Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Properties of electrolyte-filled glass microelectrodes : a model analysis

Fåhraeus, C LU and Grampp, W LU (1997) In Journal of Neuroscience Methods 78(1-2). p.29-45
Abstract

A novel dynamic mathematical microelectrode model (a model of solvent and solute kinetics in electrolyte-filled microelectrodes) was deduced from experimental observations made on standard (single-barrelled, 3.0 M KCl-filled, approximately 10 M[ohm]) electrodes using (a) electrodiffusion, electro-osmosis, and continuity equations that were placed into the constraints of electrode geometry, and (b) handbook/textbook parameter values, only. The model proved to be able to faithfully reproduce all observed electrochemical and electrical electrode properties, i.e. even those that constituted no part of the model's experimental basis. In theoretical tests, the model shows, for the standard electrode that (a) inside the electrode, any profiles... (More)

A novel dynamic mathematical microelectrode model (a model of solvent and solute kinetics in electrolyte-filled microelectrodes) was deduced from experimental observations made on standard (single-barrelled, 3.0 M KCl-filled, approximately 10 M[ohm]) electrodes using (a) electrodiffusion, electro-osmosis, and continuity equations that were placed into the constraints of electrode geometry, and (b) handbook/textbook parameter values, only. The model proved to be able to faithfully reproduce all observed electrochemical and electrical electrode properties, i.e. even those that constituted no part of the model's experimental basis. In theoretical tests, the model shows, for the standard electrode that (a) inside the electrode, any profiles in electrical potential and electrolyte concentration are occurring at the most distal part (approximately 50 microm) of the tip region, (b) asymmetrical shifts in electrolyte concentration just inside the electrode tip opening are the true cause of the electrode's current rectification, and (c) strong transelectrode currents are producing water flows across the electrode orifice that may affect the volume of smaller and medium-sized cells. In further tests, the model shows, among other things, for non-standard electrodes that (a) decreasing the electrode electrolyte concentration will give rise to marked decreases in electrolyte leakage from the electrode, but only very minor changes in tip potential, and (b) increasing the surface charge of the electrode glass (increases in zeta potential) and/or decreasing the electrode electrolyte concentration will produce increases in electro-osmotic water transport, which may be desirable for the intracellular injection of water-soluble (electro-neutral) substances.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
keywords
Electrochemistry/instrumentation, Electrolytes, Kinetics, Microelectrodes, Models, Theoretical, Potassium Chloride
in
Journal of Neuroscience Methods
volume
78
issue
1-2
pages
17 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:9496999
  • scopus:4243682383
ISSN
0165-0270
DOI
10.1016/S0165-0270(97)00130-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bbd4228c-e650-4e07-aff9-e039130361d8
date added to LUP
2018-12-18 15:55:38
date last changed
2024-01-15 10:19:21
@article{bbd4228c-e650-4e07-aff9-e039130361d8,
  abstract     = {{<p>A novel dynamic mathematical microelectrode model (a model of solvent and solute kinetics in electrolyte-filled microelectrodes) was deduced from experimental observations made on standard (single-barrelled, 3.0 M KCl-filled, approximately 10 M[ohm]) electrodes using (a) electrodiffusion, electro-osmosis, and continuity equations that were placed into the constraints of electrode geometry, and (b) handbook/textbook parameter values, only. The model proved to be able to faithfully reproduce all observed electrochemical and electrical electrode properties, i.e. even those that constituted no part of the model's experimental basis. In theoretical tests, the model shows, for the standard electrode that (a) inside the electrode, any profiles in electrical potential and electrolyte concentration are occurring at the most distal part (approximately 50 microm) of the tip region, (b) asymmetrical shifts in electrolyte concentration just inside the electrode tip opening are the true cause of the electrode's current rectification, and (c) strong transelectrode currents are producing water flows across the electrode orifice that may affect the volume of smaller and medium-sized cells. In further tests, the model shows, among other things, for non-standard electrodes that (a) decreasing the electrode electrolyte concentration will give rise to marked decreases in electrolyte leakage from the electrode, but only very minor changes in tip potential, and (b) increasing the surface charge of the electrode glass (increases in zeta potential) and/or decreasing the electrode electrolyte concentration will produce increases in electro-osmotic water transport, which may be desirable for the intracellular injection of water-soluble (electro-neutral) substances.</p>}},
  author       = {{Fåhraeus, C and Grampp, W}},
  issn         = {{0165-0270}},
  keywords     = {{Electrochemistry/instrumentation; Electrolytes; Kinetics; Microelectrodes; Models, Theoretical; Potassium Chloride}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{1-2}},
  pages        = {{29--45}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Neuroscience Methods}},
  title        = {{Properties of electrolyte-filled glass microelectrodes : a model analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0165-0270(97)00130-1}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0165-0270(97)00130-1}},
  volume       = {{78}},
  year         = {{1997}},
}