TABLE OF CONTENTS This chapter focuses on a selection of key electrochemical techniques, chosen because they constitute the majority of experiments carried out in most laboratories, including research laboratories. Some less common methods have been included purely for pedagogical reasons, e.g. double potential step since it is one of the simplest reversal techniques. Classical experiments are broadly defined as those commonly found on commercial instruments, namely potential steps, potential sweeps, sweep and step combinations, AC impedance, microelectrodes and rotating disc electrodes. A section on numerical simulations is included since the availability of commercial software widens access to the powers of modelling. The chapter concludes with guidelines for troubleshooting electrochemical experiments, especially voltammetric ones, with conventional and microelectrodes. Many techniques including controlled current, polarography, hydrodynamic (e.g. flow cells) and spectroelectrochemical methods were considered to be too exotic and have been left out. With Part I of this handbook providing a solid theoretical background, this chapter only covers a brief reminder of the theoretical principles for each experiment considered.
Electrochemical experiments are always conducted under diffusion-controlled mass transport. This is achieved by (1) adding a large concentration of electrolyte to suppress the migration of ions due to...
