Tuesday, January 18, 2005
A little introduction
Please note most of this is from Electrochemical Methods, fundamentals and applications by Allen J. Bard and Larry R. Faulkner. Also what I write about electrochemistry may actually be complete pants and I am in no way a qualified electrochemist.
The aim of this project is to investigate specific biological interactions using electrochemistry techniques. Electrochemistry may be defined as the study of the processes and factors that affect the transport of charge across the interface between chemical phases. These chemical phases are usually between an electronic conductor (the electrode) and an ionic conductor (the electrolyte). There are two types of processes that can occur at electrodes. In faradaic processes charges are transferred across an electrode - electrolyte interface. The transfer of electron charges charges allows oxidation or reduction reactions to occur. These oxidation and reduction reactions are governed by Faradays law which states that the amount of chemical reaction caused by the flow of current is proportional to the amount of electrochemistry passed (NB PUT IN CHEMICAL FORMULA). Electrodes at which faradaic processes occur are sometimes referred to as charge transfer electrodes. The other type of process that can occur at electrodes are non-faradaic processes. Non faradaic processes include adsorption and desorption where the structure of the electrode - electrolyte interface may change with changing potential or the composition of the electrolyte solution. This means that charge does not cross the electrode - electrolyte interface but external currents may flow when the potential, electrode area or electrolyte composition changes. In this project only non faradaic processes have been used to characterise biological interactions at electrode surfaces.
The aim of this project is to investigate specific biological interactions using electrochemistry techniques. Electrochemistry may be defined as the study of the processes and factors that affect the transport of charge across the interface between chemical phases. These chemical phases are usually between an electronic conductor (the electrode) and an ionic conductor (the electrolyte). There are two types of processes that can occur at electrodes. In faradaic processes charges are transferred across an electrode - electrolyte interface. The transfer of electron charges charges allows oxidation or reduction reactions to occur. These oxidation and reduction reactions are governed by Faradays law which states that the amount of chemical reaction caused by the flow of current is proportional to the amount of electrochemistry passed (NB PUT IN CHEMICAL FORMULA). Electrodes at which faradaic processes occur are sometimes referred to as charge transfer electrodes. The other type of process that can occur at electrodes are non-faradaic processes. Non faradaic processes include adsorption and desorption where the structure of the electrode - electrolyte interface may change with changing potential or the composition of the electrolyte solution. This means that charge does not cross the electrode - electrolyte interface but external currents may flow when the potential, electrode area or electrolyte composition changes. In this project only non faradaic processes have been used to characterise biological interactions at electrode surfaces.
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