BIOPOTENTIAL

ELECTRODES
Dr. J.B.Jeeva
Dept. of Sensors and Biomedical Technology
School of Electronics Engineering
VIT University, Vellore
Introduction

• Electrical Contact point

• Transducer
• Biopotential electrodes
• Metal (Al, Cu, Fe, Ag,…..)
• Non-metal
Metal Electrolyte Interface

metal electrolyte

M+
I
e- To sense a signal
a current I must flow !
A-
The Interface Problem

metal electrolyte

M+ To sense a signal
I a current I must flow !
e-

A-
? But no electron e- is
passing the interface!
Metal Cation
leaving into the electrolyte
No current

What’s going on?

Metal Cation: leaving into the electrolyte

No current

One atom M out of the

metal is oxidized to
form one cation M+
and giving off one
free electron e-
to the metal.
Metal cation: joining the metal

No current

What’s going on?

Metal Cation: joining the metal

No current

One cation M+
out of the electrolyte
becomes one neutral
atom M
taking off one free
electron
from the metal.
Half-cell Voltage

No current
Half-cell Voltage
No current
metal: Li Al Fe Pb H Ag/AgCl Cu Ag Pt Au
Vh / Volt -3.0 negativ 0 0.223 positiv 1.68
Electrode Double Layer
No current

? ? ?
Electrode Double Layer
No current

? ?
 Electrode Double Layer

No current

?
 Electrode Double Layer
No current

Oxidation or
reduction
reactions at the
electrode-
electrolyte
interface lead to a
double-charge
layer
Contact (Half Cell) Potential
•Depends on:
• The metal,
• Concentration of ions in solution and
• Temperature.

• Half cell potential cannot be measured without a

second electrode.

•The half cell potential of the standard hydrogen

electrode has been arbitrarily set to zero.
Measuring Half Cell Potential

Note: Electrode material is metal + salt or polymer selective membrane

Half Cell Potential (Vh)
• Iron -440 mV
• Lead -126 mV
• Copper +337 mV
• Platinum +1190 mV
• Compare to electrophysiological Signals ???
• Two Similar electrodes ??? (Ag/Agcl  5 mV and steel
100mV)
Ag/AgCl Electrode

Fabrication of Ag/AgCl electrodes

1. Electrolytic deposition of AgCl
2. Sintered AgCl: process forming pellet
electrodes
Electrolysis Process

 
Ag  Cl  AgCl 