Electrochemistry microscopy bipolar reference electrode assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025027899-A1
Application number	US-202418778522-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2024
Priority date	Jul 21, 2023
Publication date	Jan 23, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A reference electrode assembly for electrochemistry microscopy samples includes a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) chip having a thin-film wire disposed on a surface thereof, a bridge electrode electrically connected to the thin-film wire through a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) holder, a portion of the bridge electrode disposed in contact with a sample solution contained within a vial and a standard reference electrode disposed within the vial and in contact with the sample solution, wherein the standard reference electrode electrically connects to a potentiostat maintaining the charge balance with a sample solution. The MEMS chip may be disposed within a holder tip connected with the TEM holder at an end thereof. A portion of the reference electrode assembly may be disposed within a Faraday cage to minimize the effect of noise on the reference potential.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A reference electrode assembly for electrochemistry microscopy samples, the reference electrode assembly comprising:
at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) chip having a thin-film wire disposed on a surface thereof configured to act as a reference electrode; a bridge electrode comprising a metal wire, the bridge electrode electrically connected to the thin-film wire through a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) holder, wherein at least a portion of the bridge electrode is disposed in contact with a sample solution contained within a container; and a standard reference electrode having at least a portion thereof disposed within the container and in contact with the sample solution, wherein the standard reference electrode is electrically connected to a potentiostat.

2 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one MEMS chip is disposed within a holder tip connected with the TEM holder.

3 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thin-film wire disposed on the surface of the MEMS chip comprises platinum.

4 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thin-film wire disposed on the surface of the MEMS chip comprises one of carbon and gold.

5 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the metal wire of the bridge electrode comprises platinum.

6 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the metal wire of the bridge electrode comprises one of carbon and gold.

7 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one MEMS chip further comprises additional thin film metal elements configured to be each of a working electrode and a counter electrode.

8 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 7 , wherein the working electrode and counter electrode are electrically connected to the potentiostat.

9 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the standard reference electrode comprises a silver-silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) electrode.

10 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the standard reference electrode comprises a saturated calomel electrode.

11 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the standard reference electrode comprises a copper-copper (II) sulfate electrode.

12 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the bridge electrode and the standard reference electrode disposed within the container are sealed therein.

13 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a Faraday cage, wherein at least a portion of the bridge electrode, the standard reference electrode, and the container are disposed within the Faraday cage, configured to minimize noise effects on a reference potential.

14 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 13 , wherein the Faraday cage is affixed to a handle portion of the TEM holder.

15 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 14 , wherein the Faraday cage is removably affixed to a handle portion of the TEM holder.

16 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 13 , wherein Faraday cage is disposed within a handle portion of the TEM holder.

17 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the container is disposed within a handle portion of the TEM holder.

18 . The reference electrode assembly of claim 1 , wherein the container is removably affixed to a handle portion of the TEM holder.

Assignees

• Protochips Inc

Inventors

• Stephens Katherine Marusak
• Murphy Ryan
• Marthe Jr Nelson L
• Larson Benjamin Bradshaw
• Walden Ii Franklin Stampley
• Damiano Jr John

Classifications

• G01N27/301 Primary

  Reference electrodes · CPC title

• B81B7/0006

  Interconnects · CPC title

• B81B2201/0292

  Sensors not provided for in B81B2201/0207 - B81B2201/0285 · CPC title

• B81B2203/04

  Electrodes · CPC title