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The EuroCellTM is a complete, ready-to-run
electrochemical cell for corrosion measurements. The sample, usually
a cylinder, is secured to a threaded steel rod. The EuroCell will accept any sample that can be drilled and tapped with a 3-48
thread. It's available in both (1) an unjacketed model and (2) a jacketed version to control the temperature of the
electrochemical experiment.
The EuroCell was designed for experiments with electrolyte
volumes from 50-200 ml. Traditionally, corrosion experiments are
performed in a one-liter flask such as the Gamry CCK
Corrosion Cell Kit, using electrolyte volumes of 750-900 ml. The practice of using large volumes has evolved from standardized
procedures such as ASTM G5 for Potentiodynamic Anodic Polarization
Measurements. There
is no technical reason to employ high electrolyte volumes. High
electrolyte volumes drive costs up and causes disposal problems.
A photo of the EuroCell is shown below. There are five ports:
a 24/40 ground-glass joint, two #7 Ace-Threds, and
two
14/20 ground-glass joints. The central 24/40 ground glass joint supports the cylindrical Working
Electrode (your corrosion sample) in the Sample Holder. The Reference Electrode Bridge Tube and the Counter Electrode
and the Bubbler are all mounted in the Ace-Threds, which
allow them to be adjusted vertically to accommodate a wide range of sample
volumes. The vertical adjustment is also handy to make sure your
Reference Electrode Bridge Tube is placed close to the surface of your
corrosion sample. The Bubbler is contained in the 14/20 joint and has one position for deaeration and another for
blanketing. The standard Counter Electrode is a graphite rod. It
is also possible to use a platinum counter electrode. A bridge tube
containing a platinum counter electrode is available (Part No. 990-194) to prevent products from the counter
electrode from contacting products from the working electrode. We included an additional 14/20 port for a thermometer or other accessory.
Cylindrical samples for the EuroCell can be fabricated in your lab
or, for convenience, can be purchased directly from Metal Samples, a
commercial supplier of corrosion samples for testing.
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The jacketed version of the EuroCell is shown below. The
temperature can be controlled by pumping
thermostatted water from a water bath through the jacket. Rates
of chemical reactions exhibit strong dependence on temperature. It's
easy to argue that, if you're measuring a corrosion rate, you must
accurately control the temperature.
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