Potentiostatic Experimental Sequence

Run the Electrochemical Energy Potentiostatic standard technique by selecting Experiment>Electrochemical Energy>Potentiostatic from the Framework™ menu bar. This initiates the following sequence of events:

  1. The Framework creates a Runner window, and the pwr potentiostatic.exp script is run in this window.
  2. The script creates the Setup dialog box and accepts changes in the parameters.
  3. The script now obtains the use of the potentiostat specified during Setup, and opens the data file specified in the Output name. The Runner window’s Title reflects the Output filename. If the potentiostat is in use or the file cannot be opened, the script returns to the Setup dialog box.
  4. The file header information is written to the data file. This information is written to the file prior to data acquisition. If the experiment is aborted, the output file contains only this information. This header information includes: (a) Tags identifying possible analysis; (b) The current time and data; and (c) A list of setup parameters.
  5. The cell is turned ON.
  6. The actual potentiostatic hold occurs. Readings of voltage and current are performed at fixed time-intervals during the hold. The hold is actually performed galvanostatically with a feedback loop to perform a pseudo-potentiostatic experiment. This ensures that the instrument will not go into current overload which can happen under normal potentiostatic mode. A plot of current and voltage versus time is displayed during the hold.
  7. The data are written to the output file, and the script cleans up and halts. After the experimental sequence is complete, the cell is turned off. The acquired data are written to the output file. The script then waits for you to click the F2-Skip button. After you do so, the script closes everything that’s open, including the Runner window.