Quartz Crystal Microbalance Instruments Which Include Impedance and Dissipation

MicroVacuum’s Quartz Crystal Microbalance Instruments

Posted on September 6, 2018May 29, 2019 by Susan

Gamry Announces Exclusive Distribution of MicroVacuum’s Quartz Crystal Microbalance Instruments Which Include Impedance and Dissipation Philadelphia, PA, September 6, 2018. Gamry Instruments of Warminster, PA is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with MicroVacuum of Budapest, Hungary. The agreement awards Gamry exclusive distribution of their Quartz Crystal Microbalance instruments. This line of QCMs includes 3 Read more about MicroVacuum’s Quartz Crystal Microbalance Instruments[…]

Characterization of an Electroactive Polymer Film

Posted on August 26, 2014May 29, 2018 by Dr.Bob

EQCM Investigations

This Application Note is intended to provide the reader with a general framework for characterization of an electroactive polymer film. Electropolymerization is a convenient way to control film growth either through repeated cycling, potential steps, or current steps. Examination of the film redox behavior in monomer-free, fresh electrolyte provides insight on doping and dedoping of these polymer films.

Polybithiophene films were assembled by cycling an Au-coated 10 MHz quartz crystal between 0 and 1.5 V in the presence of 1 mM bithiophene solution containing 100 mM tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) in acetonitrile (MeCN). Potentials are reported against a Ag/Ag+ pseudo-reference electrode. The Teflon® cell was outfitted with a Teflon o-ring to prevent swelling from the acetonitrile and placed inside a VistaShield™. The cell was connected to an eQCM 10M™ which was coupled to a Reference 600™. Both instruments were connected to a computer running Resonator™ version 5.67. Bithiophene, electropolymerizes via a two-electron oxidation at potentials greater than ~1.25 V versus a Ag/Ag+ pseudo reference electrode.

Figure 1 shows two cycles of film growth. Cycle 1 (blue curve) shows only background (non-Faradaic) current until the potential is greater than 1.25 V. Cycle 2 shows additional Faradaic current beginning at approximately 0.75 V due to oxidation of the polymer film. Polymerization still happens at potentials greater than 1.25 V. The small spike at 1.1 V is related to an irreversible film rearrangement since subsequent cycles (seen when thicker films were prepared) show no current spike.

Figure 1: Electropolymerization of 1 mM bithiophene in 0.1 M TBAP/MeCN. Scan rate was 50 mV/s.

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Quartz Crystal Microbalance

Posted on July 3, 2014June 25, 2015 by Dr.Bob

The Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) is an exciting tool for the electrochemist. With it, the researcher can now follow not only the current that flows, but the weight changes of the electrode, too! This is a valuable tool when studying reactions which involve films, adsorbates, metal deposition, corrosion, or monolayer formation. It is sensitive enough Read more about Quartz Crystal Microbalance[…]

The Basics of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance

Posted on June 26, 2014May 29, 2018 by Dr.Bob

This tutorial provides an introduction to the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), which is an instrument that allows a user to monitor small mass changes on an electrode. The reader is directed to the numerous reviews1 and book chapters2 for a more in-depth description concerning the theory and application of the QCM. A basic understanding of electrical components and concepts is assumed.

The two major points of this document are:

Explanation of the Piezoelectric Effect
Equivalent Circuit Models

The Piezoelectric Effect

Figure 1. Graphical Representation of Thickness Shear Deformation.

The application of a mechanical strain to certain types of materials (mostly crystals) results in the generation of an electrical potential across that material. Conversely, the application of a potential to the same material results in a mechanical strain (a deformation). Removal of the potential allows the crystal to restore to its original orientation. The igniters on gas grills are a good example of everyday use of the piezoelectric effect. Depressing the button causes the spring-loaded hammer to strike a quartz crystal thereby producing a large potential that discharges across a gap to a metal wire igniting the gas.

Quartz is by far the most widely utilized material for the development of instruments containing oscillators partly due to historical reasons (the first crystals were harvested naturally) and partly due to its commercial availability (synthetically grown nowadays). There are many ways to cut quartz crystals and each cut has a different vibrational mode upon application of a potential. The AT-cut has gained the most use in QCM applications due to its low temperature coefficient at room temperature. This means that small changes in temperature only result in small changes in frequency. It has a vibrational mode of thickness shear deformation as shown below in Figure 1.

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