Electrocatalytic Performance of SiO2-SWCNT Nanocomposites Prepared by Electroassisted Deposition

Composite materials made of porous SiO2 matrices filled with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were deposited on electrodes by an electroassisted deposition method. The synthesized materials were characterized by several techniques, showing that porous silica prevents the aggregation of SWCNT on the electrodes, as could be observed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Different redox probes were employed to test their electrochemical sensing properties. The silica layer allows the permeation of the redox probes to the electrode surface and improves the electrochemical reversibility indicating an electrocatalytic effect by the incorporation of dispersed SWCNT into the silica films.

This work was financed by the following research projects: MAT2010-15273 of the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad and FEDER, PROMETEO/2013/038 of the GV, and CIVP16A1821 of the Fundación Ramón Areces. Alonso Gamero-Quijano and David Salinas-Torres acknowledge Generalitat Valenciana (Santiago Grisolia Program) and Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, respectively, for the funding of their research fellowships.