Improvement in the assessment of direct and facilitated ion transfers by electrochemically induced redox transformations of common molecular probes

A new strategy based on a thick organic film modified electrode allowed us, for the first time, to explore the voltammetric processes for a series of hydrophilic ions by electrochemically induced redox transformations of common molecular probes. During the limited time available for voltammetry, this thick organic film ensured that the generated product of the molecular probe, which is within a limited diffusion layer, was kept far away from the aqueous-organic solvent interface; therefore, regardless of the degree of hydrophobicity, the generated product never participates in ion exchange across the interface and the charge neutrality of the organic film (containing an extremely hydrophobic electrolyte) can only be maintained by the injection of ions from the aqueous phase. Taking advantage of this fact, common redox probes, such as ferrocene (Fc) and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), which are almost useless for both three-phase electrode (TPE) and thin-layer cyclic voltammetry (TLCV) methods, can induce the transfer of numerous highly hydrophilic anions and cations. Consequently, the majority of their Gibbs transfer energies have been accurately determined for the first time to the best of our knowledge. With this in mind, using TCNQ as a redox probe to induce facilitated cation transfer, a stategy that is more advantageous than traditional methods has been developed. The main advantages are that: (i) voltammetric experiments performed on this system were free from the polarized potential window (ppw) in the aqueous phase and, as a result, this allowed the assessment of weakly assisted ion transfers, which appear at the terminal of the ppw at single polarized interfaces; (ii) without introducing the tetraphenylarsonium-tetraphenylborate (TPAs-TPB) thermodynamic assumption, one can conveniently evaluate both the association constant and the stoichiometric parameter between the ion and its ionophore by comparison of their direct and facilitated ion transfer voltammograms. These encouraging results illustrated the exciting innovation for assessing direct and facilitated ion transfers based on this new thick organic film modified electrode.     

A comparative study of the anion transfer kinetics across a water/nitrobenzene interface by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and square-wave voltammetry at thin organic film-modified electrodes

The kinetics of the transfer of a series of hydrophilic monovalent anions across the water/nitrobenzene (W/NB) interface has been studied by means of thin organic film-modified electrodes in combination with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and square-wave voltammetry. The studied ions are Cl-, Br-, I-, ClO4-, NO3-, SCN-, and CH3COO-. The electrode assembly comprises a graphite electrode (GE) covered with a thin NB film containing a neutral strongly hydrophobic redox probe (decamethylferrocene or lutetium bis(tetra-tert-butylphthalocyaninato)) and an organic supporting electrolyte. The modified electrode is immersed in an aqueous solution containing a supporting electrolyte and transferring ions, and used in a conventional three-electrode configuration. Upon oxidation of the redox probe, the overall electrochemical process proceeds as an electron-ion charge-transfer reaction coupling the electron transfer at the GE/NB interface and compensates ion transfer across the W/NB interface. The rate of the ion transfer across the W/NB interface is the limiting step in the kinetics of the overall coupled electron-ion transfer reaction. Moreover, the transferring ion that is initially present in the aqueous phase only at a concentration lower than the redox probe, controls the mass transfer regime in the overall reaction. A rate equation describing the kinetics of the ion transfer that is valid for the conditions at thin organic film-modified electrodes is derived. Kinetic data measured with two electrochemical techniques are in very good agreement.     

Cyclic voltammetry of ion transfer across the polarized interface between the organic molten salt and the aqueous solution

A molten salt, or ionic liquid, composed of tetrahexylammonium bis(perfluoroethylsulfonyl)imide forms with an aqueous solution a polarized interface where the phase-boundary potential can be controlled externally. The available potential window of about 300 mV at 40 °C enables us to apply various electrochemical techniques for studying the structure and charge transfer reactions at the molten salt–water interface. Cyclic voltammetry of the transfer of moderately hydrophobic ions, such as 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium and hexafluorophosphate ions, across the interface exemplifies the potentiality of this new electrochemical interface. This new type of polarized interface would facilitates electrochemical studies of molten salt–water two-phase systems that have been studied as an environmentally benign alternative of organic solvent–water two-phase systems for liquid–liquid extraction and two-phase organic synthesis.     

Neurotransmitter Biomolecule Transfers Across Liquid/Liquid Interface Through A Thick Organic Membrane-Modified Electrode

Electrochemical studies at liquid/liquid interfaces (L/L, or soft interfaces) have disclosed a biomimetic model to mimic charge transfers at cytomembrane surface. Herein, we reported two neurotransmitter biomolecules of dopamine and adrenalone across the L/L interface by a thick organic membrane-modified electrode. This system comprised polarized electrode/oil and oil/water interfaces in series in which the electron transfer (ET) of redox 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) at electrode/oil interface drove ion transfer (IT) of biomolecules at oil/water interface. This ET-IT coupled reaction overcame the limitation of polarized potential window at conventional single polarized L/L interface. The crucial design of a thick organic membrane could ensure the generated TCNQ anions maintained at electrode/oil interface during the voltammetry, which could not result in interruptions to biomolecule transfers. Through this system, their Gibbs transfer free energies were accurately determined (44.4 and 39.4 kJ mol^?1 for dopamine and adrealone, respectively). Moreover, facilitated biomolecule transfers were evaluated by crown ionophores where both facilitated numbers and constants were determined simultaneously. Owing to the simple electrochemical setup, this system would hold great potentials in future hydrophilic biomacromolecule transfers, such as DNA, peptides and proteins.     

Shuttling mechanism of ion transfer at the interface between two immiscible liquids

The transfers of hydrophilic ions between aqueous and organic phases are ubiquitous in biological and technological systems. These energetically unfavorable processes can be facilitated either by small molecules (ionophores) or by ion-transport proteins. In absence of a facilitating agent, ion-transfer reactions are assumed to be "simple", one-step processes. Our experiments at the nanometer-sized interfaces between water and neat organic solvents showed that the generally accepted one-step mechanism cannot explain important features of transfer processes for a wide class of ions including metal cations, protons, and hydrophilic anions. The proposed new mechanism of ion transfer involves transient interfacial ion paring and shuttling of a hydrophilic ion across the mixed-solvent layer.     

On NO3--H2O interactions in aqueous solutions and at interfaces

The constrained molecular-dynamics technique was employed to investigate the transport of a nitrate ion across the water liquid/vapor interface. We developed a nitrate-ion-water polarizable potential that accurately reproduces the solvation properties of the hydrated nitrate ion. The computed free-energy profile for the transfer of the nitrate ion across the air/water interface increases monotonically as the nitrate ion approaches the Gibbs dividing surface from the bulk liquid side. The computed density profiles of 1M KNO(3) salt solution indicate that the nitrate and potassium ions are both found below the aqueous interface. Upon analyzing the results, we conclude that the probability of finding the nitrate anion at the aqueous interface is quite small.     

Electrocatalytic Determination of Sulfite at Immobilized Microdroplet Liquid|Liquid Interfaces: The EIC′ Mechanism

Liquid|liquid interfaces provide a natural boundary and a reactive interface where an organic phase is in contact with an aqueous analyte. The selectivity of ion transfer processes at liquid|liquid interfaces can help to provide sensitivity, introduce reactive reagents, or allow analyte accumulation at the electrode surface. In this study, microdroplet deposits of the organic liquid 4‐(3‐phenylpropyl)‐pyridine (PPP) with the ferrocenylmethyl‐dodecyldimethylammonium⁺ (FDA⁺) redox system are deposited onto a basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrode and employed to transfer anions from the aqueous into the organic phase. A clear trend of more hydrophobic anions transferring more readily (at more negative potentials) is observed and an ESI‐mass spectrometry method is developed to confirm the transfer. Subsequently, the electrocatalytic oxidation of sulfite, SO₃^2?, within the organic phase and in the presence of different electrolyte anions is investigated. Competition between sulfite transfer and inert anion transfer occurs. The electrocatalytic sulfite oxidation is suppressed in the presence of PF₆^? and occurs most readily in the presence of the hydrophilic nitrate anion. The resulting process can be classified as an electrocatalytic EIC′‐process (E: electron transfer; I: ion transfer; C: chemical reaction step). The effectiveness of the electrocatalytic process is limited by i) competition during anion transfer and ii) the liquid|liquid interface acting as a diffusion barrier. The analytical sensitivity of the method is limited to ca. 100 μM SO₃^2? (or ca. 8 ppm) and potential approaches for improvement of this limit are discussed.     

A new access to Gibbs energies of transfer of ions across liquid|liquid interfaces and a new method to study electrochemical processes at well-defined three-phase junctions

Droplets of polar and nonpolar aprotic solvents containing dissolved electroactive species can be easily attached to paraffin-impregnated graphite electrodes. When the electrode with the attached droplet is introduced into an aqueous electrolyte solution, the electrochemical reactions of the dissolved species can be elegantly studied. Provided the droplet does not contain a dissolved electrolyte, the electrochemical reaction will be confined to the very edge of the three-phase junction droplet|graphite|aqueous electrolyte. When a neutral species is oxidised, two pathways are possible: the oxidised species can remain in the droplet and anions will be transferred from the aqueous solution to the organic solvent, or the oxidised species may leave the droplet and enter the aqueous solution. Depending on the nature of the dissolved species, the nature of the organic solvent, the presence or absence of appropriate anions and cations in the two liquid phases, very different reaction pathways are possible. The new approach allows studies of ion transfer between immiscible solvents to be performed with a three-electrode potentiostat. Electrochemical determinations of the Gibbs energy of ion transfer between aqueous and nonpolar nonaqueous liquids are possible, whereas conventional ion transfer studies require the presence of a dissociated electrolyte in the organic phase. The new method considerably widens the spectrum of accessible ions.     

Probing non-polarizable liquid/liquid interfaces using scanning ion conductance microscopy

The study of microscopic structure of a liquid/liquid interface is of fundamental importance due to its close relation to the thermodynamics and kinetics of interfacial charge transfer reactions.In this article,the microscopic structure of a non-polarizable water/nitrobenzene(W/NB) interface was evaluated by scanning ion conductance microscope(SICM).Using SICM with a nanometer-sized quartz pipette filled with an electrolyte solution as the probe,the thickness of this type of W/NB interface could be measured at sub-nanometer scale,based on the continuous change of ionic current from one phase to another one.The effects for thicknesses of the non-polarizable W/NB interfaces with different electrolyte concentrations,the Galvani potentials at the interface and the applied potentials on the probe were measured and systematically analyzed.Both experimental setups,that is an organic phase up and an aqueous down,and a reverse version,were employed to acquire the approach curves.These data were compared with those of an ideal polarizable interface under the similar experimental conditions,and several characteristics of non-polarizable interfaces were found.The thickness of a non-polarizable interface increases with the decrease of electrolyte concentration and the increase of applied potential,which is similar to the situation of a polarizable liquid/liquid interface.We also find that the Galvani potential across a non-polarizable interface can also influence the interfacial thickness,this phenomenon is difficult to observe when using polarizable interface.Most importantly,by the comparison of two kinds of liquid/liquid interfaces,we experimentally proved that much more excess ions are gathered in the space charge layer of non-polarizable interfaces than in that of polarizable interfaces.These results are consistent with the predictions of molecular dynamic simulations and X-ray reflectivity measurements.     

Molecular mechanism of transporting a polarizable iodide anion across the water-CCl4 liquid/liquid interface

The result of transferring a polarizable iodide anion across the H2O-CCl4 liquid/liquid interface was investigated in this study. The computed transfer-free energy profile or potential of mean force exhibits a minimum near the Gibbs dividing surface. These system characteristics are similar to those found in a corresponding study of iodide transfer across the H2O-vapor interface; however, the free energy minimum was lower at the H2O-vapor interface. Molecular dynamics simulations were also carried out to compare the concentrations of NaCl, NaBr, and NaI at the H2O-vapor and H2O-CCl4 interfaces. While the concentration of bromide and iodide ions were lower at the H2O-CCl4 interface when compared to the H2O-vapor interface, the chloride ion concentrations were similar at both interfaces. Analysis of the solvation structures of iodide and chloride ions revealed that the more polarizable iodide ion was less solvated than the chloride ion at the interface. This characteristic brought the iodide ion into greater contact with CCl4, resulting in repulsive interactions with CCl4 and reducing its tendency to move to the interface.     

Phosphate and arsenate electro-insertion processes into a N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctylphenylenediamine redox liquid

The electro-insertion of ions is a well-known phenomenon, which allows the transfer of anions or cations across phase boundaries to be monitored and driven electro-chemically. Extremely hydrophilic anions, such as phosphate and arsenate, are not usually observed to undergo electro-insertion. It is shown here that at organic redox liquid|water|electrode triple interfaces these anions can be forced electro-chemically to transfer into organic media.The transfer process of phosphate anions from aqueous buffer solutions into organic microdroplets of the redox liquid N,N,N^′,N^′-tetraoctylphenylenediamine (TOPD) is pH and concentration sensitive. It is shown that phosphate is transferred in the form of PO₄HK⁻ in the presence of phosphate buffer. Two distinct potential regions are identified and attributed to (i) interfacial redox processes at the liquid|liquid interface associated with deprotonation and (ii) bulk redox processes associated with anion transfer from the aqueous to the organic phase.The comparison of phosphate and arsenate electro-insertion processes suggests that arsenate is less hydrophilic and transferred into the organic phase preferentially.     

Membrane-based solvent extraction for selective removal and recovery of metals

A membrane-based solvent extraction process was developed for selective removal and recovery of metals from aqueous solutions. The process utilizes microporous membranes as an interface between an aqueous solution and organic solvents containing liquid ion exchangers. Metal ions are transported from the aqueous solution to the organic phase at the interface created in the pores of membrane. The organic solvent, which is loaded with metal ions in the extraction module, is regenerated in contact with the stripping solution in the stripping module. One important feature of this process is the stability of the membrane system, which results from using an aqueous—organic separator to remove aqueous solution from the organic circulating line. This process was evaluated for enrichment of copper using solvents containing LIX 64N. The process is applicable to selective recovery of metals from ore leachates or metal-containing wastewater.     

Kinetic considerations of ion selectivity coefficients of ion-selective electrodes based on neutral carriers

Ion selectivity coefficients of ion-selective electrodes based on neutral carriers are described by means of a mixed potential model of ion transport reactions at the aqueous solution/ion-sensitive membrane interface. The decrease in ion selectivity can be explained by the deviations from the equilibrium conditions, which arise from the ionic partial current across the interface, but the proposed correspondence of the exchange current density of ion transfer reactions with the ion selectivity coefficients is rationalized only for certain conditions of the kinetic parameters. The ion selectivity for liquid membrane transport is discussed starting from three different rate-determining steps. It is shown that the potentiometric selectivities of ion-selective electrodes and the transport selectivities are correlated when the ionic transfer across the aqueous solution/ membrane interface is fast compared with the complex ion transport through the membrane. The significance of a kinetic approach for the design of neutral carriers for ion-selective electrodes is stressed.     

Catalytic Activity of Alkali Metal Cations for the Chemical Oxygen Reduction Reaction in a Biphasic Liquid System Probed by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

Chemical reduction of dioxygen in organic solvents for the production of reactive oxygen species or the concomitant oxidation of organic substrates can be enhanced by the separation of products and educts in biphasic liquid systems. Here, the coupled electron and ion transfer processes is studied as well as reagent fluxes across the liquid|liquid interface for the chemical reduction of dioxygen by decamethylferrocene (DMFc) in a dichloroethane-based organic electrolyte forming an interface with an aqueous electrolyte containing alkali metal ions. This interface is stabilized at the orifice of a pipette, across which a Galvani potential difference is externally applied and precisely adjusted to enforce the transfer of different alkali metal ions from the aqueous to the organic electrolyte. The oxygen reduction is followed by H₂O₂ detection in the aqueous phase close to the interface by a microelectrode of a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM). The results prove a strong catalytic effect of hydrated alkali metal ions on the formation rate of H₂O₂, which varies systematically with the acidity of the transferred alkali metal ions in the organic phase.     

Surface tension of electrolytes: hydrophilic and hydrophobic ions near an interface

We calculate the ion distributions around an interface in fluid mixtures of highly polar and less polar fluids (water and oil) for two and three ion species. We take into account the solvation and image interactions between ions and solvent. We show that hydrophilic and hydrophobic ions tend to undergo a microphase separation at an interface, giving rise to an enlarged electric double layer. We also derive a general expression for the surface tension of electrolyte systems, which contains a negative electrostatic contribution proportional to the square root of the bulk salt density. The amplitude of this square-root term is small for hydrophilic ion pairs but is much increased for hydrophilic and hydrophobic ion pairs. For three ion species, including hydrophilic and hydrophobic ions, we calculate the ion distributions to explain those obtained by x-ray reflectivity measurements.     

Electrochemical detection of dopamine using arrays of liquid-liquid micro-interfaces created within micromachined silicon membranes

The detection of protonated dopamine by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) at arrays of micro-interfaces between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (μITIES) is presented. Microfabricated porous silicon membranes (consisting of eight pores, 26.6 μm in radius and 500 μm pore-pore separation, in a hexagonal layout) were prepared by photolithographic and etching procedures. The membrane pores were fabricated with hydrophobic internal walls so that the organic phase filled the pores and created the liquid interface at the aqueous side of the membrane. These were used for harnessing the benefits of three-dimensional diffusion to the interface and for interface stabilisation. The liquid-liquid interface provides a simple method to overcome the major problem in the voltammetric detection of dopamine at solid electrodes due to the co-existence of ascorbate at higher concentrations. Selectivity for dopamine over ascorbate was achieved by the use of dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) for the facilitated ion transfer of dopamine across the μITIES array. Under these conditions, the presence of ascorbate in excess did not interfere in the detection of dopamine and the lowest concentration detectable was ca. 0.5 μM. In addition, the drawback of current signal saturation (non-linear increase of the peak current with the concentration of dopamine) observed at conventional (millimetre-sized) liquid-liquid interfaces was overcome using the microfabricated porous membranes.     

Charge transfer across the water/nitrobenzene interface by three-electrode system

A droplet of aqueous solution containing a certain molar ratio of redox couple is first attached onto a platinum electrode surface, then the resulting drop electrode is immersed into the organic solution containing very hydrophobic electrolyte. Combined with reference and counter electrodes, a classical three-electrode system has been constructed. Ion transfer (IT) and electron transfer (ET) are investigated systematically using three-electrode voltammetry. Potassium ion transfer and electron transfer between potassium ferricyanide in the aqueous phase and ferrocene in nitrobenzene are observed with potassium ferricyanide/potassium ferrocyanide as the redox couple. Meanwhile, the transfer reactions of lithium, sodium, potassium, proton and ammonium ions are obtained with ferric sulfate/ferrous sulfate as the redox couple. The formal transfer potentials and the standard Gibbs transfer energy of these ions are evaluated and consistent with the results obtained by a four-electrode system and other methods.     

The inevitable accumulation of large ions and neutral molecules near hydrophobic surfaces and small ions near hydrophilic ones

The present contribution offers a unified explanation to three central phenomena in physical chemistry of interfaces in contact with aqueous solution: (1) Accumulation of large anions at the air/water interface. (2) Accumulation of neutral gas molecules near hydrophobic surfaces and the resulting hydrophobic interaction between two such surfaces, and (3) The Hofmeister effect, namely, the enhanced propensity of small ions to hydrophilic surfaces and large ions to hydrophobic surfaces. The common thread linking these phenomena is the free energy balance between ion or molecule hydration in solution and the cost of localizing these objects at the water-surface interface. Comparing the results of an abstract lattice-gas model to force spectroscopy data collected by AFM we reveal the underlying principles and demonstrate their universality.     

双环己基18冠6对水／硝基苯界面离子的促进传输

Li~-和H~-因较强的亲水性,较难穿越液/液界面进行传输。本文报道了冠醚双环已基18冠6对Li~+,Na~+,Rb~-和H~-在水/硝基苯界面的促进传输行为,求得了相应促进传输过程的一系列参数,并对被传输离子在传输过程中的形态变化进行了初步的探讨。