Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy: New perspectives on electrode processes in action

Scanning electrochemical probe microscopy (SEPM) methods allow interfacial fluxes to be visualized at high spatial resolution and are consequently invaluable for understanding physicochemical processes at electrode/solution interfaces. This article highlights recent progress in scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), a scanning-droplet-based method that is able to visualize electrode activity free from topographical artefacts and, further, offers considerable versatility in terms of the range of interfaces and environments that can be studied. Advances in the speed and sensitivity of SECCM are highlighted, with applications as diverse as the creation of movies of electrochemical (electrocatalytic) processes in action to tracking the motion and activity of nanoparticles near electrode surfaces.