MICROELECTRODES - NEW DIMENSIONS IN ELECTROCHEMISTRY

The development of electrodes with dimensions in the micrometre range has revolutionized electrochemistry by greatly extending the accessible sample environments and timescales. This article reviews the electrochemical properties of these small electrodes, as well as their application in electroanalysis, biological systems, studies of fast electron-transfer and chemical kinetics, and as probes in scanning electrochemical microscopy. Likely future advances including the direct investigation of single molecular events, the development of electron-transfer theory, and new electroanalytical techniques are also considered.