VersaStudio

Software Manual
P/N 224181
 VersaStudio Software Manual

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 5

1.1. About this manual .............................................................................................................................. 5

1.2. Technical Support .............................................................................................................................. 5

2. Modules ..................................................................................................................................................... 6

2.1. Standard Techniques ......................................................................................................................... 6

2.2. Systems and Upgrades ..................................................................................................................... 7

3. Installation and Startup ........................................................................................................................... 10

3.1. Installing VersaStudio from CD ....................................................................................................... 10

3.2. Getting Started ................................................................................................................................. 12

3.3. Firmware Updates ........................................................................................................................... 18

4. Main Menu Commands ........................................................................................................................... 19

4.1. Experiment ....................................................................................................................................... 19

4.1.1. New .......................................................................................................................................... 19

4.1.1.1. Creating a Single-Action Experiment ......................................................................... 21

Select an Action ................................................................................................................ 21

Voltammetry Category ...................................................................................................... 21

Corrosion Category ........................................................................................................... 26

Energy Category ............................................................................................................... 29

Impedance Category ......................................................................................................... 32

Pre Experiment Actions .................................................................................................... 35

Sequence Actions ............................................................................................................. 36

Experiment Properties....................................................................................................... 39

4.1.1.2. Creating a Multiple-Action Experiment ....................................................................... 43

Sequencing Actions .......................................................................................................... 43

4.1.1.3. Editing a Multiple-Action Experiment.......................................................................... 46

4.1.2. Open ......................................................................................................................................... 46

4.1.3. Save, Save As .......................................................................................................................... 47

4.1.4. Load Setup ............................................................................................................................... 48

4.1.5. Close ........................................................................................................................................ 49

4.1.6. Print Setup ................................................................................................................................ 51

Custom Print Layout ................................................................................................................ 51

 VersaStudio Software Manual

4.1.7. Print .......................................................................................................................................... 52

4.1.8. Recent Files.............................................................................................................................. 52

4.1.9. Exit ............................................................................................................................................ 52

4.2. Data ................................................................................................................................................. 53

4.2.1. Delete ....................................................................................................................................... 53

4.2.2. Copy ......................................................................................................................................... 54

4.2.3. Extraction… .............................................................................................................................. 55

4.2.4. Select All................................................................................................................................... 56

4.2.5. Import From .............................................................................................................................. 57

4.3. View ................................................................................................................................................. 60

4.3.1. Add Graph View ....................................................................................................................... 60

4.3.1.1. Graph Properties ........................................................................................................ 62

4.3.1.2. Graph Math ................................................................................................................. 67

4.3.1.3. Smoothing Options ..................................................................................................... 69

4.3.1.4. Reference Electrode Graph Options .......................................................................... 70

4.3.1.5. Graph Options ............................................................................................................ 72

4.3.2. Show Experiment Properties .................................................................................................... 81

4.3.3. Show Data View ....................................................................................................................... 81

4.3.4. Show Overlay Manager ............................................................................................................ 86

4.3.4.1. Real Time Instrument Data Overlay / Add Overlay .................................................... 87

4.3.4.2. Edit Overlay ................................................................................................................ 92

4.3.4.3. Delete Overlay ............................................................................................................ 92

4.3.5. Show E&I Strip Chart ............................................................................................................... 92

4.4. Tools ................................................................................................................................................ 93

4.4.1. Reference Electrode List .......................................................................................................... 93

4.4.2. Options ..................................................................................................................................... 94

4.4.2.1. General Parameters and Options ............................................................................... 94

Setting Operation Modes of Float and Normal ........................................................................ 97

4.4.2.2. LCD Display (PARSTAT 4000 Model Only) ............................................................. 100

4.4.3. Select Instrument ................................................................................................................... 101

4.4.4. Multi-Channel Groups ............................................................................................................ 106

 VersaStudio Software Manual

4.4.5. Virtual Potentiostat ................................................................................................................. 110

4.5. Security .......................................................................................................................................... 112

4.5.1. Log In, Log Out ....................................................................................................................... 112

4.5.2. Change Password .................................................................................................................. 113

4.5.3. Administration ......................................................................................................................... 113

Functions ............................................................................................................................... 114

4.6. Window .......................................................................................................................................... 115

4.6.1. Cascade ................................................................................................................................. 115

4.6.2. Tile Horizontally ...................................................................................................................... 115

4.6.3. Tile Vertically .......................................................................................................................... 115

4.6.4. Auto Alignment ....................................................................................................................... 115

4.6.5. Open Experiments .................................................................................................................. 115

4.7. Help................................................................................................................................................ 115

4.7.1. Users Manual ......................................................................................................................... 115

4.7.2. Check for Latest Updates ....................................................................................................... 115

4.7.3. About ...................................................................................................................................... 116

Appendix 1. Glossary of Experiment Properties ....................................................................................... 117

Appendix 2. Glossary of Axis Graph Options............................................................................................ 125

Appendix 3. VersaStudio Data Files ......................................................................................................... 129

 VersaStudio Software
for the VersaSTAT Series, PARSTAT 4000, and
PARSTAT Multichannel

1. Introduction
The VersaStudio family of software applications for electrochemistry research was
developed for use with the VersaSTAT 3 (aka V3), VersaSTAT 3F (aka, V3F)
VersaSTAT 4 (aka, V4) VersaSTAT MC (aka, VMC), PARSTAT 4000 (aka, P4K), and
PARSTAT MC (aka, PMC). With VersaStudio, this group of potentiostats/galvanostats
can perform a vast array of electrochemical techniques, both standard and customized.
VersaStudio was designed to be intuitive, flexible, and a visually appealing user
interface, generating virtually limitless data streams and storing the results in easy-to-
read text files. Additional features such as custom report generation and password
security makes VersaStudio ideal for the multi-user lab setting. The VersaStudio makes
“Echem Easy!”

1.1. About this manual

Chapter 2 explains the system feature of the hardware/software, showing the standard
techniques associated with each system.

Chapter 3 describes how to start the software once installed, and demonstrates how
easy it is to begin using the VersaStudio by performing checkout procedures for the
system.

Note: For VersaSTAT MC and PARSTAT MC systems with more than one channel,
sections 4.4.3 and 4.4.4 should be reviewed carefully.

Chapter 4 contains complete instructions on VersaStudio’s menu functions for

performing experiments and analyses.

1.2. Technical Support

Remember that the worldwide staff at Princeton Applied Research continues to support
the customer after purchasing the equipment and software. We provide top quality
service, applications support, and a variety of helpful information in the form of
Application Notes, Technical Notes, and Training material. For more information, visit
our web site at http://www.princetonappliedresearch.com, or in VersaStudio, select Help
> About…, and select “Visit us on the web.”

VersaStudio Software Manual 5

2. Modules

2.1. Standard Techniques

The VersaStudio software is comprised of four main modules, each containing

techniques and analysis tools unique to that module. The modules available are
Voltammetry (research electrochemistry techniques), Corrosion (DC corrosion
techniques), Energy (Battery and energy storage device related techniques), and
Impedance (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques). The following is a
list of the standard techniques available in each module:

Impedance • Zero Resistance Ammeter (ZRA)

• Open Circuit • Electrochemical Noise (EN)
• Potentiostatic EIS • Split LPR
• Galvanostatic EIS • Galvanic Control LPR
• Mott-Schottky
Voltammetry
Energy • Open Circuit
• Open Circuit • Linear Scan Voltammetry
• Constant Potential • Cyclic Voltammetry (Single)
• Constant Current • Cyclic Voltammetry (Multi-Cycle)
• Constant Power • Staircase Linear Scan
• Constant Resistance Voltammetry
• Current CCDPL • Staircase Cyclic Voltammetry
• Power CCD (Single)
• Resistance CCD • Staircase Cyclic Voltammetry
• Charge-Discharge (Multi-Cycle)
• PITT • Multi-Vertex Scan
• GITT • Chronoamperometry
• Chronopotentiometry
Corrosion • Chronocoulometry
• Open Circuit • Recurrent Potential Pulses
• Linear Polarization • Recurrent Galvanic Pulses
• Tafel • Fast Potential Pulses
• Potentiodynamic • Fast Galvanic Pulses
• Cyclic Polarization • Square Wave Voltammetry
• Potentiostatic • Differential Pulse Voltammetry
• Galvanic Corrosion • Normal Pulse Voltammetry
• Galvanostatic • Reverse Normal Pulse
• Galvanodynamic Voltammetry

VersaStudio Software Manual 6

2.2. Systems and Upgrades

The VersaStudio contains all the techniques of each module, but the V3, V3F and V4
hardware must be “enabled” to run each of the modules or techniques within that
module. The V3, V3F and V4 can be purchased in one of six different configurations:
the VersaSTAT 3-100, -200, -300, -400, -450, or -500 systems. VersaStudio is free to
download and use as-is, but will only be able to run those experiments with the
VersaSTAT product and model for which it has been optioned and programmed by the
factory. The VersaSTAT MC, PARSTAT MC, and PARSTAT 4000 operate with all of
the modules and techniques already included, as well as Impedance techniques (On
PARSTAT MC system channels with FRA capability. VersaSTAT MC Systems
purchased prior to September 2012 must purchase upgrade to include Energy module
as a -500 system.). The following is a table of the systems and the software techniques
that each can perform:

VersaSTAT3/3F/4 -100 -200 -300 -400 -450 -500 VMC/PMC PARSTAT4000

Techniques
Open Circuit X X X X X X X X
LSV X X X X X X X
CV (Single) X X X X X X X
CV (Multi) X X X X X X X
Staircase LSV X X X X X X
Staircase CV X X X X X X
Staircase CV -
Multi X X X X X X
Multi-Vertex Scan X X X X X X

CA X X X X X X X
CP X X X X X X
CC X X X X X X
RPP X X X X X X
RGP X X X X X X
FPP X X X X X X
FGP X X X X X X
NPV X X X X X X
RNPV X X X X X X

ZRA X X X X X
Galvanic
Corrosion X X X X X
Cyclic
Polarization X X X X X
Linear
Polarization X X X X X

VersaStudio Software Manual 7

 PARSTAT
VersaSTAT3/3F/4 -100 -200 -300 -400 -450 -500 VMC/PMC 4000

Tafel X X X X X
Potentiostatic X X X X X
Potentiodynamic X X X X X
Galvanostatic X X X X X
Galvanodynamic X X X X X
Split LPR X X X X X
Galvanic LPR X X X X X
Echem Noise X X X X X
Dynamic IR X X X X X

Energy Open Circuit X X X X

Constant Potential X X X X
Constant Current X X X X
Constant Power X X X X
Constant Resistance X X X X
Current CCDPL X X X X
Power CCD X X X X
Resistance CCD X X X X
Charge-Discharge X X X X
PITT X X X X
GITT X X X X

Potentiostatic EIS * * * * * * X/* X

Galvanostatic EIS * * * * * * X/* X
Mott-Schottky * * * * * * X/* X

Loop X X X X X X X
Time Delay X X X X X X X
Message Prompt X X X X X X X
Measure OC X X X X X X X
Auxiliary Interface X X X X X X X
Run External App. X X X X X X X
DAC Output Cont. X X X X X X X
Email X X X X X X X
Auto CR Setup X X X X X X X
Display Message X

Condition X X X X X X X
Deposition X X X X X X X
Equilibration X X X X X X X
Purge X X X X X X X
iR Determination X X X X X X X

* EIS capability (Impedance) is optionally available (FRA option) with any of the V3, V3F
or V4 systems. PMC Channels are available either with or without EIS capability.

For example, if the VersaSTAT 3 is ordered as a VersaSTAT3-300 with FRA option, the
VersaSTAT 3 hardware will be programmed to run only Corrosion and Impedance
techniques, and not the Voltammetry techniques. Systems can be upgraded with more
VersaStudio Software Manual 8
capability after the initial purchase, but some upgrades will require return to factory or to
the local service representative for that upgrade. Please refer to the most recent
brochure at the web site, http://www.princetonappliedresearch.com , for information and
details on ordering all VersaSTAT software and hardware options.

VersaStudio Software Manual 9

3. Installation and Startup

3.1. Installing VersaStudio from CD

NOTE: If you are installing this software on a computer that has an earlier version
of VersaStudio or V3-Studio installed on it with a version < 1.28, STOP here and
contact our Technical Support prior to proceeding. OR, ensure that you are
installing the software on a computer that has never had any version of
VersaStudio or V3-Studio on it or the installed version is > 1.28.

If the computer had an older version of the VersaSTAT control software called
“V3-Studio” already installed, that software will not be removed by the
VersaStudio installation. However, once VersaStudio is installed and the
Firmware updated inside the VersaSTAT hardware (section 3.3), the older V3-
Studio software will not operate the VersaSTAT hardware reliably any longer.
Therefore, it is recommended that the V3-Studio be removed using the Windows
Control Panel “Add/Remove Programs” utility to avoid accidentally running the
older version. The V3-Studio folder will not be removed, as this likely contains a
“Data” folder with existing data from the V3-Studio operation. The V3-Studio data
files can be opened and viewed with the newer VersaStudio software.

VersaStudio is supplied on compact disk (CD), and the disk should be inserted into the
computer’s CD-ROM drive. Ensure that the installation is conducted following these
steps.

1. Ensure that the USB cables for any compatible instruments are detached from
the computer before proceeding.
2. Browse to the path on the computer where the CD-ROM drive is located
containing the VersaStudio CD.
3. Locate the “Installers” folder and then locate the “USB Drivers” folder.
4. Double click on the “VersaStudioUSBDriverInstaller”.
5. Allow VersaStudioUSBDriverInstaller to complete installation and reattach USB
cables to the computer for any compatible instruments.
6. VersaStudioUSBDriverInstaller will automatically install the necessary USB
Drivers for any compatible instruments that are connected to the computer. It is
important to allow the installation process to complete for all compatible
instruments. This process may take a few minutes if there are multiple
instruments or channels attached (such as in a VersaSTAT MC system).
7. Upon completion of USB Driver installation, locate the “Installers” folder once
again and locate the “VersaStudio” folder.
8. In the VersaStudio folder, open the “32-bit” or “64-bit” folder, depending on your
computer’s Operating System.
9. Double click on the “Setup.exe” file and follow the instructions that appear on the
screen to complete the VersaStudio installation.

VersaStudio Software Manual 10

During the installation, the VersaStudio Setup Wizard will provide the default installation
folder. NOTE: Please install in the default folder to avoid any potential conflicts with
other programs. Once the installation procedure has completed, execute the
VersaStudio icon from the Programs menu (Start > All Programs > VersaStudio).

During the installation on older Windows systems, a message box may appear as
below:

If this message box appears, select “No” to installing it from the web (Please contact
PAR for additional instructions if you are using a computer running a Windows 8
Operating System). Next, go to “My Computer” and select the CD-ROM drive (highlight)
containing the VersaStudio disk. Select and execute the file dotnetfx35.exe and install
the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 from the VersaStudio CD.

After installing the updated .NET Framework, re-start the VersaStudio installation.

VersaStudio Software Manual 11

3.2. Getting Started

Open the software from Start > All Programs > VersaStudio.

When VersaStudio is opened for the very first time, a window similar to the following will
appear:

The user has the option to have either the last experiment displayed via the Restore
Last Experiment option found under Tools > Options or a list of the last several
experiments shown.

VersaStudio has the Restore Last Experiment option selected by default. To display a
list of the last several experiments at startup of the VersaStudio Software, click Tools >
Options to see a window similar to the one below:

VersaStudio Software Manual 12

Remove the “check” next to Restore Last Experiment.

Subsequent times VersaStudio is opened, a window similar to the following will appear:

The options at this stage are as follows:

A) Select “New Experiment” to select the technique and setup the experiment
properties for an entirely new experiment.
B) Select one of the 10 most recently run experiments from the list box.
C) Select “More Files…” to select an experiment saved to a specific folder
D) Select “Cancel” to go directly to the main menu options in VersaStudio.
VersaStudio Software Manual 13
Note: If the hardware has been installed and connected to the computer, The
VersaStudio software will auto-detect and connect to the hardware channel with which it
communicates. If more than one channel is connected and detected (such as the
multiple channels of a VMC or PMC), “No Instrument” is the default, and a channel must
be selected in order to start programming a new experiment. To select different
channels of a VMC, PMC, or additional systems connected to the same computer,
please refer to section 4.4.3.

VersaStudio comes with some basic experiments that are very useful as tutorials and
for troubleshooting purposes. To access these files from the main menu, select
Experiment > Load Setup. There should be three files listed as Voltammetry
Checkout, Corrosion Checkout, and Impedance Checkout.

Select one of the checkout files to run (Note: technique(s) must be available to actually
run), and select Open.

Enter a new filename for the checkout to be performed, and select OK.

An empty graph, Experiment Properties, and empty Data View window will appear. This
setup is complete as-is with the desired parameters already entered and set to the
Internal DC Dummy Cell (1 kohm resistor), so you can simply press the Run button on
the main menu to begin running the checkout experiment, which will perform the

VersaStudio Software Manual 14

experiment on the Internal Dummy Cell (1 kohm resistor). No Cell Cable connections
are needed for these Internal experiments.

Once the experiment is completed, the results for each should be as follows:

Voltammetry Checkout and Corrosion Checkout – After the data acquisition is

complete, the following graph and data should be available (minus the Line Fit results):

VersaStudio Software Manual 15

Select all the data points (see Section 4.2.4. on selection of all data points or 4.3.1.5. on
using the mouse to select data points) of the acquisition, and select the Line Fit button
at the top of the graph window. The results should be Slope = 1000 ohms (+/- 10
ohms), Y-Intercept = +/- 4mV, and the Vertices of the plot should be near +/-1 V and +/-
1 mA as shown above. The Vertices may be found either by “hovering” the mouse
pointer over the first and last points in the Graph View or more simply by viewing the
first and last points in the Data View window.

Note: If data does not appear correct, ensure that the “Cell” in the Advanced
Properties area of the Experiment Properties is set to “Internal”, and run again.

If the data appear close to the above, but the Y-Intercept is outside the range
expected, this may simply mean the unit requires a new DC Calibration (typically
after the instrument has been commissioned for some time). This is explained in
Sections 4.4.2.1. and 4.4.2.1.1.

VersaStudio Software Manual 16

Impedance Checkout – After the data acquisition is complete, the following graph and
data should be available (minus the Line Fit results):

Select all the data points (see Section 4.2.4. on selection of all data points or 4.3.1.5. on
using the mouse to select data points) of the acquisition, and select the Line Fit button
at the top of the graph window. The results should be Y-Intercept = 1000 ohms (+/- 10
ohms), with all the points on the graph at 1000 ohms, +/-20 ohms. Please note that
your graph will not appear exactly as the example being shown here. In fact, it may
appear quite different. You are only comparing the stated values not the appearance of
the graph in this instance.

NOTE: the wide variance of +/-20 ohms is a result of using the Internal Dummy Cell; the
VersaSTAT systems utilize calibration constants that account for using the cell cable, so
when using the Internal Dummy Cell the data may have more error as a result.

NOTE: If data does not appear correct, ensure that the “Cell” in the Advanced
Properties area of the Experiment Properties is set to “Internal”, and run again.

If the results for preceding checkout procedures are not within the specified ranges, it
could mean that your system is in need of Calibration and/or repair. For technical
support, please contact the factory (www.princetonappliedresearch.com) or your local
Princeton Applied Research representative for further instructions.

VersaStudio Software Manual 17

3.3. Firmware Updates

When newer versions of Software are installed, it is usually necessary and critical to
update the Firmware within the hardware. The VersaStudio software checks the
Firmware of the connected hardware at start-up, and if there is a mismatch between the
current version of the software and the firmware inside the hardware, the following
message box will appear:

Ensure that you select “Yes” so that the current version will operate correctly on all
actions.

WARNING: If the Firmware update process is interrupted (due to loss of power in

the computer or the hardware, for example), this could corrupt the memory inside
the hardware requiring a return-to-factory for reprogramming. It is very important
that the update process not be interrupted, so it is recommended that all other
programs running in Windows be closed prior to performing this update.

When “Yes” is selected to update the firmware, the following status window will appear:

The update process takes about 1-2 min to finish. Upon completion, the system will
automatically reset (re-boot) without having to cycle the power. During this brief period,
expect to temporarily lose communication with the system during the ~1min reset time
period. Communication between VersaStudio and the instrument will reestablish itself.
This will be noticeable in the Select Instrument window as the instrument will briefly
vanish and then reappear and show fluctuating “E” and “I” data.

NOTE: If multiple channels are connected, it is strongly advised to update each

channel before proceeding to start a new experiment, particularly if connected to
a VersaSTAT MC or PARSTAT MC multi-channel system containing more than
one channel in its chassis.

VersaStudio Software Manual 18

4. Main Menu Commands
One can access the functions of VersaStudio in two ways either via the top row
Commands or the icons underneath.

Clicking on Experiment, Data, View, Tools, Security, Window, or Help in the top row
opens a dropdown box, as shown in the sections below.

The icons on the second row (New, Open, Save As, Print, Delete Data, Add Graph
View, Show Properties, Show Data View, Show Overlay Manager, Show EI View,
Select Instrument, Log In, Log Out, Auto Align Windows, Run, Stop, and Skip)
correspond to these functions, and will be mentioned in this manual together with the
description of their respective function.

4.1. Experiment
4.1.1. New

or

Clicking on Experiment > New opens the Select an Action box. This box can also be
opened by clicking on the New icon, which is furthest to the left on the toolbar.

VersaStudio Software Manual 19

NOTE: Selecting the tab Advanced Actions will display the full list of available actions.

VersaStudio Software Manual 20

4.1.1.1. Creating a Single-Action Experiment

To create a new experiment, the user must select at least one Action from the list. If the
technique is available to the user, it will be listed in black; the grayed-out Actions are not
available to the user. Selecting one of the available Actions will activate the OK button.

NOTE: The term “Action” is used because of the unique way in which the systems can
perform a series (or sequence) of experiments, pre-experiments, and/or analyses
(cumulatively called “Actions”). For most experiments, a single technique Action will be
all that is needed to perform the desired experiment as described in this section. For
more advanced experiments, such as looping a single Action or sequencing a series of
different Actions, refer to section 4.1.1.2.

Select an Action

The following is a listing and brief description of the available actions (provided the
appropriate module was purchased and installed) from which to select.

Technique Actions

Voltammetry Category

Open Circuit:
Technique which does not apply any voltage or current (cell off), and
simply measures the voltage difference between the working-sense and
reference electrodes. The data is acquired for either a set period of time,
or preferably to a minimum drift rate. The current readings that are
shown are the resolution limits for the Current Range on which the
data was collected; these Current magnitudes are artifacts, and
should not be considered actual Currents for the OC actions.

NOTE: If the Open Circuit Action is used in a sequence and followed

by Actions that apply Voltages “vs OC” then the “Measure Open
Circuit” Action (found in the Advanced Actions “Sequence Actions”)
should immediately follow the “Open Circuit” Action to re-set the
Open Circuit Voltage to its latest reading. Otherwise, the original OC
(taken just prior to beginning the entire sequence) will be used.
Alternatively, the “Common” section (always the first thing in the
Experiment Properties “Actions to be Performed” list) has an option
to “Remeasure OC per Action” in the “Properties” area which will re-
measure and re-set the OC before each and every Action
automatically.

Linear Scan Voltammetry:

VersaStudio Software Manual 21

 A single voltage ramp programmed from an initial potential to a final
potential that progresses at a defined scan rate. Differs from Staircase
LSV in that the step size is minimized automatically to as small a value as
possible depending on the scan range and scan rate entered so as to
approximate an analog ramp. To keep the step size to an “analog-like”
level, the maximum scan rate is limited to 10V/s. To control the number of
points acquired using this approach, the data acquisition is separated from
any particular point, and spread out over the entire scan range to a
maximum of 1000 points per scan.

Cyclic Voltammetry (Single):

A two stage voltage ramp programmed from an initial potential to a vertex
potential, and from the vertex to a final potential at a defined scan rate.
Technique also referred to as CV. Differs from Staircase CV in that the
step size is minimized automatically to as small a value as possible
depending on the scan range and scan rate entered so as to approximate
an analog ramp. To keep the step size to an “analog-like” level, the
maximum scan rate is limited to 10V/s. To control the number of points
acquired using this approach, the data acquisition is separated from any
particular point, and spread out over the entire scan range to a maximum
of 2000 points per scan.

Cyclic Voltammetry (Multiple Cycles):

A two stage voltage ramp programmed from an initial potential to a vertex
potential, and from the vertex to a second vertex potential at a defined
scan rate. The scan can be repeated many times (cycles) between the
two vertex potentials. Technique also referred to as Multi-CV. Differs
from Staircase Multi-CV in that the step size is minimized to as small a
value as possible depending on the scan range and scan rate entered so
as to approximate an analog ramp. To keep the step size to an “analog-
like” level, the maximum scan rate is limited to 10V/s. To control the
number of points acquired using this approach, the data acquisition is
separated from any particular point, and spread out over the entire scan
range to a maximum of 2000 points per cycle.

NOTE: The preceding three actions (LSV, CV and Multi-CV) approximate

an analog ramp, so the data acquisition is asynchronous with the digital
(DAC) changes in the applied waveform. In order to remove any
instrument artifacts as a result of a point acquired in the middle of such a
change, these points are flagged and removed prior to data transfer. As
the scan rate increases, more points will be acquired during a change,
thus more points will be rejected and removed. Therefore, the faster the
scan rate, the fewer number of data points (below the 2000/cycle it
normally records) that will actually be acquired during a scan.

Multi-Vertex Scan:
A voltage scan programmed from an Initial Potential to a Final Potential
that progresses at a defined Step Height per Step Time (which defines the
VersaStudio Software Manual 22
 Scan Rate). Up to two additional Vertices can be defined as well within
the Initial and Final voltages.

Staircase Linear Scan Voltammetry:

A single voltage scan programmed from an initial potential to a final
potential that progresses at a defined step height per step time (which
defines the scan rate). Used over regular LSV for faster scan rates.

Staircase Cyclic Voltammetry (Single):

A two-step voltage scan programmed from an initial potential to a vertex
potential, and from the vertex to a final potential (usually the initial
potential) at a defined step height per step time (which defines the scan
rate). Used over regular CV for faster scan rates.

Staircase Cyclic Voltammetry (Multiple Cycles):

A two-step voltage scan programmed from an initial potential to a vertex
potential, and from the vertex to a second vertex potential (usually the
initial potential) at a defined step height per step time (which defines the
scan rate). The scan can be repeated many times (cycles) between the
two vertex potentials. Used over regular Multi-CV for faster scan rates.
Chronoamperometry:
A fast-rising potential pulse is enforced on the working-sense electrode of
an electrochemical cell; the current flowing through this electrode is
measured as a function of time. Technique also referred to as CA.
NOTE: For a Two-Step Chronoamperometry experiment, either insert
two CA actions into the same sequence (each set at the desired
Potential step and with the cell remaining ON at the end of the first
step) or preferably, run a two-step Fast Potential Pulse action if that
action is available.

Chronopotentiometry:
A fast-rising current pulse is enforced on the working-sense electrode of
an electrochemical cell and the potential of this electrode is measured
against a reference electrode as a function of time. Technique also
referred to as CE. Note: For a Two-Step Chronopotentiometry experiment,
insert two CE actions into the same sequence, each set at the desired
current step, and with the cell remaining ON at the end of the first step.

Chronocoulometry:
A fast-rising potential pulse is enforced on the working-sense electrode of
an electrochemical cell; the current flowing through this electrode is
measured and integrated, reporting coulombs as a function of time.
Technique also referred to as CC. For bulk electrolysis measurements, a
Pre-Electrolysis parameter is provided to electrolyze and subtract out
solvent background currents, with the sample of interest added after the
Pre-Elect (s) stage to measure the total charge associated with the
sample, minus the background current contributions.

VersaStudio Software Manual 23

 Recurrent Potential Pulses:
A multi-step chronoamperometry experiment that allows the user to set
the number of steps (pulses) for the experiment. Also known as “Potential
Cycling.”

Recurrent Galvanic Pulses:

A multi-step chronopotentiometry experiment that allows the user to set
the number of steps (pulses) for the experiment. Also known as “Galvanic
Cycling.” NOTE: The Current Range must be set to the same range for
all steps to avoid overloads.

Fast Potential Pulses:

A 2-5 potential step experiment that is used for fast pulsing applications,
such as pulsing electrodeposition.
NOTE: For Fast Potential Pulses, the data acquisition rate can be
slower than the applied waveform. For instance, pulses may be set
to ms widths, but data acquisition rate set in the range of seconds
(thus, not collecting all of the data). This is advantageous when
applying pulses for long durations which might acquire more data
(potentially millions of points) than the system can process.

Fast Galvanic Pulses:

A 2-5 current step experiment that is used for fast pulsing applications,
such as pulsing electrodeposition.
NOTE: For Fast Galvanic Pulses, the data acquisition rate can be
slower than the applied waveform. For instance, pulses may be set
to ms widths, but data acquisition rate set in the range of seconds
(thus, not collecting all of the data). This is advantageous when
applying pulses for long durations which might acquire more data
(potentially millions of points) than the system can process.

Square Wave Voltammetry:

The potentiostat applies a series of forward and reverse pulses (both
equal in duration, and defined as a frequency) superimposed on a linear
staircase scan. The resulting currents of the forward and reverse pulses
can be subtracted from one another to plot the difference current, useful
for improving the sensitivity of analytical measurements. Technique also
referred to as SWV.

Differential Pulse Voltammetry:

The potentiostat applies a series of forward and reverse pulses (defined
as a forward pulse and a reverse step) superimposed on a linear staircase
scan. The resulting currents of the forward and reverse pulses can be
subtracted from one another to plot the difference current, useful for
improving the sensitivity of analytical measurements. Technique also
referred to as DPV.

VersaStudio Software Manual 24

 Normal Pulse Voltammetry:
The potentiostat applies a series of potential pulses from a constant
baseline equal to the initial potential, each pulse increasing by a defined
increment (step height) to a final potential. The resulting currents of the
forward and reverse pulses can be subtracted from one another to plot the
difference current, useful for improving the sensitivity of analytical
measurements. Technique also referred to as NPV.

Reverse Normal Pulse Voltammetry:

The potentiostat applies a series of potential pulses from a constant
baseline equal to the initial potential, each pulse increasing by a defined
increment (step height) to a final potential. The resulting currents of the
forward and reverse pulses can be subtracted from one another to plot the
difference current, useful for improving the sensitivity of analytical
measurements. Differs from NPV in that what is considered pulses and
steps are reversed, such that the “pulse” is considered to be the step
towards the baseline (initial potential). Technique also referred to as
RNPV.

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Corrosion Category

Open Circuit:
Technique which does not apply any Voltage or Current (Cell OFF), and
simply measures the Voltage difference between the Working-Sense and
Reference electrodes. The data is acquired for either a set Period of time,
or preferably to a minimum Drift Rate. The current readings that are
shown are the resolution limits for the Current Range on which the
data was collected; these Current magnitudes are artifacts, and
should not be considered actual Currents for the OC actions.

NOTE: If the Open Circuit Action is used in a sequence and followed

by Actions that apply Voltages “vs OC” then the “Measure Open
Circuit” Action (found in the Advanced Actions “Sequence Actions”)
should immediately follow the “Open Circuit” Action to re-set the
Open Circuit Voltage to its latest reading. Otherwise, the original OC
(taken just prior to beginning the entire sequence) will be used.
Alternatively, the “Common” section (always the first thing in the
Experiment Properties “Actions to be Performed” list) has an option
to “Remeasure OC per Action” in the “Properties” area which will re-
measure and re-set the OC before each and every Action
automatically.

Linear Polarization:
Corrosion technique that uses a single voltage scan or ramp programmed
from an Initial Potential to a Final Potential (range generally limited to +/-
20 mV vs. Open Circuit at Ecorr) that progresses at a defined Step Height
per Step Time. Technique also referred to as LP. Provides the capability
to calculate corrosion rate.

Tafel:
Corrosion technique that uses a single voltage scan or ramp programmed
from an Initial Potential to a Final Potential (range generally limited to +/-
250 mV vs. Open Circuit at Ecorr) that progresses at a defined Step
Height per Step Time. Provides capability to calculate Tafel constants and
corrosion rates.

Potentiodynamic:
Corrosion technique that uses a single voltage scan or ramp programmed
from an Initial Potential to a Final Potential (range generally limited to
+1.50V vs. Open Circuit at Ecorr) that progresses at a defined Step Height
per Step Time. Provides a qualitative picture or “fingerprint” of a material,
particularly as it relates to the tendency of the material to passivate.

Cyclic Polarization:
Corrosion technique utilizing a two-step voltage scan or ramp
programmed from an Initial Potential to a Vertex Potential, and from the
Vertex to a Final Potential, at a defined Step Height per Step Time. The
VersaStudio Software Manual 26
 Vertex Potential may also be defined by a specific current (Threshold
Current) that limits the forward scan to the potential at which that current is
reached. Technique also referred to as a CP or a “pitting scan,” as it is
used to determine the tendency of a material to undergo surface pitting or
crevice corrosion.

Potentiostatic:
Corrosion technique that applies a constant Potential on the working
electrode of an electrochemical cell, with the current flowing through the
electrode measured as a function of time. Provides the capability to
change the potential during the experiment for critical pitting potential
(CPP) experiments.

Galvanic Corrosion:
Corrosion technique which does not apply any voltage or current (Cell
OFF), and simply measures the free flowing current between two
dissimilar, as well as the voltage difference between the Working-Sense
and Reference electrodes (the coupled potential). Requires special
cable connections with the WE-SE leads connected to one specimen,
and the Ground lead connected to the other. The CE lead is not
used, and the Reference lead is connected as usual to the reference
electrode. Technique also referred to as GC.

Galvanostatic:
Corrosion technique that applies a constant current through the working
electrode of an electrochemical cell, with the potential of the Working-
Sense electrode measured as a function of time relative to the Reference
electrode. Technique is often used to break down a passive film with a
constant current, or to determine a film thickness by stripping the film at a
constant rate.

Galvanodynamic:
Corrosion technique that uses a single current scan or ramp programmed
from an initial current to a final current, plotting the resulting potential vs.
time. A typical use of this technique is to determine the relative
susceptibility to localized corrosion as outlined in ASTM G100-89.

Zero Resistance Ammeter (ZRA):

Technique which does not apply any voltage or current (cell off), and
simply measures the free flowing current between an anode and cathode,
as well as the voltage difference between the working-sense and
reference electrodes. Requires special cable connections with the
WE-SE leads connected to the anode, and the Ground lead
connected to the cathode. The CE lead is not used, and the
Reference lead is connected as usual to the Reference electrode. If
no standard Reference is being used as with a two terminal
connection, the RE lead would be connected to the Ground, however

VersaStudio Software Manual 27

 this direct short of the RE and Ground can cause some low level
noise.

NOTE: In the ZRA connections, the current will flow as soon as the leads
are connected (no cell off/on control available), so the experiment should
be setup and ready to start to collect the data immediately after
connecting the leads to the cell in a ZRA configuration.

Electrochemical Noise:
Corrosion technique that collects open circuit potential ZRA current data
(see ZRA action for lead connections) in discrete segments of a definable
duration. Special graph options are available to graph root mean square
(RMS) of current and/or voltage of each segment.

Split LPR:
Corrosion technique where the cathodic scan is collected first, starting at
open circuit voltage and scanning to a selectable cathodic maximum
voltage. Following the cathodic scan, the system rests for either a set
duration or until a minimum drift rate is achieved. Following the rest
period, the anodic scan starts at the open circuit voltage and scan to a
selectable anodic maximum to complete the scan. The Split LPR is used
when it is undesirable to take a large step from open circuit to a cathodic
starting voltage several mVs from OCV.

Galvanic Control LPR:

The Galvanic Control LPR is used in place of potential control LPR when
there is a risk for loss of potential control due to cell conditions that are
conducive to a poorly functioning reference electrode. Where loss of
potential control due to reference electrode failure could lead to full
compliance potential overloads (stopping experiment, and damaging
sample), a failure of the RE in GC LPR would merely result in obviously
bad data points, allowing for the sample to be re-scanned.

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Energy Category

Energy Open Circuit:

Technique which does not apply any voltage or current (cell off), and
simply measures the voltage difference between the working-sense and
reference electrodes. The data is acquired for either a set Period of time,
or preferably to a minimum Drift Rate. The current readings that are
shown are the resolution limits for the Current Range on which the
data was collected; these Current magnitudes are artifacts, and
should not be considered actual Currents for the OC actions.

NOTE: If the Open Circuit Action is used in a sequence and followed

by Actions that apply Voltages “vs OC” then the “Measure Open
Circuit” Action (found in the Advanced Actions “Sequence Actions”)
should immediately follow the “Open Circuit” Action to re-set the
Open Circuit Voltage to its latest reading. Otherwise, the original OC
(taken just prior to beginning the entire sequence) will be used.
Alternatively, the “Common” section (always the first thing in the
Experiment Properties “Actions to be Performed” list) has an option
to “Remeasure OC per Action” in the “Properties” area which will re-
measure and re-set the OC before each and every Action
automatically.

Constant Potential:
Technique that applies a constant Potential between the Working/Sense
and Reference leads of an electrochemical cell, with the current flowing
measured as a function of time. Current is measured per defined time per
point, or faster if Delta I (change in current) or Delta Q (change in
capacity) is utilized. The option to “Accrue Q” is included to allow
accumulation of total Charge throughout a series of Constant Potential
steps within the same sequence. Generally used to trickle charge a
battery to a defined current or capacity limit.

Constant Current:
Technique that applies a constant Current between the Working and
Counter leads of an electrochemical cell, with the voltage flowing
measured as a function of time. Voltage is measured per defined time per
point, or faster if Delta E (change in voltage) or Delta Q (change in
capacity) is utilized. Generally used to charge and/or discharge battery to
a defined voltage or capacity limit.

Constant Power:
Galvanodynamic technique that maintains a constant Power level by
monitoring the voltage and varying the current to maintain the requested
power so long as the set current limit is not exceeded. Power and voltage
are measured per defined time per point, or faster if Delta E (change in
voltage) or Delta Q (change in capacity) is utilized. Generally used to
discharge a battery to a defined voltage or capacity limit.

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 Constant Resistance:
Galvanodynamic technique that maintains a constant Resistance level by
monitoring the voltage and varying the current to maintain the requested
resistance provided the needed current does not exceed that of the set
current range. Resistance and voltage are measured per defined time per
point, or faster if Delta E (change in voltage) or Delta Q (change in
capacity) is utilized. Generally used to discharge a battery to a defined
voltage or capacity limit.

Current CCDPL (Cyclic Charge-Discharge with Potential Limitation):

A sequence of Open Circuit, Constant Current, and Constant Potential
actions within a loop (to define the number of desired cycles) to create a
cyclic charge-discharge sequence with potential limitation. The constant
current actions are generally set to charge or discharge to desired
potential limits, then the constant potential is applied to this limit until a
lower current limit is reached with rest periods (open circuit) in between
charge-discharge events for set time or until potential limit is reached.
Additional actions can be added to or removed from this sequence as
desired. The Current CCDPL action is intended to automatically build a
common sequence used in battery research from existing actions.

Power CCD (Cyclic Charge-Discharge):

A sequence of Open Circuit, Constant Power, and Constant Current
actions within a loop (to define the number of desired cycles) to create a
cyclic charge-discharge sequence with discharge by constant power. The
constant current actions are generally set to charge to desired potential
limits, then the constant power is applied to discharge the battery to
potential limit with rest periods (open circuit) in between charge-discharge
events for set time or until potential limit is reached. Additional actions
can be added to or removed from this sequence as desired. The Power
CCD action is intended to automatically build a common sequence used in
battery research from existing actions.

Resistance CCD (Cyclic Charge-Discharge):

A sequence of Open Circuit, Constant Resistance, and Constant Current
actions within a loop (to define the number of desired cycles) to create a
cyclic charge-discharge sequence with discharge by constant resistance.
The constant current actions are generally set to charge to desired
potential limits, then the constant resistance is applied to discharge the
battery to potential limit with rest periods (open circuit) in between charge-
discharge events for set time or until potential limit is reached. Additional
actions can be added to or removed from this sequence as desired. The
Resistance CCD action is intended to automatically build a common
sequence used in battery research from existing actions.

Charge-Discharge:

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 A sequence of Constant Current and Constant Potential actions within a
loop (to define the number of desired cycles) to create a cyclic charge-
discharge sequence with charging and discharging performed by
constantly applied current with opposite sign. The charge and discharge
portions of the loop are separated by a Constant Potential action allowing
the cell to be maintained at a fixed potential which is terminated based
either on a set time or until a current or capacity limit is reached as set by
the user. The fixed potential used for this intermediate step is often the
potential at which the charging step terminated. Additional actions can be
added to or removed from this sequence as desired.

The so-called CC-CV (Constant Current – Constant Voltage) technique

can be set up from within this sequence by removing the second Constant
Current action from the sequence. It is typically desirable to set a
Potential based Limit for the Constant Current step and to set a Capacity
based Limit for the Constant Potential step when performing this
experiment.

GITT (Galvanostatic Intermittent Titration Technique):

A sequence of Constant Current and Open Circuit actions within a loop (to
define the number of desired cycles) to create successive charge
increments that are alternated with open circuit actions to allow
determination of the corresponding equilibrium potential. The potential
that results from each constant current step is time dependent and
provides information on the kinetics of the overall process. The user can
analyze the resulting data from each of these combined constant current /
open circuit steps to determine information about the intercalation /
deintercalation properties of a particular solid-solution phase domain.
Insight to the electrochemical window of potential stability can also be
gained along with information on the reversibility of the intercalation
process.

PITT (Potentiostatic Intermittent Titration Technique):

A sequence of Constant Potential actions within a loop (to define the
number of desired cycles) to create a series of potential steps. The initial
step is performed at the equilibrium potential. Subsequent steps are
performed close to this first step. The result is a chronoamperometric
response. The user can analyze the data from these steps to gain further
insight about the intercalation / deintercalation properties of a particular
solid-solution phase domain. Integration of these chronoamperometric
data give a charge increment. The shape of this curve provides
information about the overall kinetics of the process for the range of
potentials used in the experiment.

VersaStudio Software Manual 31

Impedance Category

Open Circuit:
Technique which does not apply any voltage or current (cell off), and
simply measures the voltage difference between the working-sense and
reference electrodes. The data is acquired for either a set period of time,
or a minimum drift rate. The current readings that are shown are the
resolution limits for the Current Range on which the data was
collected; these Current magnitudes are artifacts, and should not be
considered actual Currents for the OC actions.

NOTE: If the Open Circuit Action is used in a sequence and followed

by Actions that apply Voltages “vs OC” then the “Measure Open
Circuit” Action (found in the Advanced Actions “Sequence Actions”)
should immediately follow the “Open Circuit” Action to re-set the
Open Circuit Voltage to its latest reading. Otherwise, the original OC
(taken just prior to beginning the entire sequence) will be used.
Alternatively, the “Common” section (always the first thing in the
Experiment Properties “Actions to be Performed” list) has an option
to “Remeasure OC per Action” in the “Properties” area which will re-
measure and re-set the OC before each and every Action
automatically.

Potentiostatic EIS:
Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measures impedance (Z)
by applying a sinusoidal (ac) voltage across a cell and measuring the
resulting ac current along with phase shifts between the ac voltage and ac
current. In this technique, a sequence of impedance measurements is
carried out starting at an initial frequency and stopping at a final
frequency.

VersaStudio Software Manual 32

 Within this action, one can also perform EIS at a single frequency over
several points by setting the initial and final frequency to the same value,
and setting point spacing to linear and the desired number of points. To
control the time/pt in this scenario, the use of Measurement Delay can be
used to control the time in between points as precisely as possible given
the algorithms used.

The DC potential within the EIS action can be applied as a step for a
constant voltage relative to open circuit or reference, or the DC voltage
can be applied as a ramp up to the final voltage which is then held
constant for the entire EIS experiment. NOTE: The “Scan” properties
within the Potentiostatic EIS DC Properties are not a Mott-Schottky
potential/EIS scan! The “scan” allows for the constant DC potential
(final potential) to be set in a slower, ramp method with capacitive
cells such as super capacitors that would overload if a voltage step
were applied far from the open circuit voltage.

Galvanostatic EIS:
Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measures impedance (Z)
by applying a sinusoidal (ac) current across a cell and measuring the
resulting ac potential along with phase shifts between the ac voltage and
ac current. In this technique, a sequence of impedance measurements is
carried out starting at an initial frequency and stopping at a final
frequency.

Mott-Schottky:
A Starting Frequency and End Frequency, set to the same value (referred
to as the fundamental frequency), are utilized while scanning the voltage
from an Initial Potential to a Final Potential dividing the scanned potential
into discrete Step sizes at each of which a constant AC voltage amplitude
is applied. This variation on a Potentiostatic EIS experiment is commonly
used to evaluate the doping level and flatband potential of
semiconductors. It can also be used to look at thin-film and single-crystal
electrodes.

The fundamental frequency can then be changed and the DC voltage

scan repeated in discrete potential steps. Because of the concerns raised
in the final paragraph below, you should have a rough idea of the value of
the flatband potential and the material type (N or P) before setting up the
experiment.

The default plot format for the Mott-Schottky technique (more commonly
referred to as "Mott-Schottky plots") is 1/C2 vs. DC voltage (E). When the
capacitance of a semiconductor junction is measured at a single
frequency, it is often observed that 1/C2 is proportional to the voltage. An
extrapolation of the data using the Line Fit analysis will provide the X-

VersaStudio Software Manual 33

 intercept or so-called flatband potential, Efb, and the Slope can be used to
obtain the doping level, ND.

While Mott-Schottky plots have been useful in characterizing the

semiconductor / solution interface, they must be used with caution
because perturbing effects, such as those attributable to surface states,
can cause deviations from the predicted behavior. Be sure to verify that
the parameters obtained from such plots are independent of the frequency
employed in the capacitance measurements.

VersaStudio Software Manual 34

Pre Experiment Actions

Condition:
Conditioning of the electrode (or sample) takes place with the Cell ON but
before the start of the experiment (that is, before the Technique Action
and data acquisition), by selecting either static (constant) or pulsing
voltage (frequency up to 10Hz) and entering the appropriate conditioning
voltage and duration.

Deposition:
Deposition, or preconcentration, is useful in stripping techniques to take
advantage of the fact that some electroactive species precipitate after a
redox process. The most common use is for lower detection limits of metal
ions when determinations are performed with a mercury drop electrode.
Deposition takes place before the experiment (Technique Action), with the
Cell ON, Purge OFF, and the Stirrer activated (Purge and Stir functions at
the Auxiliary Interface). A time setting controls how long a deposition (or
preconcentration) potential is applied to the Cell before proceeding to the
Technique Action.

Equilibration:
Equilibration is used to set the working electrode at the same potential as
the initial potential of the following Technique Action for a defined period of
time to allow for an equilibration period prior to scanning. This is generally
done after a deposition where a stirrer is used, or when the initial potential
is different from open circuit, requiring a settling period.
Purge:
Sends a signal from the Auxiliary Interface of the potentiostat/galvanostat
activate the purge solenoid on a 303A (via a Model 507 interface) or a
Model 325 Faraday Cage for the specified period of time then turns the
solenoid off.

iR Determination:
Uses a pulsing signal to determine the uncompensated resistance in an
electrochemical cell, and uses this resistance value in the iR
Compensation process for an experimental setup. Note: this action can
operate stand-alone, or as an action in a sequence preceding a potential
controlled Voltammetry action where the iR Compensation is enabled, and
“Use Previous” is set to “Yes.”

VersaStudio Software Manual 35

Sequence Actions

Loop:
A function that allows a specific action or sequence of actions to be
repeated a set number of iterations (cycles) or for a set period of time,
whichever is reached first. The Loop Action should be installed into a
sequence prior to the Actions that are to be repeated.

NOTE: If any Actions that apply voltages “vs OC” are inside the loop,
then the “Measure Open Circuit” action should immediately precede
those Actions to re-set the open circuit voltage to its latest reading.
Otherwise, the original OC reading (taken just prior to beginning the
sequence) will be used. Alternatively, the “Common” section
(always the first thing in the Experiment Properties “Actions to be
Performed” list) has an option to “Remeasure OC per Action” in the
“Properties” area which will re-measure and re-set the OC before
each and every Action automatically.

Time Delay:
A period of time to delay procession to the next Action.

Message Prompt:
Used to issue a user-defined message prior to starting the following Action
or experiment. The sequence will halt until the prompt is cleared by the
user.

Measure Open Circuit:

Used in a sequence to obtain a measurement of Open Circuit Potential,
and subsequently used as a point of reference for applied voltages “vs
OC” or “vs Previous” within those Actions immediately following.

Auxiliary Interface:
Provides direct control over the Auxiliary Interface at the rear panel of the
VersaSTAT. See the VersaSTAT hardware manual for more details on
the pin outs for the Auxiliary Interface.

Run External Application:

Provides capability to run an external, user written utility. For example, if
the user writes a small program in Visual Basic to set the temperature on
a temperature controller, this Action could be used to change the
temperature between experiments. The program name (File Path),
command line options (Parameters), and wait state may be entered for
this Action.

DAC Output Control:

Provides direct control over the voltage output (+/- 10 V static) at the rear
panel of the VersaSTAT. Normally used to control RDE rotation speed,
this control can be added within a Sequence to perform hydromodulation
experiments (adjusting speed of RDE between scans), or to control a
VersaStudio Software Manual 36
 separate external device, such as a temperature bath with an external
input for control.

Email:
Provides ability to send an email to notify users of completed experiments.
Can also attach Data File if desired. Assistance from local IT personnel
may be required in determining local SMTP Server.

Auto Current Range Setup:

Provides ability to set the limits and starting point for automatic current
ranging in DC (non-impedance) Actions. This Action is inserted prior to the
Action(s) where the desire is to control and limit how Auto-Current ranging
proceeds. This Action is very useful for Energy-based applications (for
example, fuel cell, battery, and super capacitor research) where it is
suggested and STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to start Auto-Current
ranging beginning at the 2A range, because these devices can produce
large amounts of current that can damage more sensitive ranges if starting
off on lower ranges.

This Action is also very useful for applications where noise may be an
issue at the lower ranges, so preventing the system from “bouncing”
between two lower ranges; one can set a lower limit to prevent the
bouncing caused by noise (usually environmental noise).

Display Message:
An Action specifically for the PARSTAT 4000 that allows for the insertion
of a specific message inserted into one of the four lines available on the
PARSTAT 4000’s front panel display. This Action can be inserted at
multiple points throughout a sequence and the message changed at each
point. To use this Action, see Section 4.4.2.2 on setting up the LCD
display of the PARSTAT 4000.

Get Action(s) From File…:

Allows a previously saved sequence (data file) to be added to a new
Sequence under construction. This utility is intended to save time in
constructing new Sequences by building from previously created
Sequences.

NOTE: It is not the intent of this manual to explain in detail the theory and uses of
the listed techniques, nor is this manual intended to be a tutorial for
electrochemistry in general.

For further information regarding commonly used techniques and discussion of

various relevant topics, it is recommended that a review of the Application Notes
and other Technical documents on our website be performed.

VersaStudio Software Manual 37

 http://www.princetonappliedresearch.com/Literature/index.aspx

If further information is needed regarding the operation of the VersaStudio

software or the potentiostat(s) you are using, please contact (email) our Support
Department at

[email protected]

VersaStudio Software Manual 38

Experiment Properties

Select a technique action (Chronoamperometry, for example), and select OK. Enter a
filename to which data collected will be saved and select OK. Set up parameters for that
Technique Action will be displayed in the Experiment Properties window:

For the Experiment Properties window and the variables that may be changed, a box
highlighted light yellow indicates a box where a value or text may be entered, and a box
where the variable is underlined indicates the presence of a drop-down selection box for
changing the variable to a pre-set selection. If a box is grayed-out, then that variable is
read-only and cannot be changed.

NOTE: Please see Appendix 1 for definitions and descriptions of the Parameters and
Variables that can be found in all actions available in VersaStudio.

NOTE: To ensure a numerical parameter is entered correctly into any of the fields
highlighted in yellow throughout the Experiment Properties window, please be
sure to either click the “Enter” key or use your mouse button to click onto
another field following the input of the desired value. This will ensure that the
value you have input is properly registered into that field. Failure to do so may
result in that value not being properly input into the desired field.

VersaStudio Software Manual 39

The Experiment Properties box has a Common action for every single-Action or multi-
Action experiment built. By clicking on either Common or Chronoamperometry each
in turn, its properties are displayed.

The Common is the section in which one can add Comments for the experiment, as
well as set Voltage and Current Limits for the entire experiment. When these Limits
(also referred to as “safety limits”) you have chosen for Common are exceeded, the
entire experiment, whether a single Action or a multi-Action experiment, is halted. Also
selectable in Common is the Reference Electrode type, Working Electrode Type,
Rotating Disk Electrode (RDE Speed), and Working Electrode Area. Density and
Equivalent Weight are used for Corrosion Rate calculations, while Mass is used to
graph certain variables per gram of active material. The Remeasure OC Per Action is
used for Sequences where it is desired to measure the Open Circuit voltage before
each and every action (as in battery research) when most potentials are set relative to
Open Circuit.

NOTE: Entering a Reference Electrode type in the Common Section does not
offset nor shift the Potential (Voltage) readings seen in the Data View window.
This is simply a notation of what was used during the experiment. Whatever is
entered will be reflected in the “Graph Properties” for any Potential that is plotted
as the Reference Electrode used. Section 4.3.1.4. explains how to set a Reference
Electrode in the Graph Properties that will “shift” the data relative to the
Reference Electrode selection made in the “Common” section of the Experiment
Properties. This makes it possible to temporarily shift the data relative to the
Reference Electrode type originally specified in the Common Section.

Making changes to the RE, WE, Area, Density, EW, and Mass parameters in the
Common section post-acquisition requires that the data be saved, closed, and re-
opened for the changes to take effect in graphing and/or data fits.

The “Help” section on the Experiment Properties is for explaining the functionality of
each Action listed in the “Actions to be Performed:” window. Selecting an Action
(such as Chronoamperometry below) and selecting “Help” reveals a window with a
detailed diagram and/or explanation of that Action. De-selecting the “Help” will close
the Help portion of the view.

VersaStudio Software Manual 40

Highlight Chronoamperometry again, and select the Advanced button to the left to
reveal more properties. To have the Advanced properties always displayed by default,
see Section 4.4.2.1.

Set the Cell to Use by clicking the underlined variable (External in this case). Select
Internal (Internal 1000 ohm Dummy Cell) as the Cell to use.

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Click Run on the toolbar. A default graph and data box opens in addition to the
Properties box.

Run opens a blank graph, starts the experiment, and plots the output in the graph and
in the Data View window. Stop stops the experiment if you wish to stop it prematurely.
The Skip button is useful when a multi-Action Sequence is running (section 4.4.1.2),
and it is desired to proceed, or “Skip,” to the next segment (NOTE: if it is a multi-Action
segment, it will skip to the next segment in that Action, not the next Action in the
Sequence) or Action in a Sequence before the current Action is completed.

NOTE: Beginning with VersaStudio version 2.20 and higher, the “Skip” should not
be used during an Action where the Acquisition Mode = Average (or Auto) on
Corrosion Actions. Doing so will alter the data and segment association.

After the experiment is completed, the data graph, data view, and experiment properties
will all be displayed on the screen.

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4.1.1.2. Creating a Multiple-Action Experiment

There are two primary reasons for performing a multi-Action experiment in a Sequence:

1. Sequencing Actions can increase throughput by automatically performing a

series of experiments (selected by the user) over a long duration without
requiring user intervention. Examples include long term charge/discharge
experiments for batteries, or looping through an EIS experiment many times over
a long duration to monitor impedance changes over time.
2. Sequencing Actions facilitates the creation of customized waveforms and/or
experiments without having to be proficient in a programming language or
command set.

Each of these will be addressed in the following section.

Sequencing Actions

This section will describe how one might go about constructing a Sequence of Actions
that would permit the discharge/charge cycling of a rechargeable battery, followed by
impedance testing with discharge cycles, and a final charge cycle to complete the
experiment.

NOTE: When running a multi-Action experiment, the data output of the entire sequence
of Actions will be stored in a single data file, making it easy to build custom experiments
with multi-Action sequences and viewing the data as a single experiment. For multi-
Action Sequences where viewing the entire Sequence as a single experiment is not
desired, a Data Filter (section 4.3.3.) feature is available to look at any specific Action
within the entire Sequence. In the following example, it would be desirable to view all of
the charge/discharge data as a single plot, but then it would also be desirable to view
each of the EIS results as a stand-alone plot. With VersaStudio, both of these options
are possible.

Start with Experiment>New as described in section 4.1.1. From the Select an Action
window, choose Loop from the Sequence Actions category, and select OK to bring up
the Experiment Properties window.

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With the Loop #1 highlighted, select the Insert button to the left of the Experiment
Properties window to bring up the Select an Action window once more. This time,
select the Chronopotentiometry action, and click OK.

Repeat the previous steps to add a second Chronopotentiometry Action to the

Sequence.

The two Chronopotentiometry (galvanostatic) actions will be used to discharge and

charge the battery.

NOTE: This first part of the Sequence is an example of a multi-Action Sequence used to
create a custom waveform, essentially a two-step Chronopotentiometry, or in battery
terminology, a galvanic cycling waveform. The Loop will be set to the Number of
Iterations to cycle the battery. Again, this feature is permissible due to all the data for
each action (including all loops) being stored in a single data file.

To add the EIS and discharge Sequences, highlight the word Common in the Actions
to be Performed box, and select the Insert button again. From the action list, select
Loop once again, then OK. This will add a second cycling sequence separate from the
first.

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With the Loop #2 highlighted, select the Insert button, and choose Potentiostatic EIS
to add to the Sequence. Repeat the Insert again for Loop #2, and add a third
Chronopotentiometry Action. Finally, select Common once again, and insert a fourth
and final Chronopotentiometry Action. The resulting Sequence should appear as
below.

NOTE: This entire Sequence is an example of a multi-Action sequence to perform a

long duration experiment automatically with little to no user intervention required until
entire Sequence is completed.

Now that the Sequence is built, one can highlight each Action in the Sequence, and set
all the variables to the desired number of iterations (cycles), magnitudes, durations, and
limits (see Appendix 1 for glossary of experiment properties). In the example below, the
first Chronopotentiometry Action is set to discharge the battery at -100mA for 10,000s,
or when the voltage drops below the limit of 2.95V, whichever is reached first.

NOTE: The data acquired with a multi-Action sequence (as well as

multi-cycle experiments like multi-cyclic voltammetry) are saved as
Segments. There is a total maximum Segment limitation of 4000 for
any given Sequence and/or data file.

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Once all the Actions have been modified with the desired settings, go to Experiment >
Save to save this Sequence before running (which ensures saving of the data to the PC
hard drive as the experiment progresses), then click the Run button to start the
Sequence running. Depending on the number of iterations desired, this Sequence
could take hours or even days to complete. With the sequencing feature, it will all
progress as desired without constant monitoring by the user.

4.1.1.3. Editing a Multiple-Action Experiment

Aside from inserting a new Action, editing a multi-Action Sequence can be performed
by:

1. Selecting an Action that is no longer needed, and clicking the “Remove” button.
2. Select an Action in the Sequence and move it within the tree to the appropriate
location using the “Up” and “Down” buttons. Note: Using the “Insert” function
always places the Actions to the bottom of the list. If an Action is needed
else where, it will be inserted at the bottom, then moved to the appropriate
place within the Sequence.

4.1.2. Open

or

VersaStudio Software Manual 46

Open opens a previously saved experiment. Choose a file to open in a Windows file
Open box.

When a valid file is selected, the Open box closes and the experiment will open. If
another experiment were already open, it will ask to save any changes to that
experiment before the Open box appears.

4.1.3. Save, Save As

To save data,…

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 or
To save a new experiment, select Save, and enter the Data Path and name.

Save As saves the current File with a different name.

4.1.4. Load Setup

Load Setup takes you to the following window:

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From this window, one can add previously acquired data files (“Add...” button) that are
to be used as “Setup Templates” for subsequent experiments. When selecting from a
list of files, the details of the Actions within that setup, as well as comments, can be
viewed to the right in the “Properties” as shown above. Selecting “Load Setup” button
will ask for file name to be given to the new data set, then the Experiment Properties
associated with the setup will appear ready to run the preset variables that make using
a setup file easier and faster than starting from an all new experimental setup.

4.1.5. Close
Clicking on Close will close the experiment that is currently open on the screen.

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VersaStudio Software Manual 50
4.1.6. Print Setup

Custom Print Layout

Clicking on Print Setup… under Experiment opens the Print Setup box (the factory
default “OneGraphPrintSetup” should be there initially), that lets the user create a
custom layout in which one can place user Text, Graph, experiment parameters
(Params), User name, experiment Name, or Date. Select New on the top row of
buttons to clear the 8 ½” x 11” print area, and begin adding printable items from the
right-side row of buttons. Once an item has been selected, it can be moved inside box
(click and drag) to any location, and re-sized by clicking and dragging the lower right-
hand corner of each item. Once the layout is constructed, it can be saved with Save
File on the top row of buttons, and set as the new default layout to use with the Set
Default button. To recall previously saved print layouts, use the Open File from the top
row to select it from a listing.

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4.1.7. Print

Print prints experiment results using a template already created and selected as default
in Print Setup.

or

4.1.8. Recent Files

Recent Files displays the last ten files opened, and allows selection of any of the ten to
re-open.

4.1.9. Exit

Exit closes the data set that is currently open on the screen.

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4.2. Data

4.2.1. Delete

or

Delete permits the permanent deletion of data points.

Delete All Points removes all data from the experiment, allowing for changes to the
parameters or for running the same experiment again. A box asks you whether you
really want to delete the data.

Delete Only Selected Points removes only the point(s) highlighted (selected) in the
graph.

Delete All Overload Points removes all of those points where an Overload (usually
Current Overloads) occurs during a measurement. Since an Overload occurred, these
points are considered invalid regarding their measured values, thus easy removal is
supplied by this feature.

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4.2.2. Copy

Copy allows the user to select the data parameters from a Data Copy window that are
desired to be copied and pasted into another program (such as text file or spreadsheet).

For example, select from the list of parameters those that are to be copied, and click
Copy to send these columns of data to the Windows’ Clipboard. The data (Tab
delimited) can then be “pasted” into a separate spreadsheet with each column labeled
as to the data variable below it.

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4.2.3. Extraction…

The Extraction feature allows experiments that were collected as Sequences

comprised of multiple Actions to be broken up into individual data files, providing one
Action per data file.

In the above example, a Sequence was performed that comprised nine (9) different
Actions. The Extraction option window (shown to the right) provides the capability to
select individual or all Actions to extract, as well as cycles (for multi-cycle CVs) and
loops. The resulting individual files formed can be saved to a folder defined by the user,
as well as a unique base name. The “Normalize Data Points, Segment and Time”

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option sets each individual data files points, segment, and time beginning at zero as if
were the only Action performed.

The results from the extraction on the example data above are shown below. Note that
the base name is followed by the Action name, as well as the order number where it
appeared in the Sequence.

4.2.4. Select All

The “Select All” function selects all of the data points in an open data file.

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4.2.5. Import From

The “Import From” function permits the importation of text EIT data (voltage, current,
and time) that might have been collected on a different system entirely. This feature is
useful for comparing data collected on a different system from an earlier time. To import
an EIT data file, it must be a text file with EIT listed in columns, and additional
information must be provided before importing. If the Input File Properties are not
completed properly, an error will be issued stating “Error Importing Data File, No Data
Found.”

NOTE: If the text file has a header or parameter fields other than the raw EIT data,
they must be “skipped” for the import process. Thus, the “Lines to Skip” is the
number of lines in the data file to skip before getting to the EIT data columns.

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4.2.6. Export to

Export to allows the user to export certain VersaStudio data sets into a separate data
file that can be opened and read by the Scribner and Associates software packages
CorrView® and ZView®. Selecting a VersaStudio file that contains impedance data and
exporting to ZView® (“Export AC Data”) creates a *.z data file that can then be opened
and read by ZView®.

If the VersaStudio file contains more than one set of data (for example, a sequence of
different EIS scans), multiple data files will be created (one for each impedance action)
with the same file name + a numerical index (for example, filename.z and filename_2.z).

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NOTE: Not all techniques or actions can be exported to CorrView® or ZView®.
The actions that can be exported are:

To CorrView®:

"Potentiostatic"
"Open Circuit"
"Potentiodynamic"
"Cyclic Polarization"
"Linear Polarization"
"Galvanostatic"
"Galvanodynamic"
"Cyclic Voltammetry (Single and Multiple Cycles)"
"Staircase Cyclic Voltammetry (Single and Multiple Cycles)"
"Linear Scan Voltammetry"
"Staircase Linear Scan Voltammetry"
"Chronoamperometry"
"Chronopotentiometry"
"Chronocoulometry"
"Tafel"

To ZView®:

"Potentiostatic EIS"
"Galvanostatic EIS”

If no data was found within a VersaStudio file that can not be exported properly, the
following message will appear:

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4.3. View

or
The five choices under View correspond to the five icons on the toolbar, Add Graph,
Show Experiment Properties, Show Data View, Show Overlay Manager, and Show
E&I Strip Chart.

4.3.1. Add Graph View

or
Add Graph will bring up the graph selection window. VersaStudio ships with several
ready-made graphs to select from. Select the graph that best fits the desired
experiment output, and click OK.

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NOTE: If no graph is added to an experiment prior to selecting the Run button, a default
graph will be placed on the screen. If a graph is added prior to selecting Run, only that
graph will be displayed, not the default.

More than one graph may be added to an experiment or data set. In fact, there is no
limit to the number to graphs that can be placed on a single screen, but practicality
dictates that more than four is usually unnecessary.

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If there is no graph within the selection window that fits the experiment needs, an
entirely new graph may be created by selecting New in the bottom corner.

4.3.1.1. Graph Properties

By clicking New, the Graph Properties window appears, in which you may select the
properties for the graph, such as the X and Y Axis types, whether to add a Y2 Axis,
colors to use for the data, and graph title. For a complete listing of the different axis
graph options (selections for Type: ), please see Appendix 2. NOTE: The following
also applies for modification of any graph before, during, or post acquisition.

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Under the Axes tab, various options for the X, Y, and Y2 Axes can be set. The label for
the Axis can be changed via the Name: field. The Math: function is discussed in the
following Section as well as the Smoothing: functions.

Exponents - allows the numbers to be presented in scientific notation on the Axis.

Reverse Axis – allows the direction of the Axis to be reversed to the opposite direction.

Log – presents the numbers on that Axis in a logarithmic scale.

Negate Values – reverses the direction of the Axis and applies a sign opposite to the
present sign changing + to – or – to +.

Normalize with Area – if Working Electrode Area has been entered into the
Common section of the Experiment Properties as illustrated in Section 4.1.1.1.2., the
Current will be normalized with this Area. Normalize with Area is only an option when
the Axis is plotting Current.

Reference Electrode – If a Reference Electrode type has not already been specified in
the “Common” section of the Experiment Properties as illustrated in 4.1.1.1.2., it can be

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specified here, but any changes made will not save after the graph is closed. The use
of this field is explained further in Section 4.3.1.4.

External Data – This function allows data from either a previously acquired data set or
data that is being actively acquired on another instrument / channel to be plotted on the
X, Y, or Y2 Axis as desired.

NOTE: The information entered in the “Common” section in the Experiment

Properties in the experiment for which the Graph was created will be the
information used for any data plotted within the Graph. So, it is important to keep
in mind if External Data is used that the associated data has the same
characteristics with regards to Working Electrode Area, and other physical
characteristics as appropriate.

Further, it should be noted that if data from an “External” source is used, only the
number of points corresponding to the file with the less number of points will be
used. I.e., if one file has 100 points and the other has 10,000 points, only the first
100 points will be used.
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 None – No External Data will be used, disables the External Data function.

Browse… – Opens a window “Choose Data to Overlay” as explained in Section

4.3.4.1. and allows selection of previously acquired data.

Beneath the Browse… function, if any instruments / channels are actively

connected to the VersaStudio software, they will be listed. In the image above,
12199389 and 48120018 correspond to the Serial Numbers of the two
instruments that are attached to VersaStudio and active.

X, Y, Y2 Axis – Select the Axis on which you want the External Data plotted.

The Options tab in the Graph Properties includes various ways the graphs can be
further modified including selections of whether to show a Line, Symbols, or both along
with ways to modify the presentation of the Graph.

Data Section

Line – selection of this option by placing a “check” mark in the box will draw a
line connecting all the data points. If this box is left unchecked and only the
Symbols box is checked, then a graph can be plotted with only the points shown
presented via Symbols.
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 Color: (under Data) - allows selection from a wide variety of colors for the Line.

Symbols – selection of this option by placing a “check” mark in the box will draw
Symbols for each data point. If this box is checked and the Line box is checked,
a graph will be drawn with BOTH a Line and Symbols.

Type: - allows selection of a variety of shapes for the Symbol.

Color: (under Symbols) – allows selection of the Color for the Symbol.

Size: - allows for adjustment of the size of the Symbol being used.

Miscellaneous Colors Section

Analysis: – allows selection of color used for the Analysis Curve drawn for any
of the Fitting functions.

Y2 Data: - allows selection of color used for the Y2 data.

Selection: - allows selection of the color to be used for the “Selection” box when
selecting data by clicking with Left mouse button and dragging open a box
around the data of interest.

Background: - allows selection of the color to be used for the Background of the
Graph.

Grid: - allows selection of the color to be used for the Grid.

Title: - set a Title, name, etc. for the Graph.

Grid - uncheck this box if you do not want a Grid displayed in the Graph background.

1:1 Aspect Ratio - setting only used with Nyquist representations of Impedance data to
present a semi-circular representation of the curve rather than a “squished” curve which
can appear with uneven scaling on the X and Y Axes. This option is selected by default
on Nyquist curves. It is not intended for use with any other curve types.

Legend – when this box is selected, a Legend is provided with either the Title(s) of the
Experiment being overlaid and/or the instrument serial number(s) being overlaid. A
designation is also provided showing the color of the Line being used (if used) and the
type and color of Symbol being used (if used).

Once the graph is customized to the user’s requirements, click Apply or OK. When
clicking Apply, any changes made will be immediately applied and the Graph
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Properties window will remain open for any further changes. When clicking, OK, a
dialog box opens to input a Template Name if you are creating a New Graph Template.
If you are only making modifications to an existing Graph, the changes will be accepted,
and the Graph Properties window will close.

Enter a name in the Enter Name for this Template box for this Template to be saved.

This new Template will now be available for selection in the Add Graph window. If you
do not want to save the changes you’ve made, click Cancel.

4.3.1.2. Graph Math

For some applications and experiments, it is desirable to convert the variable being
measured and graphed (for example, SYNC ADC Input voltage) into the actual variable
being measured (such as Temperature, pH, or QCM Frequency). To make this
conversion in the graph, a Math input is available for each axis to perform mathematical
conversions on any variable as desired. The factors that may be entered into the Math
box are Addition ( + ), Subtraction ( - ), Multiplication ( * or x ), and Division ( / ).

For example, if a QCM922 Quartz Crystal Microbalance were being used for EQCM
applications and the delta-frequency output from the QCM922 was being sampled by
the SYNC ADC Input of the potentiostat hardware system, it would be desirable to see
the data in frequency, not voltage as the signal is output from the QCM922. To make
this conversion, it is necessary to multiply the SYNC ADC Input by the factor that would
convert the voltage output from the QCM922 into the correct frequency. Assuming the
QCM922 was on the 200Hz frequency range, the output signal for frequency change is
200Hz/10V, or a factor of 20. Therefore, the Graph Properties of SYNC ADC Input vs.
time would be changed as follows:

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This change would show on the resulting graph as the change in frequency (Delta-
Frequency (Hz)) of the QCM922 relative to time.

Furthermore, the Math can hold multiple factors that can be applied to the measured
variable.

NOTE: Multiple variables are carried out on a left-to-right order, not according to
the standard orders of mathematical calculations. For example, if one wanted to
subtract 5mA from the current variable (to subtract background current) of a data set,
then multiply that result by 10,000, it would be entered as:

Again, it is very important to note that the factors are applied to the data strictly in a left-
to-right order, not the standard order of mathematics.

NOTE: The Math calculations only change the graphed data, not the actual data
collected. To export the math-altered data, it would require using the Copy to
Clipboard feature (see Section 4.3.1.5.) associated with that graph from within the
Graph View window.

It might also be desirable to use the variable itself as a factor within the mathematical
calculations. This can be accomplished by using the variable “n” within the Math box to
represent the variable. For example to obtain the square of the time variable and
present it graphically, it would be entered as follows:

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Anytime the variable itself is to be used within the mathematical sequence, simply use
“n” to represent the variable.

In using the Math box, it will either be indicated as “green” to note an acceptable
formula, or it will be indicated “red” when it is incapable of understanding the entered
information. For example, an alpha/numerical character that does not belong in Math
box will show a red background as follows:

In the above example, the “%” is not recognized as being an acceptable variable, so no
mathematical modification of the graph will occur in this situation. When an acceptable
formula is added that will modify the graphical data, the background will be green as
shown in previous examples above.

4.3.1.3. Smoothing Options

The Smoothing option in the graph properties allows the application of a sliding
average (5, 10, 15, or 20 Point Sliding Average), moving average (5, 10, 15, or 20 Point
Moving Average), or a Savitsky-Golay algorithm (5 or 10 point quadratic fit). Smoothing
with either a Sliding Average or Savitzky-Golay can reduce the effects of noise or jitter,
particularly on current data. A Moving Average is commonly used with time series data
to smooth out short-term fluctuations and highlight longer-term trends.

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4.3.1.4. Reference Electrode Graph Options

The Reference Electrode option that appears in the graph properties when plotting
Potential (V) is available to “shift” data relative to the Reference Electrode selection that
was made in the “Common” section of the experimental setup. For example, if a SCE
Saturated Calomel (sat’d KCl) were used and noted in the Common section, changing
the graph properties to graph relative to a NHE Normal Hydrogen Electrode would shift
the potential data positive by 242mV in the graph.

NOTE: Changing this graph property is temporary and cannot be saved; closing
the data file will return the graph back to the Reference Electrode listed in the
Common section.

If no Reference Electrode type was originally chosen, see Section 4.1.1.1.2. for
guidance on selection of Reference Electrodes within the Common section of the
Experiment Properties. When a Reference Electrode type is chosen in the
Common section and the experiment is run with this selection, the Experiment
Properties and Graph Properties will save this selection automatically and shift
the data by the appropriate potential value in the Graph View.

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VersaStudio Software Manual 71
4.3.1.5. Graph Options

After adding a Graph to the screen, it can be repositioned on the screen by clicking and
holding with the mouse pointer on the blue bar at the top of the window, and dragging to
the location of the user’s choice. Likewise, the window can be re-sized by placing the
mouse pointer along the edges of the graph window (or at the corners), and once the
sizing arrows appear, click and hold down with the mouse pointer, and re-size the
window by moving the mouse.

By placing the cursor at any point on a plot, a Hover Box is activated, displaying the
relevant information associated with a particular data point in the plot. To select a
different data point, simply move the mouse cursor to a particular point of interest in the
graph, and hover for a brief period to allow the hover box to appear. See section
4.4.5.1. for more hover box options.

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To select data points in a plot, simply left click the mouse pointer on a point. To
select a range of data points in a plot, left click the mouse pointer at one end of the
range, and while holding the left-button of the mouse down, drag the pointer to the
opposite end of the range; the selected points will be highlighted in red as shown in the
image below. To move the graphed data around within the defined area of the plot,
click and hold down on the middle mouse button (or scroll wheel) while moving the
mouse cursor on the screen.

To zoom in on a section of a plot, right-click the mouse pointer and drag the mouse in a
downward and to-the-right movement to draw a box around the section of the plot to be
zoomed. Release the mouse button, and the plot will be redrawn

Within each graph window are a series of buttons across the top that perform specific
functions. Some of the buttons are on every graph, while others only appear when the
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plot axis are specific for the action associated with the button (such as the Circle fit
option in the Nyquist plot above).

Graph Properties opens the Graph Properties window to make any desired changes to
the graph.

Auto Adjust both Axes re-sizes the plot within the graph window to the smallest
possible scale that will encompass all the data points in the plot.

Auto Adjust X Axis Only re-sizes the X-Axis of the plot within the graph window to the
smallest possible scale that will encompass all the data points in that axis.

Auto Adjust Y Axis Only re-sizes the Y-Axis of the plot within the graph window to the
smallest possible scale that will encompass all the data points in that axis.

Zoom In re-sizes the plot within the graph window to magnify the center point of the
graph. Selecting the button several times may be necessary to achieve the desired
magnification.

Zoom Out re-sizes the plot within the graph window to reduce the center point of the
graph. Selecting the button several times may be necessary to achieve the desired
view.

Copy to Clipboard places the X-Y data pairs, the graph, or the results of an analysis or
fit onto the Windows clipboard where they can then be pasted into a separate software
package, such as a spreadsheet.

Copy Data as Text – copies the data from the primary instrument’s data (if more
than one set of data is plotted) in X-Y pairs corresponding to exactly how the
data is displayed in the graph. Data can then be pasted into an external program
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 such as Excel. NOTE: Only the X and Y Axes will be copied if a Y2 Axis is
present.

Copy Data as Image – copies the Graph as an image for use in reporting,
publications, etc. The Graph will only be an image of what is seen in
VersaStudio. It cannot be manipulated in any way once it is pasted into another
program such as Excel, Word, etc.

Copy Analysis as Text – if Analysis of the data has been performed via one of
the fitting or analysis tools in VersaStudio, the Results shown on the right side of
the Graph View window can be copied as Text and pasted into an external
program such as Excel, Word, etc.

Copy Z Data for ZSimpWin selects all the data in the plot, copies the relevant
information to the clipboard, and opens the EIS modeling software, ZSimpWin, into
which the data can be pasted for detailed analysis and circuit modeling.

NOTE: This button will only appear if ZSimpWin is also installed. ZSimpWin is a
product distributed by Princeton Applied Research, and is sold separately from
the VersaStudio software. Please contact your Sales Representative regarding
information about purchasing ZSimpWin.

Line Fit provides Line Fit Results on selected data within a graph which appears to the
right of the graph as follows:

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The Line Fit provides information on the Slope, Intercepts, Deviation, Residual Sum of
Squares, Linear Correlation, and the number of Points used in the Fit. The Line Fit can
be used on any data set where this information is needed. This information can be
easily copited via the Copy to Clipboard function as explained above.

Circle Fit- Selecting data and then clicking the Circle Fit icon gives you Circle Fit
Results which appear to the right of the graph. The circle fit information is used in EIS
data analysis of Nyquist representations of data.
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The Circle Fit provides basic information on the semicircular shape that is characteristic
of common contributions found in many electrochemical systems associated with the
interface between the working electrode and the electrolyte solution. The Circle Fit
Results provide Center Points for X and Y, Diameter, Total number of Points used in the
Fit, the Sample Deviation, and the Angle of Depression. This information can be easily
copied via the Copy to Clipboard function as explained above.

NOTE: The Circle Fit is only a basic analysis tool for Impedance data. No other
Impedance Analysis or Equivalent Circuit Modeling tools are provided within
VersaStudio. It is strongly recommended to consider purchase of the optionally
available ZSimpWin software. ZSimpWin is a product distributed by Princeton
Applied Research, and is sold separately from the VersaStudio software. Please
contact your Sales Representative regarding information about purchasing
ZSimpWin.

Rp Fit is an analysis tool used on E vs I plots in selected corrosion data (ie, Linear
Polarization experiments) to perform a Linear Regression analysis to calculate the
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Polarization Resistance, then use this information to in turn calculate the Corrosion
Current and Corrosion Rate. The Tafel constants used to calculate the Corrosion Rate
for Rp (as well as the Corrosion Rate units) may be selected in the Tools >
Options…menu.

The Rp Fit Results provide Corrosion Rate in mmpy or milspy, the Rp value in Ohms,
Ecorr, Corrosion Current, information about the Sample Deviation, Linear Correlation,
Fit Range, Total number of Points in the Fit, Anodic Beta value, and the Cathodic Beta
value. This information can be easily copied via the Copy to Clipboard function as
explained above.

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Tafel Fit is an analysis tool used on E vs log I plots in selected corrosion data (ie, Tafel
experiments) to statistically fit the experimental data to the Stern-Geary model for a
corroding system. Using the mouse, select the data lying within the Tafel region (ideally
±250 mV with respect to the corrosion potential). The Tafel analysis then calculates the
Corrosion Current and the Corrosion Rate (in either millimeters per year or milli-inches
per year) and overlays the beta lines on the graph of experimental data.

Tafel Fit Results provide the following: Corrosion Rate in mmpy or milspy, Ecorr, Icorr,
Cathodic Beta, Anodic Beta, Chi-Square, Fit Range, and Total number of Points used in
the Fit. This information can be easily exported via the Copy to Clipboard function as
explained above.

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Peak Analysis is an analysis tool used for I vs. E plots for determining Peak Current,
Peak Voltage, Full Width – Half Maximum (FWHM), Area (C), and Range (mV). This
information can be easily exported via the Copy to Clipboard function as explained
above.

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4.3.2. Show Experiment Properties

Or

The Show Experiment Properties option can display or hide the Experiment
Properties window

4.3.3. Show Data View

Or

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The Show Data View option displays or hides the Data View window, which contains
the data points being used to plot the graph.

The Data View window auto-scales to show the first three rows as shown below:

This window may be expanded (shown below) to show other columns by “grabbing” the
edge of the window with the mouse cursor and dragging the window open.

The Data View window can also be customized by using the “Customize Columns”
option (right button at top of Data View menu) to add additional parameters to view, and
the columns themselves can be re-arranged by clicking and dragging the header for the
columns to different positions inside the Data View window (“Point” moved to first
column in example below).

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A Data Filter option (left button at top of Data View Menu) is provided to limit the data
that is plotted in the graphs. Limiting the number of points graphed can speed up the
graphical interface and the response time when interacting with the graph properties.

NOTE: At installation of VersaStudio, the “Visual Data Reduction” is set to

“Automatic.” With the setting at “Automatic” a 10:1 data reduction is done each
time the graph reaches or surpasses 10K points.

In the example below, the Visual Data Reduction feature has been set to None for the
example to the left, which would graph all 50K points. With the selection set to Manual
and the selection box set to show every 10th data point, the data in the Data View and
graph has been reduced to 5K points (a 10:1 reduction). This feature may be desired to
speed up graphing when a large data set is being acquired and plotted. Selection of
Automatic reduces the viewed data on the graph to a number of points that facilitates
the fastest possible graphing speed. Selecting the None option shows all the data
points collected. Selecting None is only recommended for post-acquisition data
analysis.

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A second feature of the Data Filter is the ability to choose segments to view. In a multi-
Action sequence as described in section 4.1.1.2.1., or for a Multi-Cyclic Voltammetry
experiment, it may be desirable to view the results of only one of the experiments within
the entire sequence. To determine the segment number, select a point on the plot of
interest, then expand the Data View window to search for the highlighted data of
interest and its segment number, as in the example below on the left.

Once the segment number is known, select Data Filter, and select only the segments of
interest to view in the graphs (example above on the right). The plots and the Data
View window will then only contain data from those segments selected. This feature is
useful when wanting to perform analyses on individual experiments that were run as a
sequence of experiments in a multi-Action setup.

The All and None buttons are useful in quickly selecting or deselecting all the available
segments simultaneously. The options to Label AC Segments or Label DC Segments
allow the user to see which Segments contain AC or DC data simply by placing a
“check” mark in the corresponding box.

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Finally, the “Comment” field (by default located as the right most column in the Data
View window) will show Comments specific for a particular data point. In the example
below, there are three comments, Code 01, Code 02, and Overload.

Code 01 is an indication that the value for either the current or the voltage is near the
resolution limit of the analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). In the example above, the
Code 01 is for the voltage reading which was near the resolution limit for the voltage
range. Points with Code 01 may not be considered accurate since they are at or near
the limits of the resolution.

Code 02 is an indication that a hardware change occurred during the acquisition of that
point. This change could be a Current Range change, or a gain change on the voltage
or current channels. In the example above, it is most likely a Current Range change
occurred given that the point prior was acquired on a different Current Range.

Overload indicates that the current was at the limit of the range during the acquisition of
that point. Given that the current may have been larger than that indicated; this point
cannot be considered accurate. Such Overload points are commonly a result of
transitioning between Current Ranges, particularly when “Auto” Current Range is
selected. Many experiments will operate optimally when a fixed Current Range is
chosen. See the section of the manual that discusses Current Range for further
discussion on this topic.

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4.3.4. Show Overlay Manager

Or

Show Overlay Manager opens the Overlay Manager, and permits selection of either
additional data files from previously run experiments or data from experiments that are
actively running to be added to the plot along with the active data file for graphical
comparisons in a Real Time Instrument Data Overlay.

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4.3.4.1. Real Time Instrument Data Overlay / Add Overlay

Clicking Add opens a list containing the option to either Browse… or select any
additionally available instruments / channels. In the example below right, two
instruments are listed with 12199389 being the primary instrument, while the data from
48120018 will be added as an overlay. When the instrument is chosen from the list by
double clicking on it, the data it is acquiring will automatically be overlaid with the
primary instrument’s graph in the Graph View window. The Overlay Manager window
will change to reflect the instrument(s) that have been chosen to have their data
overlaid with the primary instrument’s data.

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In the example below, 48120018 is shown in the Overlay Manager to indicate that its
data is being overlaid with that of the primary instrument.

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The data will be updated for all instruments within a single window for all data sets
added into the Graph View window in a live Overlay as the experiments are running.
Once a Graph View window has overlaid data in it, the Overlay Manager will no longer
show the instrument’s serial number that corresponds to the primary instrument being
used as the basis for the Graph View. It is important to note that only the data
associated with the primary instrument can be analyzed from within the overlaid view.
However, Zoom functions will allow zooming in on all graphs simultaneously in the
overlay view.

The example graph below shows two instruments’ data being overlaid during a
Recurring Potential Pulse experiment.

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It is possible to further identify which data set belongs to which instrument by use of the
Legend feature in the Graph Properties as explained in Section 4.3.1.1 and illustrated
in the image above.

Data that has already been acquired can be overlaid following similar steps as above by
clicking Add in the Overlay Manager window then clicking Browse…. A window titled
Choose Data to Overlay opens, which allows the user to select a file to be overlaid
with the current data.

NOTE: The “Shift” key may be used to select a range of files to overlay, or the “Ctrl”
key to select multiple files from the open window.

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NOTE: Overlay data cannot be selected for any analysis; only the active data file
can have points selected for analysis.

In the example above, 20mVs is the active file, while 100mVs and 1000mVs are added
as overlays. This is indicated in the Overlay Manager by only showing the overlay data
files as shown below:

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4.3.4.2. Edit Overlay

The Edit button in the Overlay Manager window opens this window, where colors and
symbols can be chosen for the overlaid data. The Edit button is only active when one
of the lines is selected in the Overlay Manager window.

4.3.4.3. Delete Overlay

The Delete button simply removes the selected data file from the Overlay Manager list.

4.3.5. Show E&I Strip Chart

Or
Show E&I Strip Chart opens up the E & I Strip Chart , which is a real-time view of the
voltage and current being measured by the system. This window can be moved and
resized horizontally and vertically by clicking and dragging on the margins of the box.

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4.4. Tools

Selecting Tools on the main menu opens the following dropdown menu:

4.4.1. Reference Electrode List

The listing of Reference Electrodes is utilized in the Common action properties to note
the Reference Electrode being used in an experiment.

NOTE: Selection of a Reference Electrode in the Common properties does not offset
the Potential (voltage) readings; this is simply a notation of what was used during the
experiment.

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The list of Reference Electrodes can be added to with Add… button, or an existing
one may be changed with the Edit… button.

The Voltage (V) value for each reference electrode is the common potential relative to a
Normal Hydrogen Electrode (NHE).

4.4.2. Options

4.4.2.1. General Parameters and Options

Clicking Options… enables selections for variables such as Current Polarity

Convention, Corrosion Properties, Data Point Information Setup, General
Settings, Calibrate for best DC Accuracy, Language and Float Settings
(VersaSTAT 3F and PARSTAT 4000 only for Float settings).

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Current Polarity Convention selects how the graph will display current (I) as either
positive or negative. The hardware itself follows the American polarity convention
(Cathodic current = positive), but selecting the “Cathodic current = negative” will change
the settings appropriate for both potentiostatic and galvanostatic operations with respect
to how the Current is graphed.

Beta Constants are used by the Rp Analysis (section 4.3.1.5.) to calculate Corrosion
Rates. Prior testing (Tafel tests) can be used to determine Tafel Constants, and they
can be input here for more accurate Corrosion Rate determinations.

Corrosion Rate Units are used by the Rp Fit and Tafel Fit (section 4.3.1.5.) to report
corrosion rates as either milli-inches per year (mpy) or millimeters per year (mmpy).

In Data Point Information Setup, the user can enable/disable variables that appear in
the Hover Box for data graphs. When the Disable Data Point Information box is
checked, the Hover Box is not displayed on plots.

Enable Periodic Data Storage is a feature that saves the data from the instrument to
the data file as the experiment progresses (important for long term experiments in the
event of a computer or power failure to prevent complete data loss), and it can also
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save data from an instrument (or channel on a VMC) that is not the active channel
selected. In other words, if you start an experiment on a channel, then select “No
Instrument” to perform data analysis on a separate data file, the “Periodic Data Storage”
will routinely check (every 5 minutes) for data residing in the buffers of all channels
connected and save that data to the data file on the PC as the experiment progresses.

Note: If you are running actions that perform data averaging during the
acquisition (Acquisition Mode = Average, or when Acquisition mode = Auto for
Corrosion actions), or if you are performing Sequences that have both DC
techniques (such as Cyclic Voltammetry) and AC techniques (such as
Potentiostatic EIS) in the same Sequence, the “Periodic Data Storage” must be
selected, otherwise the experiments will not proceed accordingly if the
instrument or channels are not actively selected.

Restore Last Experiment will open the last data file associated with a particular
instrument or channel when that channel is selected. If it is desired to select a channel
and it NOT open the previously associated data, then de-selecting this option will permit
that scenario as well.

Cell to External at Experiment End, if enabled, sets the system to the internal dummy
cell (1Kohm resistor) at the end of a sequence. This feature is useful when there is
excessive noise in the external cell (caused by a heater or stirrer at the cell, for
example) that keeps the open circuit current reading in a state of “Overload” at the
lowest current ranges.

Calibrate for best DC Accuracy is a fine adjustment of the internal DACs for any DC
offsets to within +/- 1uV. This Calibration should not be performed unless the unit is at
operating temperature (power-on for at least 10 minutes). No external Cell connection
is required. The Calibration process takes approximately 2 minutes to perform, but can
take up to 10 minutes. If the calibration fails, there will be a failure notice given.
Calibration should be attempted a total of 3 times to see if a successful calibration can
be performed. If calibration continues to fail, contact us for further support.

Lock Experiment Properties to Data will lock down the properties of all experiments
that contain data. Disabling this feature allows the user to modify properties that
contain data and select “Run” to quickly alter a variable and re-run an experiment. If
this feature is enabled, then the variables cannot be changed and re-run until all of the
data is selected and deleted from that file.

Automatically Save Data File will save any changes made to the data file (for
example, any graphical changes, data deletions, data analyses, etc.) automatically on
exit. If the user prefers to be asked whether changes are to be saved on exit, then this
option should be un-selected.

USB Compatibility Mode is utilized in some rare instances when multiple channels
(such as VMC-4) or sub-standard USB chipsets cause communication lock-ups (screen
freezes requiring re-start of both hardware and software). Enabling this parameter has

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proven to resolve this issue; however, enabling this parameter will slow down the USB
communications speed and screen response time.

Language provides the capability to change a significant portion of text within the
VersaStudio software to the local language specified in the Windows (Control Panel)
Regional Settings, provided that language is supported by VersaStudio (listed in the
drop-down menu). For example, if the Regional Settings are “German (Germany)”, and
Language is set to “German” in VersaStudio, then a significant portion of the text within
VersaStudio will be converted to German.

Display Advanced Experiment Properties is utilized when it is desired to always

show the “Advanced” experiment properties by default in every experiment.

4.4.2.1.1. Setting Operation Modes of Float and Normal

Float Settings only appears if a system capable of Floating (cell leads isolated from
ground in order to reasonably operate on a grounded cell) is connected (either a
VersaSTAT 3F or PARSTAT 4000).

The VersaSTAT 3F and PARSTAT 4000 were designed to operate in either a “Normal”
mode or a “Floating” mode. The Floating mode provides the capability to operate with
cells where one of the electrodes or the cell itself is at earth ground. Examples of earth
grounded cells include autoclaves, strain apparatus, storage tanks and pipelines, and
additional electrodes connected to a separate potentiostat that is not floating.

In Floating mode, the internal ground of these systems (as well as the cell leads and
external connections at the rear panel) is allowed to float with respect to earth ground
which allows it to operate with these grounded cells.

NOTE: Instrument performance, particularly with regards to current and voltage

noise, can be substantially degraded when operating in Float mode on grounded
cells, the level of degradation depending on the technique and the impedance
between the electrodes and ground. Therefore specifications listed in the
hardware manual apply only to isolated cells with the system set to normal mode.

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The Options menu is where the mode can be changed to either “Normal” or “Floating”
as shown below:

It is recommend that after one changes modes, a new Calibration for DC accuracy be
performed by selecting the “Calibrate Now” button above the Floating Settings option.

In addition to the mode selections, the VersaSTAT 3F and PARSTAT 4000 also provide
additional Filters that could be required with some cells in order to enhance the signal to
noise.

The “Notch Filter” is specific for those frequencies associated with line power
(50/60Hz), and can reduce noise pick-up from power sources. The filter selection would
depend on the line power frequency supplied to the VersaSTAT 3F. NOTE: Notch
Filters should be set to “None” if performing EIS actions for proper operation.

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The “EIS Filters” are specific for those systems equipped with the FRA option to
perform Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), and can be used when
performing EIS techniques where noise pickup from additional, grounded electrodes in
the cell are degrading the EIS data. The selection of “Aggressive” should be tried first,
then “More Aggressive” if needed.

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4.4.2.2. LCD Display (PARSTAT 4000 Model Only)

The LCD Display in the Options Menu allows for the front panel display of the
PARSTAT 4000 to be customized and adjusted. Items listed in the “Display Options”
box can be dragged and dropped into the simulated display to the right of it to create a
custom appearance to the display with regards to what is displayed and its order (top to
bottom) shown on the display. Once setup, the display will remain in this order even
after cycling power on the hardware.

The “Custom Text” option works in conjunction with the Advanced Action “Display
Message” to add custom text messages to the display at any point in a sequence of
actions. It could be a simple “Do Not Disturb!” message placed at the beginning to let
others know that an important experiment is in progress, or it could be a series of
messages placed throughout a sequence to visually note the experimental progress of a
long sequence.

Other display options are present for diagnostic purposes, such as temperature of key
circuits internal to the hardware.

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4.4.3. Select Instrument

or

The “Select Instrument” option is beneficial for two functions: 1) analyzing data on the
same computer while actively running an instrument and 2) performing experiments on
multiple channels simultaneously. NOTE: the terms “instrument” and “channel” are
synonymous within this topic.

If more than one system is connected to the same computer, or if a VersaSTAT MC or

PARSTAT MC is connected containing more than one channel, the “Select Instrument”
window will be similar to the following 4-channel example:

In this instance, the choices are to select either “No Instrument” or one of four
connected channels. The instruments can be selected by double-clicking on the
instrument of choice with the mouse pointer. NOTE: This window can remain open
and active for ease of selection and continuous viewing of channels actively
acquiring data.

The “No Instrument” option permits the opening and analysis of data files while
performing experiments on other channels. As only one instance of VersaStudio can
open in Windows at any given time, selecting “No Instrument” makes it possible to
retrieve previously saved data files during actively running experiments without halting
or interrupting those experiments.

Within VersaStudio, only one instrument (or channel) can be viewed graphically with the
software at any given time. When multiple instruments (or channels) are connected to
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the same computer, only one can be active on the screen, unless the data is added into
an Overlay. With the “Select Instrument” option, it is possible to select one channel
from multiple channels, set up and start an experiment on that channel, and then return
to “Select Instrument” and choose a separate channel to set up and initiate an
experiment on that channel as well. Up to 32 instruments can be connected and
selected to run experiments simultaneously. To view the data collection on these
channels simultaneously, a Real Time Instrument Data Overlay can be created as
explained in Section 4.3.4.1. This allows viewing of the data from multiple channels
within one graph from within any of the channel’s windows. Similar Real Time
Instrument Data Overlays can be created within each channel’s window if desired,
keeping in mind this will consume more of the PC’s hardware resources versus having
one graph window showing all desired overlaid data at the same time.

There are some additional features available on the “Select Instrument” window that
can be found by placing the mouse pointer on an instrument and selecting the right-
mouse button to reveal the options shown below:

The “Select Instrument” option is the same as simply double-clicking on the instrument
of choice to select it to be the active instrument.

The “Locate Instrument” feature is used to help determine which instrument is being
selected. If one has forgotten the serial number or ID of a particular instrument, using
the “Locate Instrument” will cause the “Ovl” LED on the front panel of that channel to
flash for a few seconds enabling the user to know precisely which channel is being
selected.

Every channel is serialized, and the serial number is the default identifier for each
channel. However, it is possible to change ID of the channels using the “Rename
Instrument…” option. For example, in the case of a 4-channel VersaSTAT MC or a
PARSTAT MC, it may be desirable to rename the channels according to their order in
the chassis.

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This process can be carried out on all four channels such that the window for “Select
Instrument” appears as below:

NOTE: The default serial number for each channel can always be obtained from the
rear panel of the instrument if needed, or viewed in the software by returning to
“Rename Instrument…” where it will always be shown above the line where the new
name is entered.

Example:
Shown below is the “Select Instrument” window with two experiments in progress:
Channel 1 is running a Chronoamperometry experiment (1V applied to the internal
1Kohm dummy cell), while Channel 3 is running an Open circuit experiment.

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Both Channels have the tag “DATA” associated with them indicating that these
channels are running an experiment, collecting data and storing it into the channels’
buffers. Also note that Channel 1 is “red” for the E and I values; this is indicating that the
cell is on and the system is applying voltage to the cell. Channel 3 is not red, indicating
that the cell is not on, which is precisely as it should be for an open circuit experiment.
Either of the channels can be selected and their data transferred to the computer at any
point.

In the window above, both Channel 1 and Channel 3 still have “DATA” present, but the
cell is no longer on at Channel 1 (E and I no longer “red”), indicating that the
Chronoamperometry experiment has ended. The I and E indicators will remain at the
values of the last point acquired until that channel is selected to transfer the data to the
computer.

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In the window above, Channel 1 has been selected and its data transferred to the
computer and saved as noted by the absence of the “DATA” indicator. Channel 3 still
has the “DATA” indicator present, and needs to be selected to transfer its data to the
computer before powering off the hardware.

Using the mouse pointer to hover over the channel will cause a “bubble message” to
appear (as shown above) that contains the name of the experiment currently active for
that channel. The message “No Experiment” will appear if no data set is currently
associated with a channel.

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4.4.4. Multi-Channel Groups

It is possible within VersaStudio to select and start experiments on multiple channels

simultaneously. This option is available with “Multi-Channel Groups…” in the “Tools”
menu. When selected initially, the window will appear as shown below:

To start a group of channels simultaneously, the first step is to assign the setup file(s) to
the desired channels. Note: Any previously saved experiment (*.par file) can be
used as a setup that file. To assign a setup file, right-mouse-click on one of the
channel selections and select “Assign Setup File…” as shown below:

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A selection from the existing *.par files can be made. In this example, the “Voltammetry
Checkout.par” file (used in section 3.2) will be selected for channels 1 and 3 as shown
below:

Note: The setup files do not have to be the same for all channels. In fact, each
channel can be assigned a different setup file for simultaneous start if desired.

Once the setup files are assigned, right-mouse-click on those channels again and select
“Add Instrument to Group”

Once both channels have been selected, the field containing the setup name will be
highlighted yellow, and both the “Start Group” and “Stop Group” functions become
active as shown below:

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VersaStudio Software Manual 108
Pressing the “Start Group” button brings up the window (shown below) to confirm the
instruments and setup files, as well as assign a unique base name for the data files.
Note: The resulting data files will be named “basename_channelname”. In this
example, the two resulting data files will be called “Checkout_1111111” and
“Checkout_1111118.”

To start the experiments, press “Start All.” The experiment will then start on both
channels and return to the “Group Configuration” window. The two channels that are
acquiring data will now have their E and I readings highlighted “red” to indicate that the
cell is on and acquiring data as shown below.

To view and download the data, close the “Group Configuration” window, and use
“Select Instrument” option (previous section, 4.4.3) to toggle between the different
channels. Once again, only one channel at a timer can be active and downloading the
data from the channel to the computer. The remaining channels that are actively
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running are storing their data into the channel’s buffer until selected by the user, at
which point the data will be transferred to the computer for collection and viewing.

Note: It is advised to close the “Group Configuration” window after making any
changes (by selecting the “X” to close the window or selecting a channel), and
use the “Select Instrument” option to switch between the different channels for
viewing data.

4.4.5. Virtual Potentiostat

The Virtual Potentiostat provides an interface to basic controls that are useful for
applying either a DC potential or current without running an actual experiment. A “meter
reading” provides the voltage and current readings real-time.

In the screen shot above, a 1V potential is being applied to the internal DC dummy cell
(1Kohm resistor). The Virtual Potentiostat can also be used to check internal voltages
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(Potentiostat Diagnostics button) of the circuit board to ensure that they are operating
within proper range.

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4.5. Security

4.5.1. Log In, Log Out

Both Log In and Log Out open the Log Into VersaStudio window. Log In
automatically logs out the previous user and logs in the present user. Log Out logs out
the previous user.

Note: The default password for “Administrator” is the word “administrator.”

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4.5.2. Change Password

Passwords can be changed by entering both the old password and a new password.

4.5.3. Administration

The administrator can apply restrictions for a given user by checking the applicable
boxes in this window. When the Disable All Security Features box is checked, any
user is able to perform any function in the VersaStudio software. Unchecking the box
enables the administration restrictions to take effect.

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4.5.3.1. Functions
Data
Modify Properties
Checking this box makes the user able to change the properties set
up for a given experiment. To remove this capability for the user,
uncheck the box.
Modify Printer Setup
Checking this box makes the user able to change the template that
is set up for printing. To remove this capability for the user,
uncheck the box.
Delete Points
Checking this box makes the user able to delete data from
experiments. To remove this capability for the user, uncheck the
box.

General
Edit Reference Electrode List
Checking this box makes the user able to change the list of
electrodes. To remove this capability for the user, uncheck the box.
Modify Options
Checking this box makes the user able to change the options
window for the data information hover box. To remove this
capability for the user, uncheck the box.
Allow Administration
Checking this box makes the user able to make changes in
administration functions. To remove this capability for the user,
uncheck the box.

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4.6. Window

4.6.1. Cascade
Cascade causes all open windows to overlap from the top left to the bottom right.

4.6.2. Tile Horizontally

Tile Horizontally causes all open windows overlap in a horizontal direction.

4.6.3. Tile Vertically

Tile Vertically causes all open windows overlap in a vertical direction.

4.6.4. Auto Alignment

Auto Alignment causes all open windows are sized to fit the available area, in a layout
preferred for electrochemical experiments.

4.6.5. Open Experiments

The graphs of the experiment that is open are listed below the line. Clicking on one
makes it the active window.

4.7. Help

4.7.1. Users Manual

Online manual - Clicking on this opens a printable .pdf file.

4.7.2. Check for Latest Updates

VersaStudio will search a website (Note: PC must have internet access) which will
compare the current version to what is currently running on the computer. The two
possible responses are:

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4.7.3. About
The software version number, Model, firmware (in brackets), Options, and link to the
Princeton Applied Research web site are all listed in the About window.

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Appendix 1. Glossary of Experiment Properties
Accrue Q – When set to “Yes”, Charge is continuously accumulated when changing
from one Constant Potential action / segment to the next within the same sequence.
When set to “No”, the value for Charge will be reset when moving from one Constant
Potential action / segment to the next within the same sequence. This option is only
available in the Constant Potential action.

Acquire at Hold – Enables/disables data collection during a vertex delay.

Acquisition Mode – The mode used to collect a single data point. The setting
“Average” acquires as many points as possible (at 10us) over the time per point or step
time, and reports a single average of all the point collected over the last 50% of that
time. For a 1ms time per point, that would equal 50 point. For step times greater than
1ms, the points are divided such that never more than 50 points are averaged for a
single reported point. The setting “4/4” only collects and reports a single value sampled
at the end of each time per point or step time. The setting of “Auto” selects either
average or 4/4, depending on the preferred method for a given technique. The setting
of “None” collects no data points at all during the experiment.

Amplitude (mA RMS) - The sine wave (ac) amplitude for galvanostatic EIS
experiments. The maximum amplitude is 200mA rms.

Amplitude (mV RMS) – The sine wave (ac) amplitude for potentiostatic EIS
experiments. The range is 0.1mV to 1.0V rms amplitude.

Anodic Max (V) – The ending voltage in the Split LPR action’s final scan from open
circuit to the maximum desired anodic voltage.

Apply Potential Change Now – Allows for the potential to be changed during the
course of an experiment. Useful for performing ASTM-F746 experiments.

Bandwidth Limit – A range of damping filters within the control loop of the potentiostat
that can help prevent oscillations when performing experiments on cells with high
capacitance. The number and range of available bandwidth filters is dependent on the
hardware model.

Cathodic Max (V) – The ending voltage in the Split LPR action’s initial scan from open
circuit to the maximum desired cathodic voltage.

Cell to Use – The VersaSTATs, PARSTAT MC, and PARSTAT 4000 have an internal
1000 ohm “dummy cell” that can be accessed by selecting “Internal” as the cell to use.
This dummy cell is provided as a diagnostic tool to perform system checks on the
instrument, and for training exercises. The “External” setting uses the cell that is
connected at the cell leads.

Comments/Notes – Section where remarks describing the experiment or cell may be

recorded.
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Current (A) – The current magnitude to be applied for the duration of the step or pulse.
Note: For galvanostatic experiments, the units for the applied current can be
changed by clicking on the “Current (A)” box in the Properties setup window.

Current Range – Determines the maximum amount of current (I) that can be measured
in the experiment. Selection of “Auto” results in the range(s) being automatically
selected during the experiment that provides the best accuracy and resolution without
exceeding a range magnitude. NOTE: With “Auto” selected, range changes utilize
relays that do take a finite interval to change. If performing fast pulse/step experiments
or scans greater than 20mV/s, range changes can introduce spikes (especially on
capacitive cells) into the data. For that reason, it is strongly recommended that a set
current range be used under these circumstances, and that the “Auto” feature only be
used for these experiments to initially determine the proper range to set.

CAUTION: If your cell is an energy storage and/or energy producing cell

(such as battery, fuel cell, or super capacitor), it is recommended that
experiments be conducted set to the highest current rage (2A) first, and
lower ranges used if determined acceptable to do so. The “Auto” setting
should be avoided if possible to prevent excessive overloads on lower
current ranges that could stress and ultimately damage the system.

Cycles – Controls the number of cycles between the vertex potentials for cyclic
voltammetry experiments.

Data Quality – A variable in both Potentiostatic and Galvanostatic EIS actions related
to post-FFT data collection and averaging for improved data quality. The value entered
is equal to the number of full cycles that will be collected and averaged. A setting of 3
would equal data collection on three full cycles and the average results reported. Note:
increasing this variable directly increases the total experiment time; setting it to 3 triples
the total time vs. setting of 1.

Delta E (mV) – A voltage setting by which the measurement must change from the
previous measurement in order for that data point to be saved. This is generally used to
reduce data points collected to only those points considered significant by the user. The
rate at which data can be measured using this variable is determined by the Time Per
Point and Delta Resolution variables, but can be no faster than the minimum acquisition
rate of the hardware.

Delta I (mA) – A current setting by which the measurement must change from the
previous measurement in order for that data point to be saved. This is generally used to
reduce data points collected to only those points considered significant by the user. The
rate at which data can be measured using this variable is determined by the Time Per
Point and Delta Resolution variables, but can be no faster than the minimum acquisition
rate of the hardware.

Delta Q (mQ or mAh) – A charge setting by which the measurement must change from
the previous measurement in order for that data point to be saved. This is generally
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used to reduce data points collected to only those points considered significant by the
user. The rate at which data can be measured using this variable is determined by the
Time Per Point and Delta Resolution variables, but can be no faster than the minimum
acquisition rate of the hardware.

Delta Resolution – A time variable that is used to set the number of samples taken
between the time per point variable when either Delta I, Delta E, or Delta Q are utilized
for data acquisition rates. For example, with a time per point of 1s and a Delta
Resolution of 10, the data is sampled every 100ms (1s/10) to determine if the variable
of interest has changed sufficiently to be recorded and saved as a way to reduce data
points collected to only those points considered significant by the user.

Dispense – A TTL signal sent via the Auxiliary Interface (pin 3) to the Model 507 for
dispensing/dislodging a mercury drop from the Model 303A SMDE.

Drift Rate (mV/min) – The minimum change in OCV allowed before ending the duration
of an open circuit action earlier than the set duration.

Duration (s) – The time span of the applied potential, current, or open circuit
measurement from beginning to end.

E Filter – Potential channel filter which reduce the effects of high frequency noise. The
available filters depends on the hardware model.

E Resolution – Provides superior voltage measurement resolution when set to “High” in

the Open Circuit action if oc is within +/-100mV vs Ref.

Electrometer Mode – The electrometer can be set to either Single-ended or

Differential. For the most accurate measurements at 200mA and higher, Differential is
the preferred setting, as this eliminates error associated with impedances on the
working electrode lead. Single-ended is the most stable configuration, and is
particularly useful for corrosion experiments and highly capacitive cells where
oscillations can be an issue. Note: Any 4-terminal (4 electrode) cell or connections
require the Electrometer Mode = Differential for correct voltage readings.

End Frequency (Hz) – The final frequency in an EIS experiment. If the End frequency
is different from the Start frequency, a frequency sweep will occur with EIS data points
collected at frequency intervals dependent on points and spacing variables.

Final Current (mA) – The current that is applied at the end of a scanning current
experiment.

Final Potential (V) - The voltage that is applied at the end of the experiment, either
versus the reference (absolute) or versus the open circuit (relative to oc).

Frequency (Hz) – The total period for one cycle of P1 and P2 conditioning potentials to
be applied.

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Frequency List – A visual display of the frequency points calculated from the frequency
range and point spacing selected. If the Start and End frequencies are set to the same
frequency, EIS data will be taken at that single frequency for the total number of points
selected.

I Filter – Current channel filters which reduce the affects of high frequency noise. The
available filters depends on the hardware model.

Initial Current (mA) – The current that is applied at the start of a scanning current
experiment.

Initial Potential (V) – The voltage that is applied at the start of scanning potential
experiment, either versus the reference (absolute) or versus the open circuit (relative to
oc).

iR Compensation (ohms) – Enabled to compensate for the uncompensated

resistance between the reference electrode and working electrode in cells where the
solution resistance is large, or where the current magnitude may be high in order to
apply the potential more accurately to that which is being requested. This property is
technique dependent as follows:

For Voltammetry Actions: This parameter allows the user to enter an estimate for the
uncompensated resistance between the reference electrode and working electrode.
This feature can only be activated and used when running on a set current range. The
uncompensated resistance couples with the cell current to introduce a potential error
(drop) which prevents the working electrode potential from assuming the programmed
value. The value entered for this parameter is used to adjust the applied potential to
compensate for this error. The iR Determination action can be used to estimate the
uncompensated resistance for the user, and entered automatically (“Use Previous”
option) if placed together in a sequence, or it can be entered manually (“User Defined-
ohms”). Caution: if the value entered is at or over the true uncompensated level, the
entire system may oscillate. In case of oscillation, reduce the ohms to a lower
percentage of the previous level (for example, 90%), and try that magnitude.

Note that the range of the resistance that can be compensated and its resolution is
directly related to the current range. Below is a table of the maximum resistance and
resolution for each current range:

CR Max Resistance Resolution

2A 5 ohms 1.22 mohms
200mA 50 ohms 12.2 mohms
20mA 500 ohms 122 mohms
2mA 5k ohms 1.22 ohms
200uA 50k ohms 12.2 ohms
20uA 500k ohms 122 ohms
2uA 5M ohms 1.22k ohms
200nA 50M ohms 12.2k ohms

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For Corrosion Actions : The uncompensated resistance is determined during the scan
via a pulsing routine, and the amount of correction needed is calculated and applied
automatically. The system can be set to Auto current range for this compensation, but
the Step Time must be greater than or equal to 2 seconds, which limits this
compensation method to slower scan rates typical of corrosion experiments.

Note: When performing techniques with iR Compensation enabled, the preferred plot
for potential is “Applied Potential” so as to not include the added compensation potential
into the graph.

LCI Bandwidth Limit – A range of damping filters (Normal, Slow, and Very Slow) within
the control loop of the VersaSTAT LC Low Current Interface that can help prevent
oscillations when performing experiments on cells with high capacitance. There is no
recommended setting other than Auto (which is “Normal”), and if oscillations occur, try
stepping to “Slow” first, then “Very Slow” as a last resort.

Limits (Voltage, Current, Charge, and Aux Input) – Voltage, current, charge, and
AUX Input (V) limits can be set for most dc-based Technique Actions. Once a limit is
reached, that action is halted and proceeds to the next action (if listed). For a multi-
action sequence, or an action with multiple segments (for example, CV or RPP) voltage
and/or current limits can be set in the Common section of the sequence, and if reached,
the entire sequence (or segments) will halt. The limits in the Common action are
generally used as “safety limits.”

Note: As of this software version, the “Limit” should not be used during an action
where the Acquisition Mode = Average (or Auto) on Corrosion actions. Doing so
will alter the data and segment association. To use the “Limits” in a corrosion
action, set the Acquisition Mode = 4/4.

Limit |I| (mA) – An absolute current limit not to be exceeded when running certain
actions, such as Constant Power.

Leave Cell ON – At the end of an experiment, it is normal for the cell to be turned off
(Leave cell on = No). However, if the experiment is one part of a sequence that is to be
carried out, it may be desirable to have the cell remain “on” as it proceeds to the next
experiment. Note: In a sequence of experiments (actions), the cell will always be turned
off at the end of the sequence regardless of the “Leave Cell On” setting.
Warning: Leaving the cell “ON” between certain actions can result in significant voltage
and current spikes directly to the cell. Please avoid leaving the cell “ON” between the
following actions:
1. Between any potentiostatic and galvanostatic action. Switching modes
(pstat/gstat) with the cell on can result in spikes to the attached cell.
2. Between any EIS action and DC action. Switching modes (ac/dc) with the cell on
can result in spikes to the attached cell.
3. Between any two galvanostatic actions that operate on different current ranges.
Switching current ranges with the cell on in gstat mode can result in spikes to the
attached cell.

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Measurement Delay – A delay between each frequency measurement and between
every current range change. This is useful for allowing cell to settle after current range
changes, and for controlling the acquisition rate in single frequency vs. time EIS
experiments.

Message – Inserts a pause in the sequence of actions to alert the user to perform a
manual action before proceeding to the next action in the sequence.

Number of Iterations – The number of cycles that will occur for each action listed in a
loop.
PFIR –Enables/disables the Positive Feedback IR compensation mode which, when
enabled, minimizes applied voltage errors due to high resistances between the working
and reference electrodes in an electrochemical cell.

Number of Segments – The total number of data blocks desired for an electrochemical
noise experiment.

Point Spacing – Defines the point spacing for a frequency sweep as either linear
spacing, or logarithmic spacing (points per decade).

Points Per Cycle – Total number of data points collected in a single cycle of a CV
experiment.

Potential (V) – The voltage magnitude to be applied for the duration of the step or
pulse.

Potential P1 (V) – The first potential setting for a pulse conditioning setup.

Potential P2 (V) - The second potential setting for a pulse conditioning setup.

Power (W) - The power magnitude to be applied for the duration of the experiment,
either using a charging current or a discharging current.

Pre-Elect (s) – The pre-electrolysis setting in the chronocoulometry action is provided

to electrolyze the solvent before the experiment starts and before the sample of interest
is added. If the Pre-Elect(s) is utilized, an average current reading is taken at the end of
the pre-electrolysis time, and that average current reading is subtracted from all
subsequent readings during the normal duration of the experiment, thus providing net
charge minus the solvent background.

Pulse Height – Amplitude of pulse in SWV or DPV pulse train.

Pulse Width – Duration of pulse in DPV, NPC, and RNPV.

Pulsing Voltage – Oscillating DC voltage applied to the cell during a conditioning

period.

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Purge – Sends a TTL logic signal from pin 8 of the Auxiliary Interface connector to
activate the purge for A Model 507 or Model 325 Faraday Cage.

RDE Speed (Volts) – Controls the rotational speed of a rotating disk electrode (RDE),
provided the DAC Output at the rear panel is connected to the rotating input control of
the RDE itself.

Reference Electrode – Section for recording the type of reference electrode used in
the experiment, along with its potential versus Normal Hydrogen Electrode (NHE).

Rest Duration (s) – The duration of open circuit following cathodic scan of the Split
LPR action to allow the sample the opportunity to settle back to OCV.

Rest Drift Rate (mV/min) – The minimum drift rate of open circuit following cathodic
scan of the Split LPR action to allow the sample the opportunity to settle back to OCV.
If set and achieved before duration is reached, the anodic scan will start.

Resistance (ohms) – The resistance magnitude (or load) to be applied for the duration
of the Constant Resistance experiment.

Scan Rate (mV/s) – The rate of change in a scanning potential or scanning current
experiment. The scan rate is the step height (mV) divided by the step time (s).

Start Frequency (Hz) – The beginning frequency in an EIS experiment.

Segment Duration (s) – The duration in time of a block of data acquired in

electrochemical noise action. Each block can be plotted with I RMS or E RMS versus
total time.
Start Level (V) – The voltage setting which must be reached before the system will
begin monitoring the threshold current. Prevents premature reversal of a CP scan at a
passive or cathodic region where the current might exceed that of the threshold.

Static Voltage – Constant DC voltage applied to the cell during a conditioning period.

Step Height (mA) -– Determines the magnitude of the current change between two
data points in a scanning current experiment.

Step Height (mV) – Determines the magnitude of the potential change between two
data points in a scanning potential experiment.

Step Time (s) – Determines the period of time each step height is applied in a scanning
potential or scanning current experiment.

Step Width (s) – Duration of the total cycle for noth forward and reverse pulses in DPV,
NPV, and RNPV.

Stir – Sends a TTL logic signal from pin 9 of the Auxiliary Interface connector to activate
the stirrer for A Model 507 or Model 325 Faraday Cage.
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Threshold – Enables/disables the threshold current.

Threshold (mA) - The current (I) magnitude at which the scan will reverse back
towards the final potential in the cyclic polarization experiment.

Time Per Point (s) – The period of time between the sampling of two data points.

Total Points – The total number of data points collected for the duration of the
experiment. It is recommended that each experiment be limited to no more than 1
million points. Experiments with data points in excess of 1 million are at risk of slowing
down the system to a level such that lock-ups of the system and loss of data is possible.

Trigger In – Delays the start of an experiment in a sequence until a TTL signal is

received at the appropriate pin in the Auxiliary Interface.

Trigger Out – Issues a TTL signal to another device connected at the appropriate pin in
the Auxiliary Interface.

Vertex (1 & 2) Potential (V) – The vertex potential is the ending potential of the first
segment of a cyclic voltammetry experiment. For a multi-cycle CV, the scan cycles
alternate between the Vertex 1 and Vertex 2 potentials.

Vertex Hold – The delay interval between the segments of a cyclic voltammetry
experiment.

Vs Ref – A voltage setting relative to the reference electrode; the absolute value setting.

Vs OC – A voltage setting relative to the open circuit (oc) potential.

Vs Previous – Used in controlled potential experiments to set the potential relative to

the last measured potential in a prior action.

Working Electrode Area (cm2) – Section for recording the working electrode area,
used to graph current per unit area, and in corrosion rate calculations.

Working Electrode Type – Section for recording the type of working electrode used in
the experiment.

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Appendix 2. Glossary of Axis Graph Options
Point – Useful for plotting multi-sequences linearly on a plot when elapsed time is
different for each sequence.

Potential (V) – The measured DC voltage in volts for a given set of data.

Current (A) - The measured DC current in amps for a given set of data.

Elapsed Time (s) – The duration of a given experiment, including all sequences.

Charge (C) – The charge in coulombs for a given set of data.

Sync ADC Input (V) – The voltage readings in volts for data collected during an
experiment at the SYNC ADC INPUT at the rear panel of the hardware.

I Range (A) – The hardware current range on which the current measurements were
made during an experiment.

Forward I (A) – The DC current reading in amps of the forward going pulse in a pulse
voltammetry experiment, such as SWV, DPV, or NPV. The current reading is taken at
the end of each pulse.

Reverse I (A) - The DC current reading in amps of the reverse going pulse in a pulse
voltammetry experiment, such as SWV, DPV, or NPV. The current reading is taken at
the end of each pulse.

Delta I (F-R) (A) – The differential DC current reading in amps with the reverse pulse
reading subtracted from the forward pulse reading providing the differential output. This
plot is used for the pulse voltammetry techniques SWV, DPV, and NPV.

Delta I (R-F) (A) – The differential DC current reading in amps with the forward pulse
reading subtracted from the reverse pulse reading providing the differential output. This
plot is used for the pulse voltammetry technique Reverse Normal Pulse Voltammetry
(RNPV).

Applied Voltage (V) – The control voltage requested between the reference and
working-sense electrodes. This should be plotted alternatively to Potential (V) when
using iR Compensation, as the Potential (V) graph is the measured potential which will
include additional compensation potential.

Corrosion Rate (mpy) – When graphed in a multi-sequence LPR experiment (single

LPR with Loop, or multiple LPR sequence), the corrosion rate is automatically
calculated for each LPR scan, and plotted, generally vs. Segment or Elapsed Time. For
correct corrosion rate calculations, the area, density, and equivalent weight should be
entered in the Common section of the sequence during experimental setup.

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Frequency (Hz) – The AC frequency of a voltage or current variable in an impedance
experiment.

SQRT Frequency (Hz) – The square root of the AC frequency of a voltage or current
variable in an impedance experiment.

1/ SQRT Frequency (Hz) – The reciprocal of the square root of the AC frequency of a
voltage or current variable in an impedance experiment

|Z| (ohms) – The magnitude of the impedance, Z, in ohms.

Zre (ohms) – The real component of impedance, Z, in ohms.

Zim (ohms) – The imaginary component of impedance, Z, in ohms.

Phase of Z (deg) – The phase angle of impedance, Z, in degrees.

|Y| (S) – The magnitude of the admittance, Y, in siemens.

Yre (S) – The real component of the admittance, Y, in siemens.

Yim (S) – The imaginary component of the admittance, Y, in siemens.

Phase of Y (deg) – The phase angle of the admittance, Y, in degrees.

|C| (F) – The magnitude of the capacitance, C, in farads.

Cre (F) – The real component of the capacitance, C, in farads.

Cim (F) – The imaginary component of the capacitance, C, in farads.

1/C (F) – The reciprocal of the capacitance, C, in farads.

1/C2 (F) – The reciprocal of the capacitance, C, squared in farads.

|Vac| (V) – The magnitude of the ac potential, Vac, in RMS volts.

Vacre (V) – The real component of the ac potential, Vac, in RMS volts.

Vacim (V) – The imaginary component of the ac potential, Vac, in RMS volts.

Phase of Vac (deg) – The phase angle of the ac potential, Vac, in degrees.

|Iac| (A) – The magnitude of the ac current, Iac, in RMS amperes.

Iacre (A) – The real component of the ac current, Iac, in RMS amperes.

Iacim (A) – The imaginary component of the ac current, Iac, in RMS amperes.
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Phase of Iac (deg) – The phase angle of the ac current, Iac, in degrees.

Adv Aux Chn 0 (Volts) – Voltage magnitude for Channel 0 sampled with the Advanced
Auxiliary Interface.

Adv Aux Chn 1 (Volts) – Voltage magnitude for Channel 1 sampled with the Advanced
Auxiliary Interface.

Adv Aux Chn 2 (Volts) – Voltage magnitude for Channel 2 sampled with the Advanced
Auxiliary Interface.

Adv Aux Chn 3 (Volts) – Voltage magnitude for Channel 3 sampled with the Advanced
Auxiliary Interface.

Segment – A section of data defined by a particular Action or sequence of Actions.

E Gain – The electronic gain applied to a voltage measurement.

I Gain – The electronic gain applied to a current measurement.

I RMS (A) – The RMS current calculated from a segment of electrochemical noise data.

E RMS (V) – The RMS voltage calculated from a segment of electrochemical noise
data.
Segment – A section of data defined by a particular Action or sequence of Actions.

Capacity (Ah) – Calculation used to quantify the charge/discharge accumulation of a

battery from the DC Current and time measurements.

|Capacity| (Ah) – Calculation used to quantify the absolute value of the

charge/discharge accumulation of a battery from the DC Current and time
measurements.

Resistance (ohms) – The DC Potential divided by the DC Current.

|Current| (A) – The absolute value of the DC Current.

Power (W) – The calculated measurement based on Potential × Current (V·A).

Energy (Wh) – Used to quantify the energy from the DC Current, DC Potential and time
measurements.

CE-RE Potential (V) – This parameter requires a special cable connection to collect the
data and graph properly. With a coaxial cable connected from the SYNC ADC Input to
the counter electrode as a part of the measurement, this parameter will graph the
voltage between the CE and RE electrodes. This is a calculated voltage based on the

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WE potential measurement subtracted from the measured compliance voltage (which is
collected by the STNC ADC Input connection).

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Appendix 3. VersaStudio Data Files
Overview

VersaStudio data files are given the extension “.par” to provide a unique association
with the VersaStudio software which Windows operating system recognizes and can
open the VersaStudio software just by double-clicking on a *.par data file.

The VersaStudio data file format is ASCII (text) comprised of Parameter Fields and
Data Fields

The Parameter Fields in the data files are labeled as Application, Action, Instrument,
DataView, Overlays, etc. The information for each of these lists the settings for the
many parameters associated with each experiment.

The Data Fields are labeled as “Segment” and contain the resulting data from
performing the experiment. The data collected for each segment is arranged in rows for
each data point collected, and each row is comma delimited as follows:

Segment #, Point #, E (Volts), I (Amps), Elapsed Time (seconds), Aux (Volts), I Range,
Status (bit field), Applied E (Volts), Freq (Hertz), EReal, EImag, IReal, IImag, ZReal,
ZImag

NOTE: The EIS data within the raw data file is un-calibrated and should not be
used for data analysis. Only EIS data that is copied and pasted from within the
VersaStudio Graph View window should be used for any data exportation and
analysis if the calibrated values are desired.

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The Status bit fields are defined as follows:

//Bit(s) Description
//0-3 I Range
//4-5 E Gain
//6-7 I Gain
//8 ADC Out of Range (E or I Channel overload in document)
//9 FrontEnd Overload
//10 Hardware Change
//15 Booster Mode Set (switch on)
//16 E Channel Overload
//17 Power Amp Overload
//18 Current Overload
//19 Thermal Limit
//24 Cell disabled due to Overload
//25 Cell ON
//26 Excluded (user never sees this data)
//27 Hidden (user has chosen to not see this point)
//28 Selected
//29 iR Determination in Progress
//31 Wait for acknowledgment

The bit ranges for IRange and E&I gains are as follows:
The current range data is decoded as follows:
Data (D0-D3) Current Range
b0000 2A
b0001 200mA
b0010 20mA
b0011 2mA
b0100 200µA
b0101 20 µA
b0110 2 µA
b0111 200nA
b1111 Incorrect Range

The E channel gain data is decoded as follows:

Data (D4-D5) E Channel Gain
b00 X1
b01 X5
b10 X10
b11 X50

The I channel gain data is decoded as follows:

Data (D6-D7) I Channel Gain
b00 X1
b01 X5
b10 X10
b11 X50
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