Faraday 1 is a precision research grade potentiostat specifically designed for the academic laboratory. Measuring just 9" x 9" x 5", it uses only a small amount of precious lab bench space. Voltage and current levels are limited to conventional electroanalytical ranges, affording a wide scope of electrochemical techniques and experiments while eliminating the danger of electric shock due to mishandling of electrodes. Special short-circuit and thermal overload protection circuitry is included making Faraday 1 practically indestructible if short-circuited or improperly connected to the cell. Faraday 1 is operated entirely by an intuitive graphical user interface running on a PC host. The PC is connected via a standard serial communications link. No special interface or hardware modifications are required. Moreover, there are no hardware controls which need to be set nor is there any need for hardware recording devices such as chart recorders or plotters. All data collected by Faraday 1 is send to the host computer where it is processed and stored, and can be displayed real-time in the Faraday software or exported into a spreadsheet or graphics package of the user's choice for student lab write-ups or professional presentations.

The Faraday software package was written with ease-of-use in mind. A variety of standard experimental procedures are available via a set of menu-selectable standard ‘control panels' such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, stripping voltammetry, pulse polarography, electrical conductivity, etc. In addition, the advanced student or researcher may wish to control Faraday 1 through the graphic front-panel emulator screen, in which all parameters are accessible enabling the execution of custom procedures.

Faraday 1 is shipped with all necessary cables, hardware installation manual, and the latest version of the Faraday software. Updates of the Faraday software are available upon release free of charge. An optional on-line laboratory manual of modern electrochemical and electroanalytical experiments is also available. Obbligato Objectives is a value-added reseller of Dell computer equipment, and can offer complete packages including computers, computer accessories, cells, cables, electrodes, and custom computer configurations.

	Faraday 1 Precision Scanning Potentiostat is unlike other low-cost computer-driven potentiostats currently on the market for a number of important reasons. Faraday 1 is a true "plug-and-play" peripheral. No hardware cards need to be inserted into the computer bus, nor are there any special cables or connectors involved. Faraday 1 connects to the computer via a standard RS-232 serial port. Moreover, Faraday 1 does not use the computer's noisy high-amperage switching power supply to generate delicate electrode voltages. Instead, Faraday 1 has its own separate digital and analog power supplies, isolating the computer power from the cell, in contrast to slot-inserted potentiostats. Finally, Faraday 1 will survive a computer supply malfunction, which could be catastrophic to a slot-inserted device.

Design Considerations

Isolation - Faraday 1 connects to the host computer via an electrically isolated RS-232 connector. Thus, the host's ground is independent of Faraday's ground eliminating ground-loop noise and other interference caused by the noisy switching supplies in most computers.

User-friendly Software - The Faraday system was designed for primary use in academic research and teaching laboratories. All buttons and parameter readouts are thoughtfully positioned, clearly labeled, and supplemented with tool-tips for pedagogical efficiency. Help documentation is included covering virtually every aspect of operation.

iR Compensation - Automated software iR compensation eliminates the need for expensive specially designed cells and high electrolyte concentrations.

Software Noise Reduction - Unlike most commercial potentiostats, the electronics of Faraday 1 do not include any hardware filtering circuitry. Thus, the raw signal over the entire bandwidth is transmitted to the host computer eliminating any inadvertent alteration of the data due to inappropriate hardware filtering. Noise reduction and/or signal enhancement is then performed in software via signal averaging or by highly sophisticated Fourier transform algorithms. Hence the user has complete control over the type and amount of noise reduction, enabling even very weak signals to be safely extracted in noisy environments.

Portability - Faraday 1 interfaces with the host computer via a standard RS232 serial connection. No additional interface cards, data acquisition cards, or special cables are required, and no hardware modifications to the computer are needed.

Safety - Several safety features not typically seen in other potentiostats have been built into Faraday 1 including safe voltage limits, current limiting, thermal shutdown of power and output circuitry, and full protection against short-circuits or incorrect cell connections.

Software

Available Techniques	cyclic voltammetry, stripping voltammetry, pulse polarography, chronoamperometry, corrosion analysis, electrosynthesis and electrocrystallization
Pedagogical Aids	extensive help pop-ups, tool-tips, experiment templates, convenient default settings, sample data, error trapping
Data Analysis	CV, ASV, and pulse polarography simulation package, graphics package, convenient spreadsheet export capability
Noise Reduction	Highly sophisticated Fourier transform multipole Chebyshev filtering, and signal averaging
Updates	Version 1.1 currently available, free software updates within version 1.x upon release

	Faraday 1 Software (Version 1.1, 4.47MB, February 2001)
	Manual (Format: pdf, 15.1MB, March 2001)
Online Help:	Introduction to Electroanalytical Techniques (Format: pdf, 10.4MB)
	Why "Faraday"?! (Format: pdf, 2.1MB)
	Choosing a proper electrochemical cell... (Format: pdf, 2.2MB)
	Polishing a platinum disk working electrode... (Format: pdf, 490KB)
	Choosing a reference electrode... (Format: pdf, 138KB)
	Choosing a counter electrode... (Format: pdf, 178KB)
	You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view pdf files - download it for free

Electronic Specifications

Power	line	2.2 amp 18 VAC external module (included)
	power supply	analog and logic level low-noise linear regulator
	safety	overvoltage protection, current limit, thermal shutdown, short-circuit proof
	operating temperature	0 - 70 °C
Electrode Drivers	counterelectrode compliance voltage	±12 V
	output current	±100 mA (limited)
	bandwidth	10 kHz
	slew rate	30 V/ms
	voltage window (working to reference)	±2 V
	signal to noise ratio	72 dB
	drift	< 1% / year
	safety features	short-circuit proof, current limited, voltage limited, thermal shutdown
	linearity	R = 1.000
	resolution	12 bits
	scan speed range	DC to 4 volts/sec
Electrometer	input impedance	1015 W
	input current	200 fA (max)
	bandwidth	1 MHz
	signal to noise ratio	80 dB
	DC accuracy	980 microvolts
Current Measurement	full scale ranges	7 decades from ±100 nA to ±100 mA
	resolution (13 bits)	24 pA to 24 mA per bit
Interface	protocol	RS-232
	host isolation	1014 W
	baud rate	9600 - 115.2 K
	connector	standard DB-9

Computer Requirements

Hardware	PentiumTM 100 MHz or higher
	one unused DB-9 serial I/O port for each potentiostat
	32 MB RAM minimum
	10 MB free disk space (hard drive)
	CD ROM
Software	Microsoft WindowsTM 95/98/NT or higher
	Adobe Acrobat ReaderTM (included)
	Faraday 1 instrument software package (included)
	Faraday 1 student laboratory package (optional)

System Information

Faraday 1 is shipped with Faraday Version 1.1 software, Adobe Acrobat Reader, hardware installation manual, external power module, and cell cable. Cells, electrodes, and other accessories available at extra cost.

Warranty Information

System Integration

Obbligato Objectives is a value-added reseller of Dell computer equipment, and can offer complete packages including computers, computer accessories, cells, cables, electrodes, and custom computer configurations.