Method of reclaiming used commercial glassy carbon disc electrodes exhibiting high background currents

Abstract

The background currents associated with certain types of commercial glassy carbon electrode become unacceptably high after extensive use owing to leakage of electrolyte solution between the glassy carbon disc and the plastic tube in which the disc is held. A method of resetting the disc in such electrodes using both graphite-loaded and unloaded epoxy-based resins is described. The background currents associated with the reclaimed electrodes are reduced to their original low values. The unloaded epoxy resin that comes into contact with electrolyte solutions and is hardened by addition of hydrofluoric acid is unaffected by 1 M sodium hydroxide solution, concentrated nitric acid, concentrated hydrochloric acid and a variety of cleaning solvents.