Reference electrode

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Reference electrode is an electrode which has a stable and well-known electrode potential. The high stability of the electrode potential is usually reached by employing a redox system with constant (buffered or saturated) concentrations of each participants of the redox reaction.

Reference electrodes are used to measure electrochemical potential.

Common reference electrodes and potential with respect to the standard hydrogen electrode:

• Standard hydrogen electrode (E=0.000V)
• Saturated calomel electrode (SCE) (E=-0.247V saturated)
• Copper-copper(II) sulfate electrode (E=-0.318V)
• Silver Chloride Electrode (E=-0.225V saturated)
• pH-electrode (in case of pH buffered solutions, see buffer solution)
• Palladium-Hydrogen electrode