1. References

Gamry Instruments^{[2] [3]} is an international manufacturer of precision electrochemical instrumentation for many of today’s most important research applications. Their client base includes universities, industrial corporations, and governments around the world.

History

Gamry Instruments was founded in 1989 in Princeton, NJ by Max Yaffe and Greg Martinchek. Their ground-breaking design of putting the potentiostat^[4] inside personal computers made computer-controlled potentiostats more available than ever.  Gamry’s software^[5] was the first to be available on Microsoft™ Windows^[6] and allowed unprecedented customization of the experiments using open-source scripting software called EXPLAIN™.  EXPLAIN was developed by Gamry to allow quick and easy customization of various electrochemical techniques.  

Utilizing state-of-the-art digital signal processing, Gamry was also the first instrument company to use sub-harmonic sampling on a full line of electrochemical instruments. This technology allowed instruments to make Electrochemical Impedance measurements (EIS) without the need for additional hardware.

Maximizing the use of surface mount components and the use of state-of-the-art circuit board layout, Gamry was able to minimize instrument size and increase long-term reliability.  In addition, their instruments are ecologically friendly with the extensive use of highly recyclable aluminum and completely lead-free circuit board assemblies.

In 2001 Dr. Robert S. Rodgers^[7] joined Gamry Instruments as a Senior Electrochemist and designed an Electrochemical Cell^[8] Kit utilizing a pear-shaped flask that made it easy to conduct small-scale voltammetry^[9]. 

During his tenure with Gamry, Dr. Rodgers created several publications that are still available and downloaded by students and researchers around the world. These publications are still among the most highly downloaded publications available from Gamry.

Though Gamry had long had distributors in China, in 2014 Gamry opened its own support office in China. It has also since expanded its distribution and includes representatives in Shanghai, Beijing and Guanzhou.

Though electrochemistry^[10] is well known and understood by those in the research area, in 2016 Gamry found there was a void in academic teaching of electrochemistry and designed a modular based laboratory course available to institutions around the world.  The course includes published laboratory manuals co-authored by Dr. Cynthia A. Schroll and Dr. Stephen M. Cohen.  As part of the teaching program, in 2018 Gamry initiated an out-reach program to expose high school students to electrochemistry.  This program kicked off the summer of 2018 with a lecture and lab demonstration on “Assessing the Corrosion rate of Steel using the Linear Polarization Resistance Technique”.

With a corporate headquarters now located outside of Philadelphia^[11], Pennsylvania^[12] USA, Gamry has distributors and representatives in more than 50 countries.

Product Uses

Gamry develops and sells analysis instruments primarily for these electrochemical analysis techniques:

Corrosion^[13] - Ease of use and reduced acquisition time are the most important elements when using a potentiostat in corrosion measurement. Being isolated from earth ground also ensures reliable, noise-free measurements when testing grounded cells such as rebar in concrete structures or inside devices such as an autoclave.

Battery Testing - Materials development and full cell testing are two areas in which electrochemical techniques may be used. Study of anode or cathode failure mechanisms, generated general models for Li ion and lead acid batteries, investigated electrolytes and separators.

Paints and Coatings - Potentiostats can use Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy to measure the complex resistance of dielectric materials like protective coatings in the field.^[14] Ease of use and reduced acquisition time are the most important features for research in paints and coatings.

Photovoltaics - Intensity Modulated Photocurrent Spectroscopy^[15] and Intensity Modulated Photovoltage Spectroscopy are techniques that can be used to characterize Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs).

Sensors - Generate and analyze data from amperometric or impedimetric sensors, giving insight into the processes that drive chemical and biological sensors.

Fuel Cells - Potentiostats that are electrically isolated from earth ground are ideal to study the materials development, research, operation, data analysis and workup of grounded cells, alone or in conjunction with an electronic load.

Supercapacitors - Supercapacitor testing with potentiostats is similar to battery testing, just on a faster timescale. Acquisition and analysis are important to the supercap researcher.

Competitors

Although Gamry is perhaps the most well-known manufacturer of potentiostats, there are a number of worldwide electrochemical device manufacturers who offer similar products. [https://www.ameteksi.com/products/potentiostats Ametek Scientific Instruments], Metrohm AG, [https://www.pineresearch.com/ Pine Research], and [https://www.chinstruments.com/ CH Instruments].

References

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