The purpose of the polish is to remove redox reaction products accumulated on the working electrode surface. The polishing maintains a good condition of working electrode for CV/Flow cell.

With repeated electrochemical redox reaction experiments, the adhesion of the experimental products on to the electrode surface, and the electron transfer rate is attenuated gradually. If the electron transfer speed becomes slow, the difference between peak potentials for oxidation and reduction will broaden.

Refreshing the electrode surface by polishing, the electron transfer rate will increase again. Consequently, the peak potential difference becomes narrow and returns to an ideal CV.

Electrode: Glassy carbon electrode

Description

Catalogue No.	Description
013223	PK-3 Electrode Polishing kit
Contents
012620	0.05 µm polishing alumina (20 mL)
012621	1 µm polishing diamond (10 mL)
-	Alumina polishing pad (10 pcs)
-	Diamond polishing pad (10 pcs)
013222	Replacement glass plate for PK-3 (1 pc)
Polishing pad for acquisition separately
012600	Alumina polishing pad (20 pcs)
012601	Diamond polishing pad (20 pcs)

Option（sold separately）

Catalogue No.	Description	Quantity	purpose
012620	0.05 µm polishing alumina (20 mL)	1	For final polishing
012621	1 µm polishing diamond (10 mL)	1	For intermediate polishing
013234	6 µm polishing diamond (10mL)	1	For intermediate polishing
012600	Alumina polishing pad (20 pcs)	1	For final polishing
012601	Diamond polishing pad (20 pcs)	1	For intermediate polishing
012610	Coarse polishing Pad (20 pcs)	1	rough hewn
012611	Emery paper UF800 (20 pcs)	1	For PG and PFCE electrodes

∗Do not use the polishing solution to the rough hewn polishing pad.
∗For polishing using emery paper, use only distilled water.
∗Polishing solution can not be used for the PG and PFCE electrodes.

How to polish the Working electrodes' surface with PK-3

Prepare the glass plate, and put a few drops of polishing diamond on a wetted diamond polishing pad.
Hold the CV electrode at right angle to the pad, and polish in a circular motion.
Replace the diamond pad to an alumina polishing pad, put a few drops of polishing alumina, and polish the electrode to be mirror surface. Rinse the electrode surface with distilled water, and finish by air drying.
Using a new alumina polishing pad, polish few times the electrode (for removing the alumina particles remaining on the electrode surface). Rinse the electrode surface with distilled water, and finish by air drying.

Attention: Polishing with PK-3 is the most appropriate way to clean up electrode surface. Please consult us when other methods are applied.Please, don't use poor quality alumina, as it is not enough efficient for polishing.

Polishing of PFCE Electrode & Pyrolytic Graphite Electrode

For the electrodes listed below,

Catalog No.	Description	Isolation	OD	ID
002252	PGBE Pyrolytic Graphite Electrode (Basal Plane)	PEEK	6 mm	3 mm
002253	PGEE Pyrolytic Graphite Electrode (Edge Plane)	PEEK	6 mm	3 mm
002408	PFCE 3 Carbon electrode	PEEK	6 mm	3 mm
002409	PFCE 1 Carbon electrode	PEEK	6 mm	1 mm
011854	SPFCE Carbon electrode	PEEK	3 mm	1 mm

It is recommended the follow polishing step:

Put a few drops of distilled water on the emery paper, and polish for 10 seconds. If necessary increase the polishing time.
Then rinse the electrode with distilled water.
After rinse, ultrasonic cleaning for 10 seconds (in the case of 65 W - 100 W ultrasonic cleaner).
Or polishing the electrode using alumina pad with a few drops of distilled water for about 10 seconds.
Then rinse the electrode again with a distilled water.
Dry the electrode and it is ready for the measurement.

∗For the PGBE electrode (Cat. No. 002252), because of the material characteristics, it is difficult to keep the perfect basal surface. For the precise PGBE basal surface treatment evaluation, you can have the publications below as a reference.

J. Phys. Chem.: Vol. 98 (1994), p. 5314; Vol. 96 (1992), p. 3124
Anal. Chem.: Vol. 64 (1992), p. 2518; Vol. 61 (1989), p. 1637; Vol. 69(1997), p. 4680

The assessment of the basal and edge surface is done by measuring the Raman spectra. This method is reported in the last two publications mentioned above.

∗notice
Do not polish with a finer grade of emery paper ( #6000 etc.). PFCE electrode does not need mirror finishing like a GC electrode.