(광)전기화학 시스템 전극 재료 분석의 기초

The basics of electrode material evaluation in (photo)electrochemical system

Investigation of the targeted electrode in (photo)electrochemical system is typically carried out in a conventional three-electrode system, which is comprised of working, counter, and reference electrodes in a batch-type electrochemical reactor. Depending on the nature of targeted electrode, appropriate use of the counter electrode, which balances the charge transfers from the working electrode, is recommended to avoid any contaminations. However, this analytical basic has been often ignored, producing non-negligible but incognizant artifact in experimental results and finally leading to a failure in their correct interpretations. Herein, we highlight the importance of selection on counter electrode and cell configuration for achieving the best practice of (photo)electrochemical investigations with two different model systems, i.e., photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) on a p-Si photocathode and electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on a polycrystalline platinum. From the model studies, we further discuss about the suitable electrochemical systems for accurate measurements of (photo)electrode materials.