Probing Electrochemical Reactions with Radio Frequency Analysis using Vector Network Analyzers
Open Access DepositedCharacterization of arbitrary electrochemical cells through radio frequency analysis is a promising method for understanding the intricacies of electrolyte behavior and frequency-dependent impedance responses. This thesis investigates the scattering parameters (S parameters) and power dissipation of an electrochemical cell induced with and without an external DC source connected using vector network analyzers (VNA) from 50 kHz to 6 GHz. A comprehensive study on the evolution of scattering parameters by the effects of varying volumes, electrolyte concentrations, and applied voltage biases on lithium hydroxide and sodium chloride electrolytes was performed. The electrochemical cell consists of platinum electrodes housed by a custom-designed plastic cell, enabling for controlled experimental conditions. Bias-tees and coaxial cables were employed to ensure an applied DC source onto the cell while measuring the radio frequency (RF) effects. This combination enables electrochemical stimulus and RF interrogation. Both S11 (reflection) and S21 (transmission) were specifically analyzed to interpret the cell’s impedance under certain conditions. Circuit design and modeling was used to compare mathematical derivations and empirical data. The results demonstrated how S parameters and power dissipation are impacted as a function of electrolyte volume, and variation in molarity. Voltage variation for the same concentration of an electrolyte did not demonstrate notable effects on the signal response.
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