Developments, Trends and Commercial Availability of Instrumentation (Hardware and Software) in Microcomputer Based Voltammetry

Abstract

Voltammetry is an important electrochemical technique which is used extensively to solve problems in many areas of chemistry. Since the method is based on the use of current-potential-time curves, voltammetric instrumentation is highly suited to computer based forms of technology. In this article, an overview of existing hardware and software that have been used to facilitate improvements in computer based voltammetric instrumentation is provided. it is concluded on the basis of this survey that developments to date in the use of computer based technology have been conservative relative to those in spectroscopic forms of instrumentation. Consequently, it is postulated that a new generation of more "intelligent" voltammetric instruments would become available immediately if the full power of presently available digital hardware and software were to be implemented as has been the case with some other forms of instrumentation.