The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) bulk liquid electrochemistry specimen holder is the first and only in-situ liquid cell solution for SEM with capabilities allowing true reference and counter electrodes performance for electroanalytical measurements. The electrodes’ stability with little or no interference with the working electrodes allows superior performance and accuracy in the electroanalytical measurements.

The comparison of cyclic voltammetry – (current-voltage) data between a quasi electrochemistry system and our newest SEM bulk electrochemistry specimen holder shows the latter with distinct and consistent redox peaks over two cycles during electrodeposition of copper (Figure on the left). The quasi electrochemistry platform with unreal reference (e.g., metal) and unreal counter electrodes result in redox curves that do not have characteristic shapes, and peaks show artificial shifts during cycling. However, with the new SEM bulk electrochemistry holder, real reference electrodes such as Ag/AgCl (in KCl) and similar others are incorporated along with real counter electrodes (e.g., Pt). Our holder’s data show peaks that are distinct in shape, and no pseudo peak shift is observed during cycling, for the first time replicating in-situ what is observed in true bulk-scale electrochemical systems.