Advantages of Amperometric Readout Mode of Ion‐selective Electrodes under Potentiostatic Conditions

Amperometric responses of all‐solid‐state ion‐selective electrodes, recorded under potentiostatic conditions, were studied on example of potassium‐selective sensors with polypyrrole solid contact, at potential corresponding to reduction of the solid contact material and accompanying transfer of potassium ions across the membrane. Selective and stable in time linear dependences of current vs. logarithm of analyte concentration were recorded, resulting from high membrane resistance and changing membrane potential. The influence of experimental parameters as applied potential or thickness of the membrane was discussed. Advantages of the amperometric mode compared to potentiometric one relate to possibility of tailoring analytical parameters (sensitivity, magnitude of the signal) as well as over one order of magnitude decrease of the detection limit. The latter effect is achieved due to externally forced incorporation of potassium ions from the solution to the membrane, compensating their spontaneous release to the sample solution. A method of experimental setup simplification was proposed, with application of two‐electrode system, which can be used in the absence of external polarization source. The required driving force for the current flow was assured by spontaneous oxidation process occurring at the second electrode, coupled with reduction of the solid contact material of the ion‐selective electrode. In this case also stable in time calibration plots can be recorded.