Carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) are the most commonly used electrode material in laboratories. The combination between mineral or silicone oils and graphite powders has a wide range properties that make it a material that is attractive for many applications in fields such as electrochemistry.
The characterization CPEs is crucial to the research conducted in the electrochemical techniques field. This is because the quality and reliability of a measurement result greatly depends on the electrode material and the way it is used. In order to achieve maximum performance for a particular application, a systematic and meticulous optimisation of electrode composition is needed.
Orient Carbon offers a selection of carbon products that have been optimized for different applications. These include aqueous, organic, and ionic measurements. Surfactants are added to the carbon pastes for aqueous measurements to reduce background current and improve electrical contact between the sample solution and the carbon surface.
To further improve the performance of these pastes, they have been modified with multi-walled nanotubes. MWCNTs are screen printed into the carbon paste. The electrodes made with MWCNTs up to a 35% mass percentage show excellent reproducibility, and are more stable than those without MWCNTs. The MWCNT CPEs are up to two times more sensitive than conventional carbon paste electrodes.
These carbon powders are suitable for a wide range of electrochemical studies, including differential pulse voltammetry. The carbon pastes were shown to have a high sensitivity when used to determine the antihyperlipidemic simvastatin drug in spiked plasma and pharmaceutical dose forms. The preparation of the electrodes was used in mechanistic and recovery studies of SIM in complex plasma matrix.
The carbon pastes have a plastic body that is resistant to solvents. A brass rod (1/16") can be mounted into the plastic body, or they can be connected with an instrument using an alligator clamp. The electrodes may also be used together with the BASi PK-4 cleaning kit to maintain a clean carbon surface.
Nuprep, a special conductive adhesive gel, is available to provide a comfortable and secure skin preparation before the use of a paste electrode. The mild abrasive effect of the gel removes dead skin cells from the surface and moistens it. This reduces skin impedance, and improves the conductivity of tracings. This ensures a high quality trace with minimal patient discomfort. The use of this gel also allows for a faster screening time. This is particularly important when using reusable electrodes (non-disposable). The optimum amount of Nuprep to apply is indicated on the label. This ensures the correct amount of gel is applied, and that an over-application does not lead to a dry film forming on the electrode surface.
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