsevier Science; New York, NY
• Subjects: Amperometry; Analytical chemistry; Bismuth film electrode; Cathodic reduction; Chemistry; Electrochemical detection; Electrochemical methods; Electrochemistry; Electrodes: preparations and properties; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Organic electroanalysis; Other electrodes; Voltammetry; Amperometry; Voltammetry; Electrochemical detection; Bismuth film electrode; Organic electroanalysis; Cathodic reduction; Thin layer electrode; Bismuth; Experimental study; Carbon; Continuous flow method; Organic compounds; Electrochemical detector; Glassy state; Modified material
• ISSN: 1388-2481; 1873-1902
• DOI: 10.1016/S1388-2481(01)00240-5

A new electrode surface design, the bismuth film electrode (BiFE), is presented as a promising alternative to mercury and other solid electrodes for direct cathodic electrochemical detection of organic compounds. The preparation of the BiFE, involving an ex situ electroplating of metallic bismuth onto a glassy carbon (GC) substrate electrode, was optimised. The useful negative potential windows of the BiFE in the pH range 1 (−0.2 to −0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl) to 10 (−0.2 to −1.5 V) were determined. The reproducibility of measuring 2-nitrophenol as a model compound (relative standard deviation, r.s.d., n=10) was found to be 0.5% at the same BiFE, and 1.0% at successive newly prepared BiFEs. No polishing or any other pre-treatment of the substrate GC surface was required prior to re-plating of a new Bi film. The BiFE showed similar or even favourable voltammetric behaviour when compared to mercury and bare GC electrodes, and was successfully tested for amperometric detection under hydrodynamic conditions. The results revealed that BiFE is an attractive new non-mercury metallic electrode particularly suitable for cathodic electrochemical detection in flow analytical systems.