Electronic system and software for multielectrode sensors and electrochemical devices

Abstract

An electronic system and software program for multielectrode electrochemical devices; a multielectrode sensor for application in environments containing electrochemically active species; and a multielectrode sensor with a built-in removable large electrode. The electronic system has a large electrode connected to the coupling joint through a resistor element to adjust the potential of the multielectrodes. The electronic system, along with the software program, automatically changes the values of the coupling resistors so that the potentials of a group of electrodes or all the electrodes of a sensor are similar, or automatically disconnects malfunctioning electrodes from the coupling joints to avoid the effect of such electrodes. A variation of the electronic system uses an ammeter or a zero-resistance-ammeter to measure the coupling currents and has resistors between the electrodes and the coupling joint to reduce the transient current produced during switching. The software program also keeps track of the cumulative charge for each electrodes of the multielectrode device so that the cumulative corrosion depth or electrodeposition thickness can be calculated based on the cumulative charge from each electrode. The multielectrode sensor for applications in an environment that contains electrochemically active species has a dual-sensor design, which allows the removal of the signals due to the reactions of the electrochemically active species.