Voltammetric determination of dihydroxybenzenes at a mechanically renewed electrode made from a graphite-epoxy composite

Differences of potentials of anodic and cathodic peaks (ΔE _p) are determined in cyclic voltammograms of dihydroxybenzene/p-benzoquinone redox systems at an electrode made of a graphite-epoxy composite in a wide pH range. The data obtained (ΔE _p = 29 ± 1 mV) are close to the thermodynamic values for two-electron reversible reactions. This indicates that the electrode mechanically renewed by cutting a 0.5-μm surface layer directly in a test solution exhibits a high activity in such electrochemical reactions. The potentials of anodic and cathodic peaks are proportional to the pH of the supporting electrolyte solution in the range from 1.0 to 9.0. A change of 58 ± 1 mV in E _p per unit pH for all isomers shows that the first stage of the oxidation of each dihydroxybenzene isomer involves one electron and is accompanied by the detachment of one hydrogen ion, that is, an intermediate oxidation product, semiquinone, is formed. Despite the closeness of the potentials of hydroquinone and pyrocatechol peaks (ΔE = 100 mV), a scheme is proposed for the selective voltammetric determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers in a 0.1 M HCl solution in hydroquinone-pyrocatechol, pyrocatechol-resorcinol, and hydroquinone-resorcinol binary mixtures. The concentrations of hydroquinone and pyrocatechol are found from cathodic peaks and that of resorcinol, from the anodic peak. The results are well reproducible and contain no systematic error.     

Effect of the activation of a graphite-epoxy composite electrode and the buffer capacity of a solution on the reversibility of the hydroquinone electrode reaction

Peak potentials and the kinetics of hydroquinone oxidation at an electrode from a graphite-epoxy composite in activated and passivated states were studied in supporting electrolytes of different buffer capacities and pH varying from 0.1 to 8.8, using methods of direct-current and cyclic voltammetry. The electrode was activated before its polarization by mechanically cutting a 0.2–4-μm surface layer directly in a test solution. The electrode was passivated by storing in air for two or more days. The behavior of hydroquinone in its oxidation at the passivated and activated electrodes was compared using diagnostic criteria for the following functions: I _a?v ^1/2, logI _a?logv, I _a/v ^1/2?v ^1/2, and I _a/c, where v is the rate of the potential sweep and c is the volumetric concentration of hydroquinone. The potential difference of anodic and cathodic peaks in cyclic voltammograms indicated the reversibility of the electrode reaction in all supporting electrolytes.     

Voltammetric determination of pyrocatechol at a mechanically renewed electrode made of a graphite-epoxy composite

The reversibility of a two-electron pyrocatechol/o-benzoquinone system (ΔE _p = 28 ± 1 mV) is found by cyclic voltammetry at a mechanically renewed electrode from a graphite-epoxy composite. The closeness of the found and theoretical values of ΔE _p indicates the high electrochemical activity of the graphite-epoxy composite electrode renewed in situ by cutting a thin surface layer. The potentials of pyrocatechol anodic and cathodic peaks are proportional to E ₀ ± 0.059pH in the pH range of 1–9. The pyrocatechol anodic and cathodic peak currents remain linear functions of pyrocatechol concentration in the concentration range from 0.01 to 0.08 and from 0.08 to 0.9 g/L, respectively. A procedure for the voltammetric determination of pyrocatechol in its individual solutions and in the presence of hydroquinone is proposed. Good precision and the absence of a systematic error in the determination of pyrocatechol by measuring its cathodic peak are demonstrated.     

Characterization and application of an electrode modified by mechanically immobilized copper hexacyanoferrate

A newly modified electrode was prepared by mechanical immobilization of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) on a graphite electrode. The modified electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetric experiments. The effect of different background electrolytes, pHs and scan rates on the electrochemical behaviour of the electrode has been evaluated. In NH₄Cl two reversible redox peaks were observed. The first redox peak corresponding to Cu⁺/Cu²⁺ is observed only in this medium. The second redox peak corresponds to the Fe(CN)₆ ^4–/Fe(CN)₆ ^3– couple. Both anodic peaks were used for catalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid. As the anodic current for catalytic oxidation was proportional to the amount of ascorbic acid, an analytical method was developed for the determination of ascorbic acid in commercial samples.     

Electroanalytical study of guanine synthetic derivatives with antiviral activity

Experimental information on the electrochemical behavior of guanine synthetic derivatives (acyclovir, valacyclovir, ganciclovir, and famciclovir) with the strong antiviral activity on presynthesized activated carbosital electrode (CSE) in aqueous solutions of different acidity is obtained. The mechanism of irreversible oxidation of substances containing guanidine group (–NH–C(NH–)=N–) is discussed and the dependences of current and potential of experimental anodic peaks on the potential scan rate, the nature and acidity of supporting electrolyte solution, and also on the concentration of depolarizer and the time of its accumulation on the electrode surface are found. It is shown that all other factors being equal (0.1 М phosphate buffer, рН 6), the position of the observed anodic peak depends substantially on the nature of acyclic substituent at N(9) of imidazole ring in the aminopurine molecule: the susceptibility to oxidation decreases in the series Gua (E_pa = 0.84 V), ACV (E_pa = 1.00 V), VACV (E_pa = 1.04 V), GCV (E_pa = 1.07 V), FCV (E_pa = 1.20 V). It is shown that the electrocatalytic activity and the high absorbability of the activated CSE with respect to substances tested make it possible to reach their lower detection limits (20–40 nM) in multicomponent solutions.     

Electrochemical Behavior of a Gold Electrode Modified with SWNTs/DDAB Films and Its Electrocatalytic Activity Towards Ascorbic Acid

A film of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) is prepared by casting a solution of SWNTs and DDAB onto the surface of a gold electrode. The electrochemical behavior of the film is investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. In a 0.10 M phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.0, the film-modified electrode gives a pair of redox peaks in cyclic voltamograms, with the anodic and cathodic peak potentials of 0.095 and 0.042 V. The peak currents change linearly with the scan rate at 30–500 mV/s. The modified electrode has an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA). The catalysis currents are proportional to the AA concentration in the range of 5.0 × 10⁻⁴ to 3.2 × 10⁻² M. The linear-regression equation is i (μA) = 1.2079 + 1.3987 × 10³ c _AA (M), with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995. The detection limit is 2.2 × 10⁻⁴ M (signal-to-noise ratio of 3). The Michaelis-Menten constant (K _m) is 1.0 × 10⁻⁴ M by the Lineweaver-Burk equation. __________ From Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 10, 2005, pp. 1193–1199. Original English Text Copyright ? 2005 by Cheng, Jin, Zhang. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Characterization and application of an electrode modified by mechanically immobilized copper hexacyanoferrate

A newly modified electrode was prepared by mechanical immobilization of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) on a graphite electrode. The modified electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetric experiments. The effect of different background electrolytes, pHs and scan rates on the electrochemical behaviour of the electrode has been evaluated. In NH₄Cl two reversible redox peaks were observed. The first redox peak corresponding to Cu⁺/Cu²⁺ is observed only in this medium. The second redox peak corresponds to the Fe(CN)₆ ^4–/Fe(CN)₆ ^3– couple. Both anodic peaks were used for catalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid. As the anodic current for catalytic oxidation was proportional to the amount of ascorbic acid, an analytical method was developed for the determination of ascorbic acid in commercial samples. Received: 26 May 1998 / Revised: 15 March 1999 / Accepted: 20 March 1999     

Promising electrochemical performance of high-surface-area boron-doped diamond/carbon nanotube electroanalytical sensors

Porous boron-doped diamond (p-BDD) electrodes of high-surface-area have been prepared on vertically aligned carbon nanotube substrates, and their electrochemical performance has demonstrated promising results for application in electroanalysis. The electrochemical features of the p-BDD electrodes were investigated and compared with those of a conventional flat BDD electrode (f-BDD). From cyclic voltammetry studies performed for the electrochemical probes [Fe(CN)₆]^3? and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-para-phenylenediamine (TMPD), a fast charge transfer was observed at the p-BDD/electrolyte interface. For the [Fe(CN)₆]^3? redox probe, the heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant (k ⁰) value obtained for p-BDD was 10.9 times higher than that obtained using a f-BDD electrode. Moreover, the p-BDD electrodes also gave a smaller peak potential separation, ΔE _p, and larger analytical signal magnitude for different biomolecules, such as dopamine (DA), acetaminophen (AC), and epinephrine (EP). These set of results demonstrated that the p-BDD electrode is a suitable candidate for applications in electroanalytical chemistry.     

Simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol based on glassy carbon electrode modified with gold-graphene nanocomposite

We have synthesized a virtually monodisperse gold-graphene (Au-G) nanocomposite by a single-step chemical reduction method in aqueous dimethylformamide solution. The nanoparticles are homogenously distributed over graphene nanosheets. A glassy carbon electrode was modified with this nanocomposite and displayed high electrocatalytic activity and extraordinary electronic transport properties due to its large surface area. It enabled the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC) in acetate buffer solution of pH?4.5. Two pairs of well-defined, quasi-reversible redox peaks are obtained, one for HQ and its oxidized form, with a 43 mV separation of peak potentials (ΔE_p), the other for CC and its oxidized form, with a ΔE_p of 39 mV. Due to the large separation of oxidation peak potentials (102 mV), the concentrations of HQ and CC can be easily determined simultaneously. The oxidation peak currents for both HQ and CC increase linearly with the respective concentrations in the 1.0 μM to 0.1 mM concentration range, with the detection limits of 0.2 and 0.15 μM (S/N?=?3), respectively. The modified electrode was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of HQ and CC in spiked tap water, demonstrating that the Au-G nanocomposite may act as a high-performance sensing material in the selective detection of some environmental pollutants.

Voltammetric determination of sorbite at a mechanically renewed copper electrode

Potentials and currents of D-sorbitol oxidation peaks as a function of polarization conditions for a copper electrode in situ renewed by mechanically cutting a 0.5-μm surface layer are studied by direct-current cyclic voltammetry. Oxidation peaks of sorbite emerge in cyclic voltammograms recorded in alkaline supporting electrolytes (0.05–0.10 M KOH and NaOH solutions) upon scanning the potential to the anodic region (E _p = 0.50–0.58 V) and in the reverse direction (E _p = 0.60–0.62 V). The shape and parameters of these peaks depend on the concentration of KOH, because of the different copper oxides involved in the oxidation of sorbite formed at the electrode surface. The regeneration of the electrode surface is the necessary condition for good reproducibility of the peak parameters. The signals obtained on the surface of the unrenewed electrodes are almost halved and less reproducible. The calibration graph of the current of the sorbite oxidation peak as a function of its concentration is linear in the range from 5 × 10⁻⁴ to 1 × 10⁻² M.     

Determination of Rutin in Drinks Using an Electrode Modified with Carbon Nanotubes-Prussian Blue

A new sensor was developed using a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and Prussian blue (PB) coated with chitosan. The modified electrode allowed the oxidation and reduction of rutin at 0.25 and 0.096 V, respectively, with a ΔE of 0.154 V. Furthermore, the peak currents increase nearly 100% compared with the electrode without modification. The process was more reversible compared with the electrode modified with only SWCNTs or PB. Cyclic voltammetry was used to characterize the modified electrode surface. The quantification of rutin was more sensitive with adsorptive stripping voltammetry than with anodic stripping voltammetry. Adsorption potential, adsorption time and pH were optimized based on the oxidation of rutin: E_ads =–0.10 V, t_ads = 60 s, pH 3.0. The detection limit (3σ/b) was 0.01 μM and the relative standard derivation was 3%. The new sensor was used in the quantification of rutin in black tea, coffee and synthetic drink of tea with satisfactory results.     

Remarkable Electrochemical Responses of Ferrocene/NaY Zeolite Composite modified Electrode Based on Hydrophobic Ionic Liquid

The ferrocene/NaY zeolite composites (Fc/NaY) are introduced on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode together with the hydrophobic ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF₆). The modified electrode thus constructed exhibits a pair of reversible redox peaks corresponding to ferrocene. Additionally the peak separation remains almost constant (58–75 mV) and the value of the ratio i_pa/i_pc is close to 1 for scan rates in the range from 10 to 1000 mV s^?1. The effects of the scan rate, aqueous supporting electrolytes, hydrophobic ionic liquid and the contents of ferrocene encapsulated by electrochemistry are investigated. The extrazeolite electron transfer process is discussed. Furthermore, the Fc/NaY/IL‐modified electrode shows good mediation towards oxidation of ascorbic acid, dopamine, hydroquinone, and catechol.     

Electrochemical Characterization of Pyrocatechol Sulfonephthalein-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode and Separation of Electrocatalytic Responses for Ascorbic Acid and Dopamine Oxidation

A pyrocatechol sulfonephthalein- (PS-) modified glassy carbon (PS/GC) electrode has been prepared by adsorption of PS on a glassy carbon electrode surface. Cyclic voltammograms of the PS/GC electrode indicate the presence of a couple of well-defined redox peaks, and the formal potential shifts in the negative direction with increasing solution pH. The relation between formal potential,E^0′, and solution pH can be fit to the equationE^0′(mV) = −51.4 pH + 538.7. The PS/GC electrode shows high electrocatalytic activity toward ascorbic acid oxidation, with an overpotential ca. 380 mV less than that of the bare electrode and a drastic enhancement of the anodic currents. The electrocatalytic reaction rate constant (k), which was decreased with increasing concentration of H₂A, was determined using rotating disk electrode measurements. The values ofkwas also affected by the solution pH. The electrode can also separate the electrochemical responses of ascorbic acid and dopamine. The separation between the anodic peak potentials of ascorbic acid and dopamine is more than 50 mV by the differential pulse voltammetry.     

Electrooxidation of dihydroxybenzenes at a mechanically renewed nickel electrode

The dependence of the potentials and peak currents of the electrooxidation of isomeric dihydroxybenzenes on the polarization mode of a mechanically renewed nickel electrode is studied by direct-current cyclic voltammetry. The results indicate that the oxidation peaks of hydroquinone, pyrocatechol, and resorcinol appear in alkaline (0.05–0.10 M KOH), neutral (0.02–0.10 M Na₂SO₄) and acidic (0.02–0.05 M H₂SO₄) supporting electrolytes. The peak shape and parameters depend on the composition of the supporting electrolyte, which creates the conditions for the formation of different nickel oxides on the electrode surface then involved in the electrooxidation of dihydroxybenzenes. The regeneration of the electrode surface also affects the peak parameters, especially for resorcinol, whose signals completely disappear without the electrode renewal. The analytical signals for three isomeric dihydroxybenzenes are peaks in an alkaline solution, and also hydroquinone and pyrocatechol peaks in neutral and acidic solutions.     

Computational assisted electrochemical studies for 1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane determination at multiwalled carbon nanotube paste electrode

A multiwalled carbon nanotube-modified carbon paste electrode (MWCNT-PE) was used for determination of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane (DABCO or TEDA) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solutions (pH 10.25). Cyclic voltammetry(CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques were used to investigate the electrocatalytic oxidation of DABCO at the surface of modified electrode. The results shown that the oxidation peak current of DABCO at the surface of MWCNT-PE was 2.40 times larger than that at the bare electrode. The experimental formal redox potential (E°') of DABCO was obtained 986 mV versus SHE (Standard Hydrogen Electrode). Density functional theory (DFT) method at B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory and a conductor-like Polarizable Continuum Model (CPCM) was used to calculate the E°' values. The highest occupied molecular orbital (E _HOMO), lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (E _LUMO) and some thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy of DABCO and its oxidation forms were calculated. Both direct and indirect methods were used to calculate the theoretical standard electrode potential for DABCO and the results were found to be in good agreement with the experimental values.     

Surface films obtained by electrochemical oxidation of 1,11-bis(3-indolizinin-2-ylquinoxalin-2-on-1-yl)-3,6,9-trioxyundecane

Electrochemical oxidation of 1,11-bis(3-indolizinin-2-ylquinoxalin-2-on-1-yl)-3,6,9-trioxyundecane in 0.1 M Et₄NClO₄ in MeCN on a glassy-carbon electrode leads to surface films of two types depending on the film formation mode. Oxidation at controlled first-peak potentials (E _p ¹ = 0.30 V relative to Fc/Fc⁺) or in the range of potentials ?0.60 → +0.40 → ?0.60 V, ?0.60 → +0.40 → ?1.60 → ?0.60 V in the polycycling mode forms a redox-active film that covers the entire surface of the electrode. The quinoxaline fragments of the film are reduced irreversibly in the supporting solution, while the indolizine fragments are reduced reversibly, forming stable radical cation states; the latter are recorded by ESR in the form of a singlet with a variable width (g = 2.0025, ΔH = 0.15?0.5 mT). The oxidized (radical cation) form of the film is conductive, while the neutral film is not. An insulating film is obtained when oxidation is performed under rigid conditions (?0.60 → +1.70 → ?1.70 → ?0.60 V). Both types of film are colored and have nanosized pores (channels), which can play a discriminant role. It is demonstrated (using the discriminant role of pores) that small molecules may be selectively reduced on film-coated electrodes in the presence of bulkier and more reactive substrates.     

Electrocatalytic activity and simultaneous determination of catechol and hydroquinone at mesoporous platinum electrode

The electrochemical oxidation of catechol and hydroquinone was investigated using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetries at nanostructured mesoporous platinum film electrochemically deposited from the hexagonal liquid crystalline template of C₁₆EO₈ surfactant. The mesoporous platinum electrode has shown an excellent electrocatalytic activity and reversibility towards the oxidation of catechol and hydroquinone redox isomers in 1.0 M HClO₄. The oxidation and reduction peak separation (ΔE) has been decreased from 485 to 55 mV for hydroquinone and from 430 to 75 mV vs. SCE for catechol at polished polycrystalline and mesoporous platinum electrodes, respectively. The differential pulse voltammograms in a mixture solution of catechol and hydroquinone have shown that the oxidation peaks became well resolved and are separated by about 100 mV, although the bare electrode gave a single broad oxidation peak. Moreover, the oxidation current of hydroquinone and catechol has been enhanced by a factor of two and four times, respectively, at mesoporous platinum electrode. Using differential pulse voltammetry, a highly selective and simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol has been explored at mesoporous platinum electrode.     

Activation of solid electrodes made of platinum,gold, and a graphite-epoxy resin composite by mechanically cutting their surfaces <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Situ</Emphasis> in the anodic voltammetry of ascorbic acid

The oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) was studied at the electrodes made of platinum, gold, and a graphite-epoxy resin composite. Cutting the surface electrode layer in situ in solution before each polarization activated the electrode surface. This activation manifested itself in a more negative potential of the AA anodic peak, a change in the current peak shape, and an increase in the current density at the electrodes as compared to the polished electrodes. The in situ renewal of electrodes allowed us to develop a rapid voltammetric procedure for determining AA at an electrode made of a graphite-epoxy resin composite in different samples. The analytical range for AA was 0.1–200 mg/L, the determination limit for AA was 0.05 mg/L, and the RSD was 3–5%.Translated from Zhurnal Analiticheskoi Khimii, Vol. 60, No. 1, 2005, pp. 64–68.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Tarasova, Kiryushov.     

Electrochemical behavior of phthaloyl peroxide in aqueous media

The electrochemical behavior of phthaloyl peroxide C₈H₄O₄ on an Au disk electrode in a 0.05 M aqueous solution of Na₂SO₄ was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CVA). It demonstrated a high activity in cathodic reduction with the formation of an irreversible peak on the CVA curve at E =–0.81 V. Additionally, during the anodic oxidation of C₈H₄O₄, the surface of the Au electrode became passivated by compounds which prevented its oxidation during the registration of repeated cycles. Apparently, these compounds are surface complexes of phthaloyl peroxide with a gold cation.     

Electrochemical gating of single osmium molecules tethered to Au surfaces

The electrochemical study of electron transport between Au electrodes and the redox molecule Os[(bpy)₂(PyCH₂ NH₂CO-]ClO₄ tethered to molecular linkers of different length (1.3 to 2.9 nm) to Au surfaces has shown an exponential decay of the rate constant k _ET ⁰ with a slope β = 0.53 consistent with through bond tunneling to the redox center. Electrochemical gating of single osmium molecules in an asymmetric tunneling nano-gap between a Au(111) substrate electrode modified with the redox molecules and a Pt-Ir tip of a scanning tunneling microscope was achieved by independent control of the reference electrode potential in the electrolyte, E _ref ? E _s, and the tip-substrate bias potential, E _bias. Enhanced tunneling current at the osmium complex redox potential was observed as compared to the off resonance set point tunneling current with a linear dependence of the overpotential at maximum current vs. the E _bias. This corresponds to a sequential two-step electron transfer with partial vibration relaxation from the substrate Au(111) to the redox molecule in the nano-gap and from this redox state to the Pt-Ir tip according to the model of Kuznetsov and Ulstrup (J Phys Chem A 104: 11531, 2000). Comparison of short and long linkers of the osmium complex has shown the same two-step ET (electron transfer) behavior due to the long time scale in the complete reduction-oxidation cycle in the electrochemical tunneling spectroscopy (EC-STS) experiment as compared to the time constants for electron transfer for all linker distances, k _ET ⁰.