Characterization and Applications of a Bismuth Bulk Electrode

A bismuth bulk electrode (BiBE), a new solid‐state electrode, is presented. The polycrystalline metal bismuth disk‐shaped electrode was examined for its anodic stripping voltammetry performance, which was found to be well comparable to that achieved with the bismuth or mercury film electrodes. Useful potential windows of the BiBE in aqueous solutions of pH 1 to 13 were found to range from approximately −1.7 to −0.1 V, depending on pH, where either hydrogen evolution or anodic dissolution of metallic bismuth limit the electrochemical inertness of the BiBE. Employing cyclic voltammetry (CV), the cathodic behavior of the BiBE was examined by testing inorganic (cadmium(II) ions) and organic (2‐nitrophenol) model compounds; a CV quasi‐reversible behavior was recorded in the case of the Cd(II)‐Cd(0) couple. The characteristics of the BiBE under anodic conditions, i.e., at bismuth surface coated with a thin conductive Bi2O3 film, was examined by testing two well‐established redox systems, potassium hexacyanoferate(III) and ruthenium(III) hexaaminechloride; a nearly reversible behavior was recorded in the latter case. Based on the presented preliminary results, BiBE can be considered as an interesting alternative to common solid and (toxic) mercury electrodes for possible use in electrochemical studies and electroanalytical applications.