EC-MS TECHNOLOGY
STREAMLINED SOFTWARE SOLUTION
Screenshots from the user interface and a photograph of the software in action during a Pt cyclic voltammogram in acidic electrolyte.
We developed the Spectro Inlets EC-MS system in collaboration with Bio-Logic, so users can use the familiar EC-Lab software at its full capability to control EC experiments. The Spectro Inlets software directly communicates with EC-Lab and makes all the plots available inside the graphical user interface, together with the MS data.
The software allows the complete overview and control of the system with a user-friendly graphical user interface. Pneumatic valves, vacuum system, electronics, gas inlet system, and data acquisition are controlled via this interface. The user can manually control the individual components or use the convenient automated procedures, e.g., chip pump-down, timed gas pulsing, gas exchange, gas flow control, pressure control, etc.
The software streamlines synchronous acquisition, display, and storage of electrochemistry and mass spectrometry data with sub-second time resolution. The EC and MS data are acquired simultaneously, displayed side-by-side, and exported in a single ASCII text file, pre-synchronized. The file format is simple and well documented, helping with data analysis after experiments.
Automation enables the freedom to concentrate on electrochemistry and obtain reproducible, standardized results. The software is developed in LabView, and it is open source. Our users are free and encouraged to modify the software and tailor the interface to their needs.