SquareWaveVoltammetry

Voltammetry in which a square-wave potential waveform is superimposed on an underlying linearly varying potential ramp or staircase ramp. Most instruments show plots of the current at the end of the forward-going pulse and of the backward-going pulse vs. the potential, as well as their difference. This can give valuable information on the kinetics of the electrode reaction and the electrode process. The current is sampled just before the end of the forward- going pulse and of the backward-going pulse and the difference of the two sampled currents is plotted versus the applied potential of the potential or staircase ramp. The square-wave voltammogram is peak-shaped. The sensitivity of SWV depends on the reversibility of the electrode reaction of the analyte.