ELECTROCHEMICAL STUDY OF ISOPOLY-OXOMETALLATES AND HETEROPOLY-OXOMETALLATES FILM MODIFIED MICROELECTRODES .3. FURTHER STUDY OF ELECTRODE PROCESS OF ISOPOLYMOLYBDIC ANION DOPED IN POLYANILINE FILM

The isopolymolybdic anion-polyaniline film modified carbon fiber (CF) microelectrode with high stability and electroactivity in aqueous acid solution has been successfully prepared by cycling the potential between -0.15 V and +0.85 V vs. sce at 100 mV s-1 or applying constant potential (+0.85 V) for electropolymerization in a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution containing 5.0 x 10(-2) M aniline and 5.0 x 10(-3) M H4Mo8O26. The electrochemical behaviour of the isopolymolybdic anion entrapped in the polyaniline film is strongly influenced by the sweep-potential range besides the acidity of electrolyte solution. In some acidic electrolyte solution (eg 0.5 M H2SO4), the change of the sweep-potential range causes the structure alternation of the isopolymolybdic anion and resulting in a new electrode process. The cyclic voltammogram of Mo8O264- in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution exhibits three two-electron reversible waves between +0.70 and -0.20 V. However, when the potential sweeps to the lower-limit of -0.3 V, where the fourth four-electron cathodic wave appears, the redoxidation process of the reduction product of Mo8O264- becomes relatively complicated. The 10-electron reduction product seems to change into other isopolyanion (this unknown structure isopolyanions are simply called [Mo-O]), which can be reoxidized to Mo8O264- by five successive two-electron oxidation steps from -0.30 to +0.70 V. However, when the lower-limit of the cycling potential is maintained at -0.30 V and the upper-limit reduces to +0.40 V from +0.70 V, the [Mo-O] in the film exhibits four two-electron reversible waves. We have presented a novel explanation about its electrode reaction mechanism on the basis of our experimental results.

ELECTROCHEMICAL STUDY OF ISOPOLY AND HETEROPOLY OXOMETALLATE FILM MODIFIED MICROELECTRODES .5. PREPARATION AND ELECTROCHEMICAL-BEHAVIOR OF A 2/18-MOLYBDODIPHOSPHATE ANION MONOLAYER MODIFIED ELECTRODE

In this paper a carbon fibre (CF) microelectrode modified with the 2:18-molybdodiphosphate anion by simple adsorption is described and its electrochemical behaviour is reported. The 2:18-molybdodiphosphate anion (alpha-P2Mo18O626-), which is a Dawson structure, undergoes five successive multielectron reductions in acidic solution. The first three redox waves correspond to the two-electron process, and the last two waves are four-electron and six-electron processes respectively. On the basis of the experimental results it is shown that the electrode process of alpha-P2Mo18O626- on the CF electrode in acidic solution is simultaneously controlled by the diffusion and adsorption of alpha-P2Mo18O626- anions. When the concentration of the alpha-P2Mo18O626- in the solution is reduced, the electrode process mainly exhibits non-diffusion-controlled behaviour, and the diffusion-limited process takes over as the concentration of alpha-P2Mo18O626- becomes higher. The CF electrode modified with a thin film of alpha-P2Mo18O626- exhibits very good stability and redox behaviour in aqueous acidic solution. The alpha-P2Mo18O626- is reduced to heteropoly blue, with an accompanying protonation process. The addition of more than six electrons to the alpha-P2Mo18O626- anion in an aqueous solution does not result in its decomposition. The result obtained is not the same as that reported previously.

ELECTROCHEMICAL STUDY OF ISOPOLY-OXOMETALLATE AND HETEROPOLY-OXOMETALLATE FILM MODIFIED MICROELECTRODES .2. ELECTROCHEMICAL-BEHAVIOR OF ISOPOLYMOLYBDIC ACID MONOLAYER MODIFIED CARBON-FIBER MICROELECTRODES

In this paper the electrochemical properties of isopolymolybdic anion thin film modified carbon fibre (CF) microelectrode prepared by simple dip coating have been described. The modified electrode shows three couples of surface redox waves between + 0.70 and - 0.1 V vs. sce in 2 M H2SO4 solution with good stability and reversibility. The pH of solution has a marked effect on the electrochemical behaviour and stability of the film, the stronger the acidity of electrolyte solution is, the better the stability and reversibility of isopolymolybdic anion film CF microelectrode will be. The scanning potential range strongly influences on the electrochemical behaviour of the film. The isopolymolybdic anion film prepared by the dip coating resulting a monolayer with estimated surface concentration (F) 2.8 x 10(-11) mol cm-2. From the half-peak widths and peak areas of the surface redox waves of the film electrode, the first three surface waves are corresponding to two-electron processes. The electron energy spectra show the products by six electrons reduction are a mixture of Mo(VI) and Mo(V) species. The electrochemical reaction of the isopolymolybdic anion monolayer can be expressed as Mo8O264- + mH+ + 2ne half arrow right over half arrow left [HmMo8-2n(VI)Mo2n(V)O26](4,2n-m)-n = 1, 2, 3; m = 2, 5, 7.

ELECTROCHEMICAL STUDY OF ISOPOLYOXOMETALLATES AND HETEROPOLYOXOMETALLATES FILM MODIFIED MICROELECTRODES .1. PRETREATMENT AND MODIFICATION OF THE MO80-26(4-) MODIFIED CARBON-FIBER MICROELECTRODE

In this paper the preparation of isopoly- and heteropolyoxometallates (IPA and HPA) thin film modified carbon fiber (CF) microelectrodes and the factor that influences the modification of IPA and HPA films are described. IPA and HPA film modified CF microelectrodes can all be prepared by cyclic potential scan and simple dip coating. The modified electrodes prepared are very stable and reversible in acidic solution with monolayer characteristics. The electrochemical pretreatment of CF microelectrodes plays an important role in the modification of IPA and HPA film. The absorption of IPA and HPA film on electrode surfaces has been discussed on the basis of surface conditions of the CF microelectrode and the structure of IPA and HPA.

Determination of Rate Constants of Catalytic Reaction by Spectroelectrochemistry with Microelectrodes

The at constants of catalytic reaction of ferrocyanide ascorbic acid and ferro cyanide histidine system were determined by transmitted spectroelectrochemistry using a group of cyclindrical microelectrodes, It is the first time to find that the reaction can still be considered as the pseudo first order reaction when tilt concentration of ascorbic acid or histidine is close to and even slightly lower than the concentration of ferrocyanide. The determined rate constants are in agreement with the reported values, A reasonable explanation was given,

SPECTROELECTROCHEMISTRY WITH CYLINDRICAL CARBON-FIBER MICROELECTRODES

Transmittance spectroelectrochemistry can be performed using a group of cylindrical microelectrodes. A dependence of absorbance on electrolytic charge during the potential step was derived. The rate constant of catalytic reaction of the ferrocyanide-ascorbic acid system was determined using single potential step-open circuit relaxation chronoabsorptometry. This is the first report that the reaction can still be considered as a pseudo-first-order reaction when the concentration of ascorbic acid is close to and even slightly lower than the concentration of ferrocyanide. The determined rate constant is in agreement with the reported value. The reason is that the diffusion of ascorbic acid toward electrode surface is contractive and the diffusion of the electrogenerated ferricyanide from the electrode surface to the bulk of solution is expansive.

Diamond microelectrodes for corrosion studies

Este trabalho teve como objetivos a produção, caracterização e aplicação de microelétrodos (MEs) de diamante como sensores amperométricos e potenciométricos em sistemas de corrosão nos quais a agressividade do meio e a presença de produtos de corrosão, constituem obstáculos que podem diminuir o desempenho, ou inviabilizar a utilização, de outros tipos de sensores. Os microeléctrodos são baseados em filmes finos de diamante dopado com boro (BDD – Boron Doped Diamond) depositados sobre fios de tungsténio afiados, através do método de deposição química a partir da fase vapor, assistida por filamento quente (HFCVD – Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition). A otimização das diversas etapas de fabricação dos MEs deu origem ao desenvolvimento de um novo sistema de afiamento eletroquímico para obtenção destes fios e a várias opções para a obtenção dos filmes de diamante condutor e seu isolamento com resinas para exposição apenas da ponta cilíndrica. A qualidade cristalina dos filmes de diamante foi avaliada por espectroscopia de Raman. Esta informação foi complementada com uma caracterização microestrutural dos filmes de diamante por microscopia eletrónica de varrimento (SEM), em que se fez a identificação da tipologia dos cristais como pertencendo às gamas de diamante nanocristalino ou microcristalino. Os filmes de BDD foram utilizados na sua forma não modificada, com terminações em hidrogénio e também com modificação da superfície através de tratamentos de plasma RF de CF4 e O2 indutores de terminações C-F no primeiro caso e de grupos C=O, C-O-C e C-OH no segundo, tal como determinado por XPS. A caracterização eletroquímica dos MEs não modificados revelou uma resposta voltamétrica com elevada razão sinal/ruído e baixa corrente capacitiva, numa gama de polarização quasi-ideal com extensão de 3 V a 4 V, dependente dos parâmetros de crescimento e pós-tratamentos de superfície. Estudou-se a reversibilidade de algumas reações heterogéneas com os pares redox Fe(CN)6 3-/4- e FcOH0/+ e verificou-se que a constante cinética, k0, é mais elevada em elétrodos com terminações em hidrogénio, nos quais não se procedeu a qualquer modificação da superfície. Estes MEs não modificados foram também testados na deteção de Zn2+ onde se observou, por voltametria cíclica, que a detecção da redução deste ião é linear numa escala log-log na gama de 10-5-10-2 M em 5 mM NaCl. Realizaram-se também estudos em sistemas de corrosão modelares, em que os microeléctrodos foram usados como sensores amperométricos para mapear a distribuição de oxigénio e Zn2+ sobre um par galvânico Zn-Fe, com recurso a um sistema SVET (Scanning Vibrating Electrode Technique). Foi possível detetar, com resolução lateral de 100 μm, um decréscimo da concentração de O2 junto a ambos os metais e produção de catiões de zinco no ânodo. Contudo verificou-se uma significativa deposição de zinco metálico na superfície dos ME utilizados. Os MEs com superfície modificada por plasma de CF4 foram testados como sensores de oxigénio dissolvido. A calibração dos microeléctrodos foi efetuada simultaneamente por voltametria cíclica e medição óptica através de um sensor de oxigénio comercial. Determinou-se uma sensibilidade de ~0.1422 nA/μM, com um limite de deteção de 0.63 μM. Os MEs modificados com CF4 foram também testados como sensores amperométricos com os quais se observou sensibilidade ao oxigénio dissolvido em solução, tendo sido igualmente utilizados durante a corrosão galvânica de pares Zn-Fe. Em alguns casos foi conseguida sensibilidade ao ião Zn2+ sem que o efeito da contaminação superficial com zinco metálico se fizesse sentir. Os microeléctrodos tratados em plasma de CF4 permitem uma boa deteção da distribuição de oxigénio, exibindo uma resposta mais rápida que os não tratados além de maior estabilidade de medição e durabilidade. Nos MEs em que a superfície foi modificada com plasma de O2 foi possível detetar, por cronopotenciometria a corrente nula, uma sensibilidade ao pH de ~51 mV/pH numa gama de pH 2 a pH 12. Este comportamento foi associado à contribuição determinante de grupos C-O e C=O, observados por XPS com uma razão O/C de 0,16. Estes MEs foram igualmente testados durante a corrosão galvânica do par Zn-Fe onde foi possível mapear a distribuição de pH associada ao desenvolvimento de regiões alcalinas causadas pela redução do oxigénio, acima da região catódica, e de regiões ácidas decorrentes da dissolução anódica do ânodo de zinco. Com o par galvânico imerso em 50 mM NaCl registou-se uma variação de pH aproximadamente entre 4,8 acima do ânodo de zinco a 9,3 sobre o cátodo de ferro. A utilização pioneira destes MEs como sensores de pH é uma alternativa promissora aos elétrodos baseados em membranas seletivas.

Electrochemical fabrication and electrocatalytic properties of nanostructured mesoporous platinum microelectrodes

Electrodeposition from a lyotropic liquid crystal template medium was used to produce nanostructured platinum microelectrodes with high specific surface area and high mass transport efficiency. Compared to polished and conventional platinized microelectrodes, well-ordered nanostructured platinum microelectrodes exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic properties for oxygen and ascorbic acid, whilst well-ordered nanostructured platinum microelectrodes offered improved electrocatalytic properties for oxygen reduction compared to disordered nanostructured platinum microelectrodes.

Underpotential deposition and anodic stripping voltammetry at mesoporous microelectrodes

Using the technique of liquid crystal templating a series of high surface area mesoporous platinum microelectrodes was fabricated. The underpotential deposition of metal ions at such electrodes was found to be similar to that at conventional platinum electrodes. The phenomena of underpotential deposition, in combination with the intrinsic properties of mesoporous microelectrodes (i.e. a high surface area and efficient mass transport) was exploited for the purpose of anodic stripping voltammetry. In particular the underpotential deposition of Ag+, Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions was investigated and it was found that mesoporous microelectrodes were able to quantify the concentration of ions in solution down to the ppb range. The overall behaviour of the mesoporous electrodes was found to be superior to that of conventional microelectrodes and the effects of interference by surfactants were minimal.

Fast batch injection analysis of H(2)O(2) using an array of Pt-modified gold microelectrodes obtained from split electronic chips

A fast and robust analytical method for amperometric determination of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) based on batch injection analysis (BIA) on an array of gold microelectrodes modified with platinum is proposed. The gold microelectrode array (n = 14) was obtained from electronic chips developed for surface mounted device technology (SMD), whose size offers advantages to adapt them in batch cells. The effect of the dispensing rate, volume injected, distance between the platinum microelectrodes and the pipette tip, as well as the volume of solution in the cell on the analytical response were evaluated. The method allows the H(2)O(2) amperometric determination in the concentration range from 0.8 mu mol L(-1) to 100 mu mol L(-1). The analytical frequency can attain 300 determinations per hour and the detection limit was estimated in 0.34 mu mol L(-1) (3 sigma). The anodic current peaks obtained after a series of 23 successive injections of 50 mu L of 25 mu mol L(-1) H(2)O(2) showed an RSD < 0.9%. To ensure the good selectivity to detect H(2)O(2), its determination was performed in a differential mode, with selective destruction of the H(2)O(2) with catalase in 10 mmol L(-1) phosphate buffer solution. Practical application of the analytical procedure involved H(2)O(2) determination in rainwater of Sao Paulo City. A comparison of the results obtained by the proposed ampermetric method with another one which combines flow injection analysis (FIA) with spectrophotometric detection showed good agreement. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Carbon fiber microelectrodes for adsorptive stripping analysis of trace nucleic acids

Carbon fiber ultramicroelectrodes are shown to be suitable for adsorptive stripping potentiometric measurements of trace DNA and RNA. The origin of the carbon fiber has a profound effect upon its suitability for trace analysis of nucleic acids, with the 'Aesar' materials performing most favorably. The resulting ultramicroelectrodes offer effective adsorptive accumulation of DNA and RNA from unstirred microliter-volume solutions, and are shown to be useful in adsorptive stripping transfer experiments. The influence of the surface pretreatment and accumulation conditions is described, along with the analytical-performance characteristics. The detection limits are 6, 15 and 40 mu g/l tRNA, ssDNA and dsDNA, respectively (5 min accumulation). (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V. S.A.

Label-free DNA detection of hepatitis C virus based on modified conducting polypyrrole films at microelectrodes and atomic force microscopy tip-integrated electrodes

We present a new strategy for the label-free electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization for detecting hepatitis C virus based on electrostatic modulation of the ion-exchange kinetics of a polypyrrole film deposited at microelectrodes. Synthetic single-stranded 18-mer HCV genotype-1-specific probe DNA has been immobilized at a 2,5-bis(2-thienyl)-N-(3-phosphoryl-n-alkyl)pyrrole film established by electropolymerization at the previously formed polypyrrole layer. HCV DNA sequences (244-mer) resulting from the reverse transcriptase-linked polymerase chain reaction amplification of the original viral RNA were monitored by affecting the ion-exchange properties of the polypyrrole film. The performance of this miniaturized DNA sensor system was studied in respect to selectivity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. The limit of detection was determined at 1.82 x 10(-21) mol L-1. Control experiments were performed with cDNA from HCV genotypes 2a/c, 2b, and 3 and did not show any unspecific binding. Additionally, the influence of the spacer length of 2,5-bis(2-thienyl)-N-(3-phosphoryl-n-alkyl)pyrrole on the behavior of the DNA sensor was investigated. This biosensing scheme was finally extended to the electrochemical detection of DNA at submicrometer-sized DNA biosensors integrated into bifunctional atomic force scanning electrochemical microscopy probes. The 18-mer DNA target was again monitored by following the ion-exchange properties of the polypyrrole film. Control experiments were performed with 12-base pair mismatched sequences.