Resistance, capacitance, and electrode kinetic effects in Fourier-transformed large-amplitude sinusoidal voltammetry: emergence of powerful and intuitively obvious tools for recognition of patterns of behavior

Large-amplitude sinusoidal ac voltammetric techniques, when analyzed in the frequency domain using the Fourier transform-inverse Fourier transform sequence, produce the expected dc and fundamental harmonic ac responses in addition to very substantial second, third, and higher ac harmonics that arise from the presence of significant nonlinearity. A full numerical simulation of the process, Red right arrow over left arrow Ox + e(-), incorporates terms for the uncompensated resistance (R(u)), capacitance of the double layer (C(dl)), and slow electron transfer kinetics (in particular, the reversible potential (E degrees ), rate constant (k(0)), and charge transfer coefficient (alpha) from the Butler-Volmer model). Identification of intuitively obvious patterns of behavior (with characteristically different sensitivity regimes) in dc, fundamental, and higher harmonic terms enables simple protocols to be developed to estimate R(u), C(dl), E degrees , k(0), and alpha. Thus, if large-amplitude sinusoidal cyclic voltammograms are obtained for two concentrations of the reduced species, data obtained from analysis of the recovered signals provide initial estimates of parameters as follows: (a) the dc cyclic component provides an estimate of E degrees (because the R(u) and k(0) effects are minimized); (b) the fundamental harmonic provides an estimate of C(dl) (because it has a high capacitance-to-faradaic current ratio); and (c) the second harmonic provides an estimate of R(u), k(0), and alpha (because the C(dl) effect is minimized). Methods of refining the initial estimates are then implemented. As a check on the fidelity of the parameters (estimated on the basis of an essentially heuristic approach that solely utilizes the dc, fundamental, and second harmonic voltammograms), comparison of the predicted simulated and experimental third (or higher) harmonic voltammograms can be made to verify that agreement between theory and experiment has been achieved at a predetermined level. The use of the heuristic pattern recognition approach to evaluate the oxidation of ferrocene at a platinum electrode (a reversible process) in the very high resistance solvent dichloromethane (0.1 M Bu(4)NPF(6)) and the reduction of [Fe(CN(6))](3)(-) at a glassy carbon electrode (a quasi-reversible process) in much lower resistance but higher capacitance conditions found in aqueous (0.5 M KCl) media is described and verifies the inherent advantages of employing large-amplitude sinusoidal techniques in quantitative studies of electrode processes.     

Detailed analysis of the electron-transfer properties of azurin adsorbed on graphite electrodes using DC and large-amplitude Fourier transformed AC voltammetry

The analysis of dc cyclic voltammograms of surface-confined metalloproteins is complicated by large background currents, significant ohmic iRu drop, and frequency dispersion related to protein and electrode surface inhomogeneity. The use of large-amplitude Fourier transform ac voltammetry for the quantification of the electron-transfer properties of a thin film of redox-active protein azurin adsorbed onto edge-plane, basal-plane, and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrode surfaces has been evaluated and compared to results obtained by dc cyclic voltammetry. In principle, it has been established that fourth and higher harmonic sine-wave data are ideally suited for analysis of electron-transfer processes as they are almost completely devoid of background capacitance current contributions. However, uncompensated resistance has a higher impact on these components, as is the case with fast scan rate dc techniques, so strategies to include this term in the simulations have been investigated. Application of recommended strategies for the evaluation of the electron-transfer properties of azurin adsorbed onto three forms of graphite, each having different background or uncompensated resistance values, is described and compared to results obtained by traditionally used forms of cyclic voltammetry. The electron-transfer rate constant, k0', of azurin at a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrode surface was approximately 250 s(-1), compared with > or =1000 s(-1) at edge-plane and basal-plane graphite electrodes. The significantly lower k0' value found at the highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrode was related to the relatively low level of edge-plane defect sites present at the surface of this electrode. However, analysis of high ac harmonics suggests that frequency dispersion is substantial at all electrode surfaces. Such effects in these diffusionless situations are significantly enhanced relative to solution-phase voltammetry, where overlay of diffusion layers minimizes the impact of heterogeneity.     

Attributes of direct current aperiodic and alternating current harmonic components derived from large amplitude fourier transformed voltammetry under microfluidic control in a channel electrode

The flow rate dependencies of the aperiodic direct current (dc) and fundamental to eighth alternating current (ac) harmonic components derived from large-amplitude Fourier transformed ac (FT-ac) voltammetry have been evaluated in a microfluidic flow cell containing a 25 μm gold microband electrode. For the oxidation of ferrocenemethanol ([FcMeOH]/[FcMeOH](+) process) in aqueous 0.1 M KNO(3) electrolyte, standard "Levich-like" dc behavior is observed for the aperiodic dc component, which enables the diffusion coefficient for FcMeOH to be obtained. In experimental studies, the first and second ac harmonic components contain contributions from the double layer capacitance current, thereby allowing details of the non-Faradaic current to be established. In contrast, the higher order harmonics and dc aperiodic component are essentially devoid of double layer capacitance contributions allowing the faradaic current dependence on flow rate to be studied. Significantly, flow rate independent data conforming to linear diffusion controlled theory are found in the sixth and higher ac harmonics at a frequency of 15 Hz and for all ac harmonics at a frequency of ≥ 90 Hz. Analysis of FT-ac voltammograms by theory based on stationary microband or planar electrode configurations confirms that stationary microband and planar electrode configurations and experimental data all converge for the higher order harmonics and establishes that the electrode kinetics are very fast (≥1 cms(-1)). The ability to locate, from a single experiment, a dc Faradaic component displaying Levich behavior, fundamental and second harmonics that contain details of the double layer capacitance, and Faradaic ac higher order harmonic currents that are devoid of capacitance, independent of the volume flow rate and also conform closely to mass transport by planar diffusion, provides enhanced flexibility in mass transport and electrode kinetic analysis and in understanding the performance of hydrodynamic electrochemical cells and reactors.     

Achievement of near-reversible behavior for the

Voltammetric studies in the absence of added supporting electrolyte are presently dominated by the use of near-steady-state microelectrode techniques and millimolar or lower depolarizer concentrations. However, with this methodology, large departures from conventional migration-diffusion theory have been reported for the [Fe(CN)6](3-/4-) process at both carbon fiber and platinum microdisk electrodes. In contrast, data obtained in the present study reveal that use of the transient cyclic voltammetric technique at glassy carbon, gold, or platinum macrodisk electrodes and K4[Fe(CN)6] or K3[Fe(CN)6] concentrations of 50 mM or greater provides an approximately reversible response in the absence of added electrolyte. It is suggested that the use of very high [Fe(CN)6](3-) and [Fe(CN)6](4-) concentrations overcomes problems associated with a diffuse double layer and that large electrode surface areas and faster potential sweep rates minimize electrode blockage and passivating phenomena that can plague voltammetric studies at microelectrodes. The cyclic voltammetry of the [Fe(CN)6](3-/4-) couple at a range of concentrations at macroelectrodes in the absence of added inert electrolyte is compared with that obtained in the presence of 1 M KCl. The enhanced influences of uncompensated resistance, migration, and natural convection arising from density gradients under transient conditions at macrodisk electrodes also are considered.     

Use of the ferrocene oxidation process to provide both reference electrode potential calibration and a simple measurement (via semiintegration) of the uncompensated resistance in cyclic voltammetric studies in high-resistance organic solvents

Because of its presumed ideal reversible behavior, the oxidation of ferrocene is widely used in cyclic voltammetric studies in highly resistive organic solvents as a means of reference electrode potential calibration. In this study, it is shown that a good estimate of the uncompensated resistance value, needed for reference potential correction and also frequently an input parameter in simulation of the theory, can be obtained simultaneously with the ferrocene reference potential measurement using a simple analysis based on the semiintegral. Application to cyclic voltammetric oxidation of ferrocene in dichloromethane (0.1 M NBu4PF6), under conditions where uncompensated resistances of approximately 2.5 komega are encountered, is used to illustrate the fidelity of the semiintegral method of analysis. Inclusion of this estimated resistance value as the input parameter in a commercially available digital simulation package confirms that the oxidation of ferrocene in dichloromethane represents a close-to-ideal diffusion-controlled reversible process. However, use of the semiintegral method of data analysis also enables detection of subtle forms of nonideality encountered with the ferrocene oxidation process in other media where kinetically controlled adsorption of the ferricenium cation may occur.     

Surfactant-associated electrochemical properties of ferrocene adsorbed on a glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The electrochemical properties of ferrocene (Fc) on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in the presence and absence of surfactants have been investigated by progressively voltammetric sweeping. Dihexadecyl phosphate (DHP) and hexadecyl trismethyl ammonium chloride (HTAC) are found to impact the redox reactions of Fc adsorbed on MWNT surfaces. An excess amount of DHP dispatches Fc from MWNTs surfaces, leading to weakly adsorbed configuration of Fc. The formal potential of the adsorbed Fc in the presence of DHP shifts to a lower potential. Cationic surfactant HTAC on MWNT surfaces depresses the redox reactions corresponding to the weakly adsorbed configuration of Fc. It becomes evident that the configuration and hence redox reactions of Fc depend strongly on the presence and concentrations of surfactants on the electrode surfaces and in the buffer solutions.     

氨基-β-环糊精-石墨烯-二茂铁修饰电极对多巴胺的电化学行为研究

利用制备的氨基-β-环糊精-石墨烯-二茂铁(β-CD-NH2/GNs/Fc)复合膜修饰电极,研究了多巴胺(DA)的电化学行为。结果表明,该复合膜修饰电极在pH值=7.00的磷酸盐缓冲溶液(PBS)中对DA有良好的电催化性能,DA的氧化峰电流在0.1～100μmol/L浓度范围内呈良好的线性关系,检出限为8.5×10-8mol/L。结果表明该修饰电极具有较高的检测灵敏度,可用于实际样品的检测。     

Preparation of ferrocene nanocrystals by the ultrasonic-solvent-substitution method and their electrochemical properties

Ferrocene nanocrystals are successfully prepared by the ultrasonic-solvent-substitution method. Transmission electron microscopy images show that the average diameter of the nanocrystals is about (40+/-5) nm and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the products obtained have a high purity. The optical properties of the products are studied by IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy. UV/Vis spectra indicate that, compared with ferrocene bulk material, the nanospheres show an obvious blue shift. Cyclic voltammetry is used to test the electrocatalytic oxidation properties of the ferrocene nanospheres towards ascorbic acid on the glassy carbon electrode. The results show that the ferrocene-nanosphere-modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits a better electrocatalytic effect than that modified by the ferrocene bulk material in phosphate buffer (pH 5.00). The important factors in the preparation of and a possible mechanism for the formation of ferrocene nanospheres is also discussed. The method could potentially be applied to the preparation of nanomaterials of other organometallic compounds.     

Investigation of mediated oxidation of ascorbic acid by ferrocenemethanol using large-amplitude Fourier transformed ac voltammetry under quasi-reversible electron-transfer conditions at an indium tin oxide electrode

The ability of the technique of large-amplitude Fourier transformed (FT) ac voltammetry to facilitate the quantitative evaluation of electrode processes involving electron transfer and catalytically coupled chemical reactions has been evaluated. Predictions derived on the basis of detailed simulations imply that the rate of electron transfer is crucial, as confirmed by studies on the ferrocenemethanol (FcMeOH)-mediated electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid. Thus, at glassy carbon, gold, and boron-doped diamond electrodes, the introduction of the coupled electrocatalytic reaction, while producing significantly enhanced dc currents, does not affect the ac harmonics. This outcome is as expected if the FcMeOH (0/+) process remains fully reversible in the presence of ascorbic acid. In contrast, the ac harmonic components available from FT-ac voltammetry are predicted to be highly sensitive to the homogeneous kinetics when an electrocatalytic reaction is coupled to a quasi-reversible electron-transfer process. The required quasi-reversible scenario is available at an indium tin oxide electrode. Consequently, reversible potential, heterogeneous charge-transfer rate constant, and charge-transfer coefficient values of 0.19 V vs Ag/AgCl, 0.006 cm s (-1) and 0.55, respectively, along with a second-order homogeneous chemical rate constant of 2500 M (-1) s (-1) for the rate-determining step in the catalytic reaction were determined by comparison of simulated responses and experimental voltammograms derived from the dc and first to fourth ac harmonic components generated at an indium tin oxide electrode. The theoretical concepts derived for large-amplitude FT ac voltammetry are believed to be applicable to a wide range of important solution-based mediated electrocatalytic reactions.     

Discrimination and evaluation of the effects of uncompensated resistance and slow electrode kinetics from the higher harmonic components of a fourier transformed large-amplitude alternating current voltammogram

The influence of uncompensated resistance (also called the IRu effect, where I is current and Ru is uncompensated resistance) and slow electrode kinetics have been assessed for the dc and first five ac harmonics derived from Fourier transformed large-amplitude ac voltammetry. Resistance and rate constant conditions emphasized correspond to those where separation of effects attributable to either parameter is essentially impossible under conditions of dc cyclic voltammetry. Results derived from simulations and experiments demonstrate that it is relatively easy to discriminate and quantify contributions from these two effects over a wide range of values using the fourth and fifth harmonic ac components derived from single large-amplitude ac voltammetric measurement. Furthermore, these ac components also are essentially devoid of background charging current. Concepts developed initially from simulations are confirmed by experimental studies on the following: (a) the oxidation of ferrocene, in moderately resistive CH3CN and highly resistive CH2Cl2 (represents examples of IRu effect on a reversible electron-transfer process); (b) the reduction of a low 0.2 mM concentration of [Fe(CN)6]3- in the highly conductive 3 M KCl electrolyte media (case of slow kinetics with negligible IRu effect); (c) and reduction of a high 10 mM concentration of [Fe(CN)6]3- in less conductive aqueous 0.5 M KCl electrolyte media (example where the simultaneous effects of both IRu and slow kinetics need to be resolved).     

An experimental evaluation of cyclic voltammetry of multicharged species at macrodisk electrodes in the absence of added supporting electrolyte

The reversible reduction of [S2Mo18O62]4- to [S2Mo18O62]5- and [S2Mo18O62]6- at a glassy carbon macrodisk electrode has been studied by cyclic voltammetry in acetonitrile as a function of the concentration of [(C6H13)4N]4[S2Mo18O62] in the absence and presence of [(C6H13)4N]ClO4 as the added supporting electrolyte. Consideration is given to the influence of scan rate, reference-working electrode distance, [(C6H13)4N]4[S2Mo18O62], and electrolyte concentrations. Experimental data confirm theoretical predictions that cyclic voltammetry at a macrodisk electrode is a viable technique for studies of multiply charged electroactive species without added electrolyte, provided the influence of enhanced complexities associated with effects of increased solution resistance, the mass transport contribution from migration, and convection arising from enhanced density gradients are considered. Enhanced density gradients present in the absence of added supporting electrolyte give rise to a more marked dependence of voltammograms on the angle of the electrode and hence lead to significant distortion of wave shapes at low scan rates. The summation of all these obstacles implies that quantitative evaluation of cyclic voltammograms of multiply charged species requires significantly greater care in the absence than in the presence of added supporting electrolyte.     

Conditions required to achieve the apparent equivalence of adhered solid- and solution-phase voltammetry for ferrocene and other redox-active solids in ionic liquids

The voltammetry of ferrocene (Fc) and Fc+ in the room-temperature ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIM x PF6) has been studied when solid is adhered to glassy carbon or platinum disk electrodes. Due to the slow dissolution kinetics and small diffusion coefficients in the viscous BMIM x PF6 ionic liquid, it is possible to obtain voltammograms of adhered Fc or Fc+ solid that are essentially indistinguishable (except for the current magnitude) from the reversible solution-phase Fc(0/+) process widely employed to provide a reference potential scale. However, the nature of the voltammetry obtained from the adhered solid is governed by the thickness (mass of the solid) of the particle layer. The mechanism proposed to explain the equivalence to solution-phase data involves dissolution at the particle/ionic liquid interface and is supported by electrochemical quartz microbalance measurements and a numerical simulation. Extensive studies on other redox-active solids suggest that voltammograms of solid particles adhered to the electrode surface in contact with ionic liquids frequently exhibit classical behavior associated with solution-phase diffusion-controlled voltammetry. Consequently, the method of adhering microparticles onto an electrode surface can frequently provide an efficient method of establishing ionic liquid solution-phase redox data using extremely small quantities of solid.     

Higher harmonic large-amplitude Fourier transformed alternating current voltammetry: analytical attributes derived from studies of the oxidation of ferrocenemethanol and uric acid at a glassy carbon electrode

An analytical evaluation of the higher ac harmonic components derived from large amplitude Fourier transformed voltammetry is provided for the reversible oxidation of ferrocenemethanol (FcMeOH) and oxidation of uric acid by an EEC mechanism in a pH 7.4 phosphate buffer at a glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The small background current in the analytically optimal fifth harmonic is predominantly attributed to faradaic current associated with the presence of electroactive functional groups on the GC electrode surface, rather than to capacitive current which dominates the background in the dc, and the initial three ac harmonics. The detection limits for the dc and the first to fifth harmonic ac components are 1.9, 5.89, 2.1, 2.5, 0.8, and 0.5 microM for FcMeOH, respectively, using a sine wave modulation of 100 mV at 21.46 Hz and a dc sweep rate of 111.76 mV s (-1). Analytical performance then progressively deteriorates in the sixth and higher harmonics. For the determination of uric acid, the capacitive background current was enhanced and the reproducibility lowered by the presence of surface active uric acid, but the rapid overall 2e (-) rather than 1e (-) electron transfer process gives rise to a significantly enhanced fifth harmonic faradaic current which enabled a detection limit of 0.3 microM to be achieved which is similar to that reported using chemically modified electrodes. Resolution of overlapping voltammetric signals for a mixture of uric acid and dopamine is also achieved using higher fourth or fifth harmonic components, under very low background current conditions. The use of higher fourth and fifth harmonics exhibiting highly favorable faradaic to background (noise) current ratios should therefore be considered in analytical applications under circumstances where the electron transfer rate is fast.     

Electrochemical properties of ferrocene adsorbed on multi-walled carbon nanotubes electrode

The adsorbed process of ferrocene on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and electrochemical properties of the adsorbed layers are investigated. It is found that the redox process of ferrocene in solution is controlled by diffusion and surface electrochemical steps on the MWNT/GC electrode in contrast to the diffusion-controlled process of ferrocene on the GC electrode. The adsorbed ferrocene exhibits a pair of well-defined redox waves in the potential range from − 0.2 V to 0.6 V. Interestingly, two pairs of obvious redox waves for the adsorbed ferrocene are observed at the switching potential over 0.8 V and the peak current values of redox waves in more positive potential increase with the enlarging switching potential. The electrochemical reaction model of ferrocene adsorbed on the MWNT/GC electrode is proposed.     

Ferrocene peapod modified electrodes: preparation, characterization, and mediation of H2O2

Electrochemical properties of a new nanomaterial ferrocene (Fc) peapod, Fc-filled single-walled carbon nanotubes (Fc@SWNTs), have been investigated in an aqueous solution in detail by preparing different kinds of Fc@SWNTs-modified glassy carbon electrodes (Fc@SWNTs/GCE and Fc@SWNTs-gel/GCE). One pair of surface-confined redox waves corresponding to the couple of Fc/Fc+ is obtained, which indicates that Fc encapsulated inside SWNTs retains electrochemical activity. The Fc@SWNTs-gel/GCE shows better electrochemical reversibility due to the existence of room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). Furthermore, it shows excellent mediation of H2O2 based on Fc/Fc+ used as electron-transfer mediators for oxidation of H2O2 to O2 and reduction to H2O, suggesting specific properties of Fc@SWNTs due to a combination of Fc and SWNTs. The interaction between Fc and SWNTs is also characterized by UV-vis-NIR spectrometry and Raman spectrometry. A Fc@SWNTs-based sensor for H2O2 with a determination limit of 5 microM is fabricated, and it shows good stability and reproducibility. This work not only demonstrates that the Fc peapod is a new kind of functional nanomaterial but also appears promising in constructing novel chemical and biosensors and fuel cells.     

Electrochemical behavior and determination of the insecticide synergist piperonyl butoxide

Piperonyl butoxide may be reversibly oxidized in acetonitrile at a glassy carbon electrode to a cation radical under short time scale voltammetric conditions, e.g., cyclic voltammetry when the potential scan rate is above 500 mV s(-)(1). During longer time domain experiments, the cation radical decays in a rate-limiting heterolytic bond cleavage step and subsequent transfer of a second electron at the potential of the first process. Additionally, a second oxidation process develops at more positive potentials. One product isolated from the initial oxidation process in an almost quantitative yield, under controlled potential electrolysis conditions, is 6-n-propyl-1,3-benzodioxole-5-carboxaldehyde. This carboxaldehyde is oxidized at the same positive applied potential as the second oxidation process observed in long time domain voltammetric experiments with piperonyl butoxide. The limit of detection for piperonyl butoxide in acetonitrile, using differential pulse voltammetry at a glassy carbon electrode, is 1.6 × 10(-)(6) M (3σ), with a limit of determination of 4.1 × 10(-)(6) M (10σ). Piperonyl butoxide was selectively determined using differential pulse voltammetry with a concentration of 5.11 ± 0.02 g L(-)(1) in a commercial insecticide formulation containing pyrethrins. This result is in good agreement with the manufacturer's stated concentration of 5.07 g L(-)(1). The sample preparation requires only simple dilution of the formulation in an acetonitrile/dichloromethane (95:5) solvent mixture.     

Electroanalysis using macro-, micro-, and nanochemical architectures on electrode surfaces. Bulk surface modification of glassy carbon microspheres with gold nanoparticles and their electrical wiring using carbon nanotubes

Gold nanoparticles (approximately 30-60 nm in diameter) were deposited onto the surface of glassy carbon microspheres (10-20 microm) through electroless plating to produce bulk (i.e., gram) quantities of nanoparticle surface-modified microspheres. The gold nanoparticle-modified powder was then characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The voltammetric response of a macroelectrode consisting of a film of gold nanoparticle-modified glassy carbon microspheres, bound together and "wired-up" using multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), was investigated. We demonstrate that by intelligently exploiting both nano- and microchemical architectures and wiring up the electroactive centers using MWCNTs in this way, we can obtain macroelectrode voltammetric behavior while only using approximately 1% by mass of the expensive gold material that would be required to construct the equivalent gold film macrodisk electrode. The potential utility of electrodes constructed using chemical architectures such as this was demonstrated by applying them to the analytical determination of arsenic(III) concentration. An optimized limit of detection of 2.5 ppb was obtained.     

Reference potential calibration and voltammetry at macrodisk electrodes of metallocene derivatives in the ionic liquid [bmim][PF6

Reference potential scales are not generally available in ionic liquids. Consequently, comparison of data with those obtained in conventional solvent (electrolyte) media is not possible. The process [Co(Cp)2](+/0) (Co(Cp)2 = cobaltocene) has been studied at gold, glassy carbon and platinum macrodisk electrodes to test the feasibility of using this redox couple as a voltammetric reference standard in the ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([bmim][PF6]). A reversible, one-electron reduction process was observed, and the measured reversible potential versus a silver quasi-reference electrode was independent of the working electrode material, the concentration, and the scan rate. Ferrocene, the other traditionally used reference compound, is poorly soluble in this ionic liquid. However, the solution-phase voltammetry of ethylferrocene could be readily studied in [bmim][PF6], and a reversible oxidation process was observed. A reversible potential of +1285 +/- 5 mV versus the [Co(Cp)2](+/0) reference potential scale was obtained, and this value is comparable with that obtained in CH3CN (0.1 M Bu4NPF6) when referenced to the same potential scale. Ferrocene, decamethylferrocence, 1,1'-dimethylferrocene, 1,1'-diacetylferrocene, and ferrocenecarboxaldehyde were adhered to the working electrode surface and immersed in [bmim][PF6]. In each case, solid-state voltammetry provided well-defined, reversible one-electron oxidation processes that had the appearance of being diffusion controlled, with charge neutralization occurring via the ionic liquid. Reversible potentials of the solid-state processes referenced against the [Co(Cp)2](+/0) scale were similar to solution-phase values obtained in CH3CN (0.1 M Bu4NPF6).     

Application of power spectra patterns in Fourier transform square wave voltammetry to evaluate electrode kinetics of surface-confined proteins

This paper describes an application of Fourier transform (FT) voltammetry that provides a quantitative evaluation of the electron-transfer kinetics of protein molecules attached to electrode surfaces. The potential waveform applied in these experiments consists of a large-amplitude square wave of frequency f superimposed onto the traditional triangular voltage used in dc cyclic voltammetry. The resultant current-time response, when Fourier transformed into the frequency domain, provides patterns of data at the even harmonic frequencies that arise from nonlinearity in the Faradaic response. These even harmonic contributions are ideally suited for kinetic evaluation of electron-transfer processes because they are highly selective to quasi-reversible behavior (insensitive to reversible or irreversible processes) and almost devoid of background charging current. Inverse FT methods can then be used to provide the wave shapes of the dc as well as the ac voltammetric components and other characteristics employed to detect the level of nonideality present relative to theoretical models based upon noninteracting surface-confined molecules. The new form of data evaluation has been applied to the electron-transfer properties of a typical biological electron carrier, the blue copper protein azurin, immobilized on polycrystalline gold electrodes modified with self-assembled monolayers of different length alkanethiols. Details of the electrode kinetics (rates of electron transfer, dispersion, and charge-transfer coefficients) as a function of alkanethiol, apparent surface coverage, and capacitance are all deduced from the square wave (FT-inverse FT) protocol, and the implications of these findings are considered.     

Enhanced oxidation of diclofenac sodium at a nano-structured electrochemical sensing film constructed by multi-wall carbon nanotubes–surfactant composite

A multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)–dihexadecyl hydrogen phosphate (DHP) film-coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated, and the voltammetric determination method of diclofenac sodium was investigated on this modified electrode by using different kinds of electrochemical techniques. The results showed that this nano-structured film electrode exhibits excellent enhancement effects on the electrochemical oxidation of diclofenac sodium. The oxidation peak current of diclofenac sodium at this film-modified electrode increased significantly compared with that at a bare glassy carbon electrode. Based on the experiment outcomes a possible mechanism was proposed and discussed. The proposed method was demonstrated by using diclofenac sodium tablets and the result was satisfying.