Multiplexed Potentiodynamic Setup Parameters

Here is the Potentiodynamic Setup dialog box, complete with its default parameters.

Pstat, Multiplexer

Select your PStat and Multiplexer using the labeled radio buttons. You may select only one device of each type. Unavailable devices are grayed out.

NOTE: Be careful—the multiplexer and potentiostat that you select must be connected together!

Channel

  • There is one channel-setup switch for each of the eight channels. When channel switch N is selected, an X appears in the checkbox for that channel. As the script loops through the channels, it only runs tests on channels that are selected. The numbers for selected channels need not be continuous.

Identifier

  • A string that is used for two purposes. The Identifier parameter is written to the data file, so it can be used to identify data in database- or data-manipulation programs. The Identifier string is also used as the title for both real-time plots and plots in the data-analysis software.The Identifier string defaults to a name derived from the technique’s name. While this makes an acceptable curve-label, it does not generate a unique descriptive label for a data set.The Identifier string is limited to 80 characters. It can include all normally printable characters, including numbers, upper- and lower-case letters, and most normal punctuation, including spaces.

Area

  • The electrode area used in calculations. Each channel can have a different area.

Notes

Enter several lines of text that describe the experiment. A typical use of Notes is to record the experimental conditions for a data set.On the right of the Notes is a button, which allows you to open a dialog box, shown below, which shows more of the notes at one time. You can edit the notes in either place.

Notes defaults to an empty string.The Notes string is limited to 400 characters. It can include all printable characters including numbers, upper- and lower-case letters, and the most normal punctuation including spaces. Tab characters are not allowed in the Notes string.You can divide your Notes into lines using Enter.

System

  • Selects a set of electrochemical parameters relevant to your particular test system. The parameters are recovered from the system-parameter database file. The recovered parameters are all used in the calculation of corrosion rate. They are the sample’s equivalent weight, density, anodic β and cathodic β.When you attempt to run an experiment, the system searches the SYSTEM.SET file for a parameter set stored under the System name. If the system finds no parameter set, the system displays an error message, and you are returned to the Setup dialog box.

Base Filename

  • Each channel has its own data file. The Base Filename is used to derive the filenames for these files. The filename for channel N (1-8) is made up by appending the character N to the Base Filename, then adding a .DTA filename extension. For example, if the Base Filename is MYMUXDATA, the data file for channel 1 is named MYMUXDATA1.DTA.The filename resulting from the concatenation of the Base Filename and the channel number must adhere to Windows® filename conventions. Avoid punctuation characters (the underscore, “_”, is OK). You are allowed a maximum of 250 (not 255) characters in the Base Filename. The extra characters are reserved for the channel number appended to the Base Filename.Do not include .DTA when specifying the Base Filename. It is automatically added when the full data-file name is generated.

Initial E, Final E, Scan Rate, Sample Period, IR Comp, Conditioning, Conditioning Time, Conditioning E,  Init. Delay, Delay Time, Stab.