A carbon-paste electrode (CPE) is made from a mixture of conducting graphite powder and a pasting liquid.
[1] These electrodes are simple to make and offer an easily renewable surface for electron exchange.
These electrodes are widely used mainly for voltammetric measurements; however, carbon paste-based sensors are also applicable in coulometry (both amperometry and potentiometry).
[2] The biggest disadvantage of CPEs, which limits their applicability in practical analysis, is that success in working with carbon paste-based electrodes depends on the experience of the user.
In contrast to commercially available solid electrodes for which basic electrochemical characteristics are comparable for almost all products from each manufacturer, each carbon paste unit is an individual, where the physical, chemical and electrochemical properties may differ from one preparation to another.