Principles and analytical applications of heated electrodes

This article reviews the development of the various heated electrodes, heating devices and their analytical applications which have been published during the last decades. Generally spoken, electrode heating can provide different positive effects on electrochemical measurements: mass transport enhancement, reaction kinetics acceleration and the removal of deposited substances from the electrode surface. This often leads to remarkably improved signal-to-noise characteristics in electroanalytical chemistry. Short heat pulses or direct heating of very small electrolyte compartments allow for temperatures far above the boiling point of the solution. Major application fields include trace metal and nucleic acids analysis. Future development will result in miniaturized selectively heated electrode arrays.