Preliminary studies on monitoring fouling layers on a charged electrode using Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy

Abstract

Abstract The objective of the study described in this paper was to examine whether fouling on an electrode surface can be monitored through impedance measurements using a modified Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy technique. The attempt was to evaluate a measurement system that could monitor fouling, within an electrochemical cell, by using EIS to find one single frequency to measure the impedance magnitude. An electrical potential difference was applied to the electrochemical cell to generate an electrical field to accelerate the deposition layer growth on one electrode. Experimental results show that the magnitude of the electrochemical cell impedance was in the range of 110 Ω over the duration of the experiment, which lasted one week. A measurable change in the impedance magnitude was detected when a deposition layer, caused by fouling, was present on one of the electrodes. The measurement frequency was selected specifically for the purpose to increase the deposition layer influence on the measured impedance magnitude, which was achieved by selecting a frequency that kept the capacitive reactance as low as possible. Results indicate that a measurement system, using one frequency, is capable of monitoring the deposition layer by measuring the magnitude of the electrochemical cell impedance.