Advanced Reference Electrode for Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) Systems

Unknown amounts of drift in reference cell readings and unforeseen failures of reference cells can disable shipboard Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) systems and result in expensive rework and repair. Therefore, the United States Navy has identified the need for robust and reliable reference electrodes for use with shipboard ICCP systems to eliminate nuisance alarms and premature failures. Based on these considerations, Giner, Inc. proposes to design and develop a robust and reliable reference electrode capable of operation in seawater or freshwater, with minimal drift, that could be incorporated into the shipboard ICCP systems. The proposed novel concept will utilize graphite substrates modified with certain metal oxide mixtures in carefully designed ratios, where the novel noble metal oxide will not exceed 2% of the total weight of the graphite. The resulting modified graphite reference electrode will be robust with minimal drift and will be capable of incorporation into shipboard ICCP systems.