Element Six

There’s a new electrochemical electrode material in town. Synthetic diamond materials maker Element Six, a member of the De Beers Group, in collaboration with the University of Warwick has engineered an electrochemically active boron-doped diamond material called Diafilm EA (where “EA” means electroanalysis grade). Diafilm EA “shows metal-like conductivity, enabling efficient and fast electron transfer in and out of the material for oxidation and reduction of a wide range of classical redox mediators in solution,” says Element Six principal research scientist Tim Mollart. It can detect a wider range of species in solution at better detection limits than conventional electrode materials. And it features high reversibility in electron-transfer reactions; fast response time; good resistance to fouling; and easy cleanability. Electrodes made from Diafilm EA are more stable than conventional electrodes when used to monitor harsh industrial processes involving corrosive materials, elevated temperatures, and high pressures. “In many of the most demanding of electroanalysis applications, Diafilm EA has the ability to perform thousands of cycles, whereas other electrode materials only survive a single use,” the company says. Element Six is interested in collaborations to develop a range of applications for Diafilm EA in electrochemical sensing and detection and in electrochemical organic synthesis.