This cell combines electrochemistry with optical microscopy, but its functionality also includes multi-purpose spectroelectrochemistry. It consists mainly of three elements: (i) sample holder with copper foil serving as an electric contact to working electrode surface, (ii) chamber in which reference and counter electrodes are installed together with electrolyte inlet and outlet and (iii) window holder (for bottom lighting) which also may serve as a holder for alternative counter electrode in a form of thin film deposited on a flat substrate (e.g. FTO, ITO, thin metal films) as well as metal (or carbon) plate or foil. The sample consisting of a thin film of electrochemically active material deposited on a rigid or flexible substrate (working electrode) is loaded from the top via screw mount. The counter or/and reference electrodes are mounted in the chamber (either 2-, or 3-electrode setup). During an experiment the lens is focused onto the back surface of a thin film working electrode through a transparent substrate. The cell can be also mounted on a tripod and used as a multi-purpose spectroelectrochemical cell with standard UV-Vis or IR spectrometers.
The cell elements are constructed with materials that are inert to the sample (glass and PEEK). It well fits aqueous (EPDM/FKM O-Rings) and organic solvent (FFKM O-Rings) electrolyte requirements. The construction is gas-tight and can be used when the removal and exclusion of contaminants such as oxygen and water is required by bubbling of an inert gas through the electrolyte (in an external reservoir).

Application note
This cell can be used to observe optical (spectral) changes in the thin film during oxidation and reduction reaction. It was designed especially for plasmonic and electrochromic materials, but may also be used to observe electrodeposition of nanoparticles, observation of anti-corrosion layer integrity, etc. Various metals are suitable for this cell as auxiliary electrode including Platinum, Gold and Silver.

Specification
nominal exposure area: 1 cm²electrolyte volume: 1.75 mL
electrode plug diameter: 6 mm
minimum sample size: 13 mm x 13 mm
recommended sample size: 15 mm x 15 mm

Product includes
1 x chamber
1 x Ag/AgCl or non-aqueous Ag/Ag+ 30 mm reference electrode
1 x Metal wire auxiliary electrode – 35HX15 0.6/235 mm
2 x copper contact
2 x holder
2 x plug – 0005CPEMA
1 x Manfrotto PIXI table tripod – 0028PHYCM
1 x XS Bendy Flexible Tripod - 0043PHYCM

cell vertical