Fourier transform analysis of chronoamperometric currents obtained during staircase voltammetric experiments

We report a novel comprehensive Fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (FTEIS) analysis method of a series of chronoamperometric currents obtained during staircase cyclic voltammetric (SCV) experiments. In our method, FTEIS analysis of a set of chronoamperometric currents recorded upon applying a series of small potential steps during an SCV experiment provides a complete description of an electron-transfer reaction at the electrode/electrolyte interface in forms of equivalent circuit elements. Conversion of the circuit elements thus obtained from the analysis allows electrode kinetic parameters including the electron-transfer rate constant, transfer coefficient, diffusion coefficient, and double layer capacitance as well as thermodynamic parameters such as the half-wave potential and the apparent number of electrons transferred to be determined. Theories for obtaining an ac admittance voltammogram, as well as both the thermodynamic and mass-transfer kinetic parameters thereof, from the SCV data have been developed and verified. A decided advantage of the method is that it provides completely self-contained information regarding an electron-transfer reaction from a single pass of the SCV experiment.