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In a 3-electrode cell setup, why is the reference electrode located near the working electrode?

by | Oct 14, 2023 | Electrode FAQ

  • The electrochemical cell based on two or three electrode system of working electrode (WE), reference electrode (RE) and counter electrode is placed in a suitable electrolyte solution.
  • During the redox process, the solution resistance will rise if the gap between the WE and RE is wider. As a result, as indicated in Fig 1, it is essential to place the WE and RE as close as possible.
  • If the experiments are conducted in non-aqueous or ionic liquids, the constant distance needs to be maintained throughout the experiment, and monitoring is recommended.
  • The Luggin capillary setup can be utilized to lower the WE and RE by moving the RE’s tip closer to the WE’s surface (Fig 2). At any cost, avoid touching the WE with the tip of the RE (Fig 3) because it may lead to inaccurate reading and the potential difference to drop to 0.0V.