Electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid by ferrocene in lipid film cast on a glassy carbon electrode

A ferrocene-dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) film electrode was prepared by casting the solution of ferrocene and DMPC in chloroform onto a glassy carbon electrode surface. Ferrocene retained in the biological membrane gave a couple of irreversible peaks of cyclic voltammogram. The electrode exhibited good electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of ascorbic acid (H(2)A) in phosphate buffer (pH 6.64) with an anodic peak potential of +340 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl). The anodic current was directly proportional to the square root of the scan rate below 150 mV s(-1). The influence of the pH value was investigated and it was observed that pH 6.64 was the suitable value to the anodic peak potential and current. The thickness of the film and the interference of uric acid were also studied. The electrode can be used to determine H(2)A in the presence of equimolar uric acid. The catalytic peak current increased linearly with the concentration of H(2)A in the range of 1 X 10(-4)-5 X 10(-3) mol L-1.

Thermal influence on excimer-laser-induced electrical conductivity on polyimide film surfaces

The thermal influence on the electrical conductivity of polyimide film surfaces induced by KrF-laser irradiation was investigated, The formation of conducting phases was demonstrated to be highly temperature sensitive, as evidenced by strong dependence of the electrical conductivity on repetition rate and ambient temperature. XPS and Raman studies showed that the efficiency of the formation of conducting phases could be enhanced by the increase of temperature on irradiated polyimide film surfaces. After the disruption of polymeric chain, the carbon-enriched clusters remained on the irradiated polyimide film surfaces organized into polycrystalline graphite-like clusters responsible for electrical conductivity. The resulting dangling bonds from the decomposition process of polyimide acted as centers for the rearrangement of carbon-enriched clusters. It is suggested that the motion of radicals was promoted with increasing the temperature. Therefore the formation of polycrystalline graphite-like clusters benefited from high remaining temperature on the irradiated polyimide film surfaces. These results revealed that thermal influence played a dominant role on the formation of conducting phases.

Structural studies of excimer laser-induced percolative phase transition on polyimide thin film surfaces

The behavior of electrical conductivity for excimer laser irradiated polyimide films in the vicinity of the critical number of laser shots was described by three-dimensional percolative phase transition model. It is: found that electrical conductivity changed more rapidly than that predicted by the percolation model. Thus, the change in microstructure with increasing number of laser shots was analyzed by FT-IR Raman spectrometry and laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It is demonstrated that not only the number but also the average size of graphite particles on the irradiated polyimide film surfaces increased with increasing number of laser shots. These results were helpful to better understand the critical change in electrical conductivity on the irradiated polyimide film surfaces. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Langmuir-Blodgett film formation from surfactant-capped zinc sulfide nanoparticles spread on water surface

The surfactant-capped ZnS nanoparticulate multilayer film has been fabricated by Langmuir-Blodgett(LB) technique. ZnS LB firm was investigated by the small-angle x-ray diffraction(XRD), atomic force microscopy(AFM) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The results indicate that ZnS nanoparticulate LB film is one-dimensional superlattice.

Effect of surface state properties of TiO2 nanoparticle film on its photocatalytic activity

TiO2 nanoparticle film catalysts with different thicknesses were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition(PECVD) method and the surfaces were subsequently treated by TiCl4 or O-2 plasma. Two kinds of TiO2 films with different surface properties were obtained. Their surface microstructures and energy levels of surface states were tested by AFM, XRD, SPS, The photocatalytic activities of the catalysts were determined via photodegradation experiments of phenol. The results demonstrated that photocatalytic activities of samples whose surface was treated by O-2 plasma were greater than those treated by TiCl4 plasma. Moreover, photodegradation ratio of phenol during the first hour catalyzed by 0. 17 mu m thickness TiO2 nanoparticle film was greater than other samples. Especially, the difference of photocatalytic activities of TiO2 nanoparticle films treated by TiCl4 or O-2 plasma was respectively explained by energy band theory.

Atomic force microscopy imaging of molybdenum oxide film electrodeposited on a carbon electrode

Non-stoichiometric mixed-valent molybdenum(VI, V) oxide film was grown on carbon substrates by the electrodeposition method. Responses of the prepared molybdenum oxide thin films to potential and to different solution acidities were studied by cyclic voltammetry, and the corresponding morphological changes of the film were monitored by atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM images of the molybdenum oxide film show that the characteristic domed structure on the film surface increased during the transition from the oxidized state to the reduced state without signification change in the KMS surface roughness value. Furthermore, AFM studies show that the solution acidity has great effect on the morphology of the films, and the films undergo a homogenizing process with increasing pH of the solutions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

A novel potentiodynamic method of electrochemical growth for layer-by-layer film formation based on electrostatic interaction

A novel method of electrochemical growth was developed for layer-by-layer film formation and proven more advantageous than the commonly used immersion growth in obtaining more uniform multilayer assemblies, as well as being able to proceed in salt-containing solutions without competitive adsorption from the salt ions. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Study on the interface structure: Diamond thin film epitaxy on (001) silicon substrate

An interesting interface structure between diamond film and silicon substrate has been observed. That is, according to the deformation of the diamond film crystal sturcture, a strictly 3:2 matching of the two lattices across the interface is obtained. This result clearly indicates that misfit dislocations at the interface and "epitaxial tilting" are not the only two ways to overcome the 1.5% residual misfit.

Study of (TPP)H-2 vapor deposited film on iron

The film by tetraphenylporphyrin((TPP)H-2) vapor deposition on iron was investigated by means of XPS, SEM and visible spectroscopy. N(1s) binding energy characteristic of(TPP)H-2 was gained directly from the deposited samples. N(1s) binding energy of the surface was greatly changed after the deposited sample was washed with solvent. It is indicated that the deposited film is composed of an outer-layer of physically adsorbed (TPP)H-2, and an inner-layer of chemically modified (TPP)H-2.

Study on mixed Langmuir-Blodgett film of tri-(2,4-di-t-amylphenoxy)-(8-quinolinolyl)copper phthalocyanine and water-soluble fullerenols

Mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films of tri-(2,4-di-t-amylphenoxy)-(8-quinolinolyl) copper phthalocyanine and water-soluble fullerenols are prepared. Their behavior at the air-water interface and the monolayer morphology are studied. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.

Investigation of oxygen- and hydrogen peroxide-reduction on platinum particles dispersed on poly(o-phenylenediamine) film modified glassy carbon electrodes

Composite membrane modified electrodes were prepared by electrochemical deposition of platinum particles in a poly(o-phenylenediamine) (PPD) him coated on glassy carbon (GC) electrodes. The modified electrodes showed high catalytic activity towards the reduction of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. A four-electron transfer process predominated the reduction process. The pH dependence and the stability of the electrodes were also studied.

Effect of Eu3+ on the domain structures in phosphatidylcholine LB monolayer film observed by atomic force microscopy

Ordered domain structures were observed by atomic force microscope in dipalmitoylphosphatidycholine monolayer film, which was spread on the subphase of Eu3+ solution.

Unidirectional current flow of reversible redox couples on a MoO3 film-modified microelectrode

In this paper, we have investigated the reactivity of the molybdenum oxide film toward some standard redox systems (e.g., ferrocene (Fc) and its derivatives) and observed a few interesting phenomena. The results demonstrate that the electrochemical behaviour of Fc and its derivatives at the oxide-modified carbon fiber (CF) microelectrode differs from that at a bare CF microelectrode, The conductivity of the molybdenum oxide film is seriously affected by the range and the direction of the potential scan, which influences the electrochemical behaviour of these redox systems at the film electrode. If the cycling potential is more positive than the reduction potential of the molybdenum oxide film, the reduction and oxidation peak currents of Fc and its derivatives could not be observed. The result indicates that the molybdenum oxide film on a microelectrode surface cannot transfer electrons between the surface of the electrode and Fc or its derivatives due to the existence of a high resistance between the interface in these potential ranges. On the other hand, if the lower limit of the scan potential was extended to a potential more negative than the reduction peak potential of the film, the oxidation peak of Fc or its derivatives appeared at about the potential relative to E-0 of Fc or its derivatives on the bare electrode, and the peak current is proportional to the concentration of these couples in the electrolyte. To our surprise, the peak height on the modified electrode is much larger than that on the bare CF microelectrode under the same conditions in the range of low concentration of these couples, and the oxidation peak potential of these couples is more negative than that on the bare CF microelectrode. On the basis of the experimental observation, we propose that these redox couples may undergo an interaction with the reduction state of the molybdenum oxide film. The new phenomena that we observed have been explained by using this interaction. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.

In-situ FTIR spectroelectrochemical investigation of cobalt(II)-cyanoferrate polymeric film coated on a glassy carbon electrode

Cobalt(II)-cyanoferrate polymeric film has been electrochemically deposited on a glassy carbon electrode and investigated by cyclic voltammetry and in-situ reflection FTIR spectroscopy. A reorientation of the terminal C=N groups upon redox reactions was proposed. The stretching vibration mode of the terminal C=N groups associated with Fe(III) was observed at 2122 cm(-1), however, the stretching vibration mode for terminal groups associated with Fe(II) did not appear. This process could result in a switch between lattice-closed and lattice-opened surface structure. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on polypyrrole film modified with platinum microparticles

The electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on polypyrrole (PPy) film modified with platinum microparticles has been studied by means of electrochemical and in situ Fourier transform infrared techniques. The Pt microparticles, which were incorporated in the PPy film by the technique of cyclic voltammetry, were uniformly dispersed. The modified electrode exhibits significant electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of methanol. The catalytic activities were found to be dependent on Pt loading and the thickness of the PPy film. The linearly adsorbed CO species is the only intermediate of electrochemical oxidation of methanol and can be readily oxidized at the modified electrodes. The enhanced electrocatalytic activities may be due to the uniform dispersion of Pt microparticles in the PPy film and the synergistic effects of the highly dispersed Pt microparticles and the PPy film. Finally, a reaction mechanism is suggested.