Project Details:

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy - terminology, nomenclature and data exchange formats

Project No.:2001-028-1-100
Start date:2002-01-01
End date:
Division:Physical and Biophysical Chemistry Division
Objective:

The aim of this project is to summarize, standardize and disseminate the nomenclature of fast developing new fields of application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is also targeted to standardizing conventions of formats for experimental data exchange and analysis.

Description:
The IUPAC recommendations "Impedances of electrochemical systems: terminology, nomenclature and representation. Part I. Cells with metal electrodes and liquid solutions" M. Sluyters-Rehbach (Pure Appl. Chem., 66 (1994) 1831-1891) covered the basic knowledge of the field. Since that time electrochemical impedance (often now known as Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS)) has been developed very actively and now a large variety of systems are investigated by this method. In addition, new types of impedance analysis are being developed - multiple transfer function analysis, local impedance measurements, differential impedance analysis etc.

Many scientists from many different fields - chemistry, , physics, biology, materials science, corrosion - are now using EIS as a research tool owing to the ready availability of instrumentation. This is made clear through the success of the triennial series of symposia on Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (the 5th held 17-22 June 2001 in Italy with 200 participants). It is important that conventions and a common data format are implemented in order to facilitate application and understanding of electrochemical impedance data by scientists with different backgrounds and training, including for dissemination through Internet and Virtual Laboratories. These conventions should include: programming of the experiments and obtained data, recommended algorithms for data pre-processing and analysis, and representation of final numerical and graphical results. Such guidelines are important for the chemistry community as a whole.

It is expected to incorporate these recommendations in future ISO standards. A working group has already been formed for this purpose regarding the application of impedance to measurement of the effectiveness of organic coatings (ISO DC35 SC9 WG29, chairman J. Vogelsang).

Progress:

June 2005 - The work is complete and the paper written for two of the three items, namely the aspects of nomenclature and data exchange formats. The first draft of the paper for terminology or definitions aspect resulted in 70 pages, which is currently being reduced to about 20 pages.

Chairman: