A quasi-solid state electrochemical cell for in situ EXAFS measurements on biological samples

A new `quasi-solid state' spectroelectrochemical cell for in situ XAS measurements is described and tested using microperoxidase as reference material. The cell substantially improves conventional thin layer cells used for solution XAS spectroelectrochemistry in terms of assembling time and, more important, equilibration of the redox system under study with the applied potential. Spectra can be, in fact, recorded simultaneously during a slow scan rate cyclic voltammetric scan thus permitting correlation of the spectra and the electrochemical curve. Other advantages are the possibility to use very small quantities of material also with second-generation rings. With high intensity sources having focussed beams a further decrease of the specimen weight can be easily obtained and the acquisition time of spectra further reduced.