Photoelectrocatalytic method and photoelectrochemical detector for electrochemical analysis

• US 20050258816A1
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jyh-Myng Zen
• Original Assignee: Jyh-Myng Zen
• Inventors: Chiou, Mei-Shin, Sue, Jun-Wei, Yang, Hsueh-Hui, Hsu, Cheng-Teng, Zen, Jyh-Myng, Chung, Hsieh-Hsun
• Granted Patent: US 7,438,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/96
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/305 optically transparent or photoresponsive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/64 Electrical detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/74 Optical detectors measurement of intensity, velocity, spectral content, polarisation, or phase of infrared, visible or ultraviolet light G01J

Abstract

A photoelectrocatalytic method for detecting current that illuminates a photoelectrochemical electrode to generate a photocurrent and to magnify the current. Thereby, accuracy of the detection is increased. A photoelectrochemical detector used in the method has a base (10), a cover (20) pivotally mounted on the base (10) and a locking device attached between the base (10) and the cover (20). The base (10) has a top and a recess (12) defined in the top to accommodate a working electrode (50) with a photoelectrochemical inner lead (52). A spacer is clamped between the base (10) and the cover (20) to form a space over the inner lead (52). Multiple channels and a light hole (22) are defined through the cover (20) to communicate with the space. Therefore, the inner lead is illuminated through the light hole (22) to perform the photoelectrochemical method.

Claims

1. A photoelectrocatalytic method for detecting current, the method comprises illuminating an electrode to generate a photocurrent to increase both the sensitivity and accuracy of detection.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrode material is a cupriferous derivative.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cupriferous derivative is selected from the group consisting of cupric chloride (CuCl₂), cupric bromide (CuBr₂), cupric iodide (CuI₂), cupric oxide (CuO), cupric fluoride (CuF₂), cupric astatine (CuAt) and cuprous oxide (Cu₂O).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrode material is a cupric alloy.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cupric alloy is selected from the grouping consisting of copper-platinum alloy, copper-palladium alloy, copper-mercury alloy, copper-silver alloy and copper-gold alloy.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electrode material is cuprous oxide.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electrode material is cupric oxide.

8. A photoelectrochemical detector comprising:

a base (10) with a top, a front end, a rear end and sides, and having a recess (12) defined longitudinally in the top and extending to the front end;

a cover (20) with a top, a bottom, a front end, a rear end and two sides, which is mounted pivotally on the base (10) and has a spacer with an inner open area attached to the bottom of the cover (20), and a light hole (22) and multiple channels defined through the cover (20) to communicate with the inner open area of the spacer;

a working electrode (50) mounted in the recess (12) and having a top face, an inner end, an outer end, and an inner lead (52) made of material with photoelectrochemical property, wherein the inner lead (52) is attached on the top face of the working electrode (50) near the inner end and aligned with the light hole (22) when the cover (20) is closed; and

a locking device mounted between the base (10) and the cover (20) to attach the cover (20) to the base (10).

9. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the locking device comprises:

two locking posts (14) formed on and protruding from the top of the base (10) at opposite sides of the front end and each of the two locking posts (14) having

a hole; and

a ball-spring combination mounted in the hole and comprising

a retractable ball (186) retractably mounted in the hole in the locking post (14); and

a resilient member (184) mounted in the hole to push the retractable ball outward; and

two ball detents (23) defined at the front end of the cover (20) to correspond to the retractable balls (186) when the cover (10) is closed.

10. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cover (20) further has two side cutouts defined respectively at opposite sides of the front end to correspond to the locking posts (14);

and

the two ball detents (23) are defined in the two side cutouts and align respectively with the retractable balls (186) in the locking posts (14).

11. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 9, wherein each locking post (14) further has:

a threaded hole (142) defined through the locking post (14); and

a threaded rod (18) screwed into the threaded hole (142) and having a bore (182) defined in the threaded rod (18) in which the retractable ball (186) is mounted;

wherein each resilient element is (184) mounted inside the bore (182) in one corresponding thread rod (18) to press the retractable ball (186) to correspondingly engage and lock with one of the ball detents (23).

12. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 10, wherein each locking post (14) further has:

a threaded hole (142) defined through the locking post (14);

a threaded rod (18) screwed into the threaded hole (142) and having a bore (182) defined in the threaded rod (18) in which the retractable ball (186) is mounted; and

wherein a resilient element (184) is mounted inside the bore (182) in one corresponding thread rod (1 8) to press the retractable ball (186) to correspondingly engage and lock with one of the ball detents (23).

13. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 12, wherein each resilient element is a spring.

14. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spacer in the cover (20) comprises

a gasket seat (28) defined in the bottom of the cover (20);

and

a rectangular gasket (282) with the inner open area mounted in the gasket seat (28).

15. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the multiple channels are:

an inject (27) defined in the cover (20) on one side;

a first outlet (24) defined in the cover (20) on the other side; and

a second outlet (26) defined in the cover (20) on the same side as the first outlet (24).

16. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 15, wherein the device further has a reference electrode (30) corresponding to the first outlet (24).

17. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 15, wherein the device further has a reference electrode (30) corresponding to the second outlet (26).

18. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 17, wherein the device further has an auxiliary electrode (40) corresponding to the first outlet (26).

19. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 16, wherein the device further has an auxiliary electrode (40) corresponding to the second outlet (26).

20. The photoelectrochemical detector as claimed in claim 15, wherein the recess (12) is a dovetail recess;

and

the base (10) further has multiple grooves (102) defined in the sides of the base (10) to make the base easy to hold.