During the early days of his research, Professor Ralph N. Adams (RNA) was interested in the electro￾oxidation of organic compounds, mainly aromatic amines. The two principal materials used as
electrodes for such electro-oxidations were platinum and carbon in various physical configurations
(e.g., Pt as wire or planar foil and carbon as rods or sheets). A major problem with such solid elec￾trodes, however, was the contamination and fouling of the electrode surface due to the product(s) of
these electro-oxidations. He kept thinking that it would be nice to have an electrode like dropping
mercury electrode (DME), which had a renewed surface with each new drop. Of course, Hg is not
used in the anodic potential range since it itself readily undergoes oxidation.