Recently analytical electrochemistry has progressed dramatically. There are a number of reasons for this progress system. Operation interface becomes more user friendly and its reliability is improved. The use of solid electrodes has also been significant and popular among chemists. CS-3A Cell Stand is specifically designed to use a variety of solid electrodes conveniently and cell accessories available from ALS.
The CS-3A Cell Stand is adopted with CHI series Electrochemical Analyzers and other apparatus directly. The cell is enclosed in a Faraday cage to reduce electrical interference. A built-in gas control allows purging a sample. Gas line is provided to purge next sample, while analyzing the present sample separately, thus increasing productivity. Magnetic stirrer allows for controlling the mixing of the sample for experiments requiring mass transport of electrolyte or analyte to the electrode surface. Cell top positioner with detachable cell cap allows easy removal and replacement of the cell vial as well as the electrodes for rinsing, cleaning, and replacement.
CS-3A Cell Stand is specifically designed to use a variety of solid electrodes conveniently and cell accessories available from ALS. In addition, the back panel is removable, to facilitate the setting of the cable, and the stainless steel support is setting at the back, to keep space for sample handling.
The measurement current value using Microelectrode is very small, therefore it becomes vulnerable to external noise. CS-3A cell stand can avoid the experimental irregular result caused by external noise and improve your measurement.
Recently analytical electrochemistry has progressed dramatically. There are a number of reasons for this progress system. Operation interface becomes more user friendly and its reliability is improved. The use of solid electrodes has also been significant and popular among chemists. CS-3A Cell Stand is specifically designed to use a variety of solid electrodes conveniently and cell accessories available from ALS.
The CS-3A Cell Stand is adopted with CHI series Electrochemical Analyzers and other apparatus directly. The cell is enclosed in a Faraday cage to reduce electrical interference. A built-in gas control allows purging a sample. Gas line is provided to purge next sample, while analyzing the present sample separately, thus increasing productivity. Magnetic stirrer allows for controlling the mixing of the sample for experiments requiring mass transport of electrolyte or analyte to the electrode surface. Cell top positioner with detachable cell cap allows easy removal and replacement of the cell vial as well as the electrodes for rinsing, cleaning, and replacement.
CS-3A Cell Stand is specifically designed to use a variety of solid electrodes conveniently and cell accessories available from ALS. In addition, the back panel is removable, to facilitate the setting of the cable, and the stainless steel support is setting at the back, to keep space for sample handling.
The measurement current value using Microelectrode is very small, therefore it becomes vulnerable to external noise. CS-3A cell stand can avoid the experimental irregular result caused by external noise and improve your measurement.
The CS-3A Cell Stand is applicable for either 100 V or 240 V (50-60 Hz) power supply. Using power switching regulator, the Cell Stand can set up any place without any modification.
One should push the socketed end of the power cord into the port located in the back panel (See Fig. 2-1). After the connection, power switch should be "ON". This switch is labeled with a “O” and “|”. When in “O”position, the power is OFF and when in “|”, the power is ON. You make sure the power switch at the ON position. If there is any problem for the power ability, it is better to check the fuge whether it is properly installed. In any case, the fuge will be broken up if power overflows.
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| Figure 2-1. Power switch (1) and fuse folder under power cord connector (2) |
As shown in Fig. 2-1, the fuse is located under power control connector. Pull the fuse holder, and check whether it works or not. If it does not work, it should be replaced with new one.
The CS-3A gas purge and stirring can be controlled by the ALS/CHI Electrochemical Analyzer. The control line is 25 pin cable (Cat No 010880 CPEE interface cable) between the remote connector on the rear of the Cell Stand and the cell stand connector on the rear panel of the ALS/CHI Models (See Fig. 2-2). The electrode leads are connected to the ALS/CHI Models by inserting cell connector on the end of the cell lead cable into the cell input connector on the rear panel of the ALS/CHI Models.
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| Figure 2-2. Connection of CS-3A to ALS/CHI Models |
The cell leads are passed into rear panel of CS-3A Cell Stand, and see Fig. 2-3a to 2-3c. Each of aligator clip is passed through the hole carefully.
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| Figure 2-3. Cell lead connection from ALS/CHI Models 2-3a: Pass of the aligator clips through the hole of CS-3A 2-3b: Connection of electrode terminals with ALS/CHI Models 2-3c: Connection of the aligator clips to the electrodes in the Faraday cage of CS-3A |
After passing the electrode leads and connecting the communication cable of USB or RS-232C with PC, the electrode leads and control line cable are connected between ALS/CHI Models and CS-3A Cell Stand.
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| Figure 2-4. PC ports from CS-3A |
The CS-3A Cell Stand package includes a tygon tube and a gas line fitting. One end of the gas line fitting is nipple, the end of which pushes into the tygon tube. The other end of the fitting connects to the 'GAS IN' port on the rear panel of CS-3A (Fig. 3-1). To attach the line, you can simply push the connector into the port. A retaining clip will snap into place. The open end of the tygon tube is connected to a regulated gas supply. The inlet gas pressure must not exceed 35 kpa. To remove the tube from the Cell Stand, squeeze the retaining ring tab against the connector, and then pull the tube and connector away from the Cell Stand.
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| Figure 3-1. Gas inlet port on the rear side of CS-3A |
The electrode lead wires are coming through the back panel of CS-3A. The connector is tightened by screw. Simply push the connector over the corresponding pin on the electrode to make the connection. The aligator clips are derived from 3 different colors coded to the electrode (Fig. 3-2).
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| Figure 3-2. Electrode cable clips and glass cell vial Green: Working electrode White: Reference electrode Red: Counter electrode |
CS-3A Cell Stand has the ability to purge the sample solution with an inert gas. The purging can remove oxygen by bubbling an inert gas, typically nitrogen, helium or argon, through the solution. The blanketing function is to maintain an inert atmosphere above the sample to keep oxygen or air components from reentering the sample solution.
The purge/blanket lines are the two plastic tubes coming out of the cell top positioner. The two larger 1/8' lines are labeled 'Test Sample'. To insert the Teflon lines: place on a flat surface, press purge line into smaller opening of Teflon cap. The blanket line is pushed into the smallest hole in the center of the Teflon cap. The blanket line should extend to just beyond the bottom of the teflon cap.
Cell top positioner is raised, the glass cell vial is placed under the teflon cell vial cap, and the cell top positioner is lowered onto the cell vial (Fig. 4-1). The cell vial cap snaps out of the cell top positioner for easy cleaning. The teflon cell cap for CS-3A is fitted into the cell top positioner, and slided out of the positioner.
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| Figure 4-1. Front panel components in CS-3A |
1. Gas purge line for Test Sample
2. Gas blanket line
3. Working electrode (green clip)
4. Reference electrode (white clip)
5. Counter electrode (red clip)
6. Teflon cell vial cap
7. Cell top positioner
8. Thumb screw to control height adjustment
9. Test sample glass cell vial
10. Stir LED: LED is flashing when stir is turned on, either manually or remotely
11. Stir control switch: Manually control stirrer or select remote control option
12. Knowb to manually control stirring rate
13. Gas purge LED: LED is flashing when gas purge is turned on for test sample cell, either manually or remotely
14. Test sample gas purge control switch: Manually control gas purge in test sample cell or select for remote control
15. Test sample purge rate controller: Needle valve controlling gas flow rate to test sample gas dispersion tube
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| Figure 4-2. Rear panel components in CS-3A |
1. Thumb screws: Four thumb screws for easy removal of back panel
2. Cell leads: Cell leads with connector for connection to electrode terminal of CHI instruments
3. Ground
4. Fuse holder
5. Power ON/OFF
6. Power cord: Socket for power cord. Make sure that the power cord is connected to a grounded outlet
7. Gas inlet connector: Bulkhead fitting providing connection to external gas source
NOTE: 35 kpa maximum pressure
8. Remote connector: DB-25 connector for remote control by CHI instruments
9. Half circle hole for cables (R15 mm).
The remote connector of the CS-3A Cell Stand allows the stirring and gas purge functions controlled by an external unit. The CS-3A is specifically controlled by the appropriate commands from CHI Electrochemical Analyzer. These functions can be activated from any controller providing a contact closure to ground and at 5V DC and 100 mA power supply, Faraday cage and cell holder.
Do not use Hydrogen gas as purge, because teflon tube is used for gas flow, and a small molecule such as Hydrogen is penetrated from the teflon tube. Hydrogen gas has a possibility to leak from the teflon tube. Please use inert gas such as Nitrogen or Argon gas as purging purposes.
Faraday cage (CS-3A) will shield the cell from most of the electrical interferences. The CS-3A cell door must be closed during the experiments for proper shielding. The Faraday cage should be put on a relatively vibration free table and should not be moved during the experiment. Movement of the cell leads during an experiment may result in a noisy voltammogram.
Disconnected wires (cell leads) passing through the wall of the Faraday cage are sources of the line frequency interference for small signals. To get the best results, we recommend to remove any unnecessary leads and set a proper ground line. Sample glass cell is placed on the stainless steel pan in the Faraday cage. The teflon cap is moved down onto the glass cell. The electrodes are inserted into the teflon cap and connected by those cell leads. The teflon cap slides out of the cell top positioner for easy cleaning.
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| Figure 5. Setup protocol of blanket purge tube in CS-3A |
5A: There are 2 kinds of gas purge 1/8" teflon tubes (Test and Blanket sample tubes), and a 1/16" teflon tube is connected with the blanket tube using silicon joint tube
5B: the connected teflon tube
5C: The teflon tube is passed into the center of Teflon cell vial cap, and positioned into the air space of sample solution&
5D: After fixing the teflon tube, Working, Counter and Reference electrodes are set in the cell vial
Picoamp Booster is designed to measure low current under Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) techniques. There are 2 kinds of Picoamp Booster for Model 600B/C/D/E and Model 700B/C/D/E series supplied by CHI instruments. They cannot combine with other instruments. When the Picoamp Booster is connected with Model 600C series, the sensitivity scale reaches at or below 1X10-8 A/V, and it will be enabled to measure. Otherwise, it will be disabled.
The back panel may be easily removed by unscrewing 4 thumb screws shown in Fig. 6-1A, and taken away (Fig. 6-1B).
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| Figure 6-1. A: Release of 4 screws in the rear panel of CS-3A B: Removal of the rear panel |
After removing the rear panel, the set position of the Picoamp Booster should be checked (Fig. 6-2A), and 4 holes for screw are drilled (Fig. 6-2B). Picoamp Booster is fixed on the rear panel by 4 screws shown in Fig. 6-2C, and the rear panel is set to CS-3A Cell Stand with 4 thumb screws (Fig. 6-3).
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| Figure 6-2. A: Check of 4 screw positions on the rear panel of CS-3A B: Drilling of 4 holes on the panel C: Connection of the Picoamp Booster on the rear panel |
