Achievement of the Analytically Ideal Steady-State Response at a Microelectrode-Based Scanning Electrochemical Detector under Flow Injection Analysis and Normal-Phase Chromatography Conditions

A study of the one-electron reversible ferrocene oxidation process has been made under both flow injection analysis and normal-phase chromatography conditions in a thin-layer flow cell with a rapid-scanning microelectrode-based detector. A flow rate of 1.0 mL min^-1, scan rates in the range of 2-10 V s^-1, and platinum disk microelectrodes of radii in the range 5-50 μm enable voltammograms with the theoretically predicted steady-state characteristics to be obtained. Ready access to the analytically ideal steady-state response and to electrode process characterization coupled with other advantages available with microelectrodes provides the rapid-scanning microelectrode-based detector with substantial advantages over many of the more commonly used forms of electrochemical detection.