Electrodes (counter) – RE1B Ag/AgCl

The BioLogic RE-1B is a silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) counter electrode accessory for use in three-electrode electrochemical cells. In standard three-electrode electrochemical measurements, the counter electrode passes all the cell current and does not need to maintain a stable, known potential — unlike the reference electrode. However, when using a conventional platinum wire or gauze counter electrode, platinum dissolution can occur during anodic polarization of the counter electrode, leading to dissolved Pt species contaminating the cell solution and potentially depositing on the working electrode, introducing artifacts in the measurement.

This Pt cross-contamination problem is particularly significant in electrocatalysis research — for example, when studying oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on non-precious metal catalysts, Pt dissolution from the counter electrode and redeposition on the working electrode surface can falsely appear to enhance ORR activity and produce misleading results. Using an Ag/AgCl counter electrode instead of a Pt counter electrode eliminates this source of Pt contamination entirely.

The RE-1B provides a large electrode area to minimize counter electrode resistance and voltage drop, which allows the potentiostat to accurately control the working electrode potential without compliance voltage limitations. The Ag/AgCl chemistry is stable under both anodic and cathodic conditions within normal electrochemical measurement ranges. NewRoad provides the BioLogic RE-1B Ag/AgCl counter electrode in Israel for electrocatalysis and electrochemistry laboratories requiring platinum-free cell setups.