Reporting Electrode Potentials in Non-Aqueous Solutions IUPAC Recommendation

Method of Reporting Electrode Potentials in Non-Aqueous Solutions (IUPAC Recommendation) 

Because there is no truly reliable reference electrode for use in non-aqueous solutions, various reference electrodes have so far been used. Thus, accurate mutual comparison of the potential data in non-aqueous systems is often difficult. In order to improve the situation, the IUPAC Commission on Electrochemistry proposed a method to be used for reporting electrode potentials [8]. It can be summarized as follows  

The Fc+/Fc or BCr+/BCr couple is selected as reference redox system and the electrode potentials in any solvent and at any temperature are reported as values referred to the (apparent) standard potential of the system. Which of the two couples to select depends on the potential of the system under study the potential of the reference redox system should not overlap that of the system under study. Because the difference between the standard potentials of the two couples is almost solvent-independent (1.132 0.012 V, see Table 6.4), the potential referred to one system can be converted to the potential referred to the other. 

The system under study (M) only (b) after addition of the reference system (Fc). If Em 

In fact, the potentiometric or voltammetric measurement is carried out using a conventional reference electrode (e.g. Ag+/Ag electrode).3 After measurement in the test solution, Fc or BCr+ (BPhJ salt) is added to the solution and the half-wave potential of the reference system is measured by polarography or voltammetry. Here, the half-wave potential for the reference system is almost equal to its formal potential. Thus, the potential for the test system is converted to the value versus the formal potential of the reference system. The example in Fig. 6.2 is for a situation where both the test and the reference systems are measured by cyclic voltammetry, where E1/2=(Epc+Epi)/2. Curve 1 was obtained before the addition of Fc and curve 2 was obtained after the addition of Fc. It is essential that the half-wave potential of the test system is not affected by the addition of the reference system. 

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