Cyclic Voltammetry — Interactive Schematic

CV curve Anodic peak (Ipa) Cathodic peak (Ipc)

Reversible

Anodic peak Epa

— mV

Cathodic peak Epc

— mV

Peak separation ΔEp

— mV

|Ipa / Ipc| ratio

—

Controls

Scan rate (ν) 10 mV/s

Reversibility Reversible

Electrons transferred (n) n = 1

What these controls show

Increasing scan rate → larger Ip (Randles-Ševčík: Ip ∝ √ν)
Higher reversibility → wider ΔEp, peaks separate
More electrons (n) → sharper, narrower peaks
ΔEp = 59/n mV at 25°C for ideal reversible system

Randles-Ševčík equation

Ip = 0.4463 · nFAC · √(nFDν / RT)

n = electrons · F = Faraday constant · A = electrode area
C = concentration · D = diffusion coeff · ν = scan rate

Applications

Supercapacitors — capacitive vs. faradaic storage
Batteries — intercalation mechanism screening
Electrocatalysis — OER, HER, ORR, CO₂RR
Biosensors and pharmaceutical analysis

Researcher checklist

ΔEp > 100 mV → check iR drop / uncompensated resistance
Run 5+ scan rates across 2–3 orders of magnitude
Degas with N₂ before every measurement
Report only after voltammogram stabilizes (cycle 3–5)