About Workshop
This three-day workshop introduces participants to Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) for high-resolution analysis of localized electrode kinetics and surface reactivity. Participants will learn microelectrode behaviour, SECM operating modes, approach-curve analysis, kinetic parameter extraction, and 2D/3D spatial mapping using Python and Google Colab.
Aim
To develop practical skills in SECM theory, electrochemical kinetic analysis, spatial-data processing, and scientific visualization using free and open-source computational tools.
What Participants Will Learn
- Understand SECM instrumentation, probe geometries, and operating principles.
- Study ultra-microelectrode diffusion and diffusion-limited current.
- Analyse positive, negative, and SG-TC feedback modes.
- Fit approach curves and estimate electron-transfer rate constants.
- Process raw SECM scans using tilt correction, filtering, and interpolation.
- Generate publication-ready 2D and 3D electrochemical activity maps.
Structure
📅 Day 1: Principles of SECM and Microelectrode Behavior
Core Objective: Master the theoretical foundations of ultra-microelectrodes, SECM hardware configuration, and fundamental mass-transport dynamics.- Introduction to Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy and its applications
- SECM hardware setup, bipotentiostat operation, and probe geometries
- Principles and behavior of ultra-microelectrodes (UMEs)
- Steady-state diffusion at UMEs compared with planar electrodes
- Mass-transport dynamics around microelectrode probes
- Understanding and quantifying the RG tip ratio
- Determining diffusion-limited currents, IL
📅 Day 2: Operational Modes and Quantitative Kinetics Fitting
Core Objective: Quantify heterogeneous electron-transfer kinetics by analyzing feedback mechanisms, operational modes, and experimental approach curves.- Introduction to major SECM operational modes
- Positive feedback over conductive and reactive surfaces
- Negative feedback over insulating and inactive surfaces
- Substrate-Generator/Tip-Collector (SG-TC) operating mode
- Mapping localized catalytic activity for OER, HER, and ORR reactions
- Approach-curve analysis for extracting kinetic parameters
- Determining heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constants, k0
📅 Day 3: High-Resolution Spatial Mapping and Advanced Data Analytics
Core Objective: Process, correct, and transform raw SECM spatial-grid scans into publication-ready 2D and 3D electrochemical activity maps.- Distance-control mechanisms in high-resolution SECM measurements
- Shear-force feedback, contact modes, and probe-positioning strategies
- Understanding spatial-resolution limits and scanning parameters
- Building structured data-processing pipelines for SECM grid scans
- Automated plane-subtraction algorithms for surface-tilt correction
- Spatial noise reduction, filtering, and interpolation strategies
- Converting raw spatial coordinates into interpretable kinetic maps
- Generating publication-ready 2D heatmaps and interactive 3D surfaces
Important Dates
Registration Ends
4:30 PM
Workshop Dates
2026-08-10
5:30 PM
5:30 PM
What You Will Gain
Outcomes
After completing the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Interpret microelectrode and SECM current responses.
- Simulate diffusion and probe-geometry effects.
- Analyse experimental approach curves.
- Extract heterogeneous electron-transfer kinetics.
- Clean and process spatial electrochemical datasets.
- Create interactive heatmaps and surface-activity visualizations.
- Apply SECM analysis to catalysis, corrosion, energy storage, sensors, coatings, and biological interfaces.
Who Should Attend
- PhD scholars and postdoctoral researchers
- Electrochemists and analytical chemists
- Materials and nanotechnology researchers
- Battery, fuel-cell, and electrocatalysis researchers
- Corrosion and coatings professionals
- Sensor and biosensor researchers
- Scientists interested in Python-based electrochemical data analysis