Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell Counter Electrodes Based on Carbon Nanotubes

Dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have received significant attention from the scientific community since their discovery in 1991. However, the high cost and scarcity of platinum has motivated researchers to seek other suitable materials for the counter electrode of DSSCs. Owing to their exceptional properties such as high conductivity, good electrochemical activity, and low cost, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been considered as promising alternatives to expensive platinum (Pt) in the counter electrode of DSSCs. Herein, we provide a Minireview of the CNTs use in the counter electrode of DSSCs. A brief overview of Pt‐based counter electrodes is also discussed. Particular attention is given to the recent advances of counter electrodes with CNT‐based composite structures.     

Electrodes/Electrolyte Interfaces in the Presence of a Surface‐Modified Photopolymer Electrolyte: Application in Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Since hundreds of studies on photoanodes and cathodes show that the electrode/electrolyte interfaces represent a key aspect at the base of dye‐sensitized solar cell (DSSC) performances, it is reported here that these interfaces can be managed by a smart design of the spatial composition of quasi‐solid electrolytes. By means of a cheap, rapid, and green process of photoinduced polymerization, composition‐tailored polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) with siloxane‐enriched surfaces are prepared, and their properties are thoroughly described. When assembled in DSSCs, the interfacial action promoted by the composition‐tailored PEMs enhances the photocurrent and fill factor values, thus increasing the global photovoltaic conversion efficiency with respect to the non‐modified PEMs. Moreover, the presence of the siloxane‐chain‐enriched surface increases the hydrophobicity and reduces the water vapor permeation into the device, thus enhancing the cell′s durability.     

In Situ Detection of Particle Aggregation on Electrode Surfaces

Partially blocked electrodes (PBEs) are important; many applications use non‐conductive nanoparticles (NPs) to introduce new electrode functionalities. As aggregation is a problem in NP immobilization, developing an in situ method to detect aggregation is vital to characterise such modified electrodes. We present chronoamperometry as a method for detection of NP surface aggregation and semi‐quantitative sizing of the formed aggregates, based on the diffusion limited current measured at PBEs as compared with the values calculated numerically for different blocking feature sizes. In contrast to voltammetry, no approximations on electrode kinetics are needed, making chronoamperometry a more general and reliable method. Sizing is shown for two modification methods. Upon drop casting, significant aggregation is observed, while it is minimized in electrophoretic NP deposition. The aggregate sizes determined are in semi‐quantitative agreement with ex situ microscopic analysis of the PBEs.     

电喷印刷柔性传感器

柔性传感器因其在弯折、扭曲、拉伸等大变形条件下具有稳定的传感性能,所以在软体机器人、可穿戴电子和生物医疗等领域具有潜在的应用前景,受到了国内外研究者的广泛关注。与传统光刻技术相比,印刷技术制造作为增材制造,具有绿色、低成本和可大面积制造的优势,被广泛应用于柔性电子器件制备。其中,电流体动力喷墨打印(电喷印)技术因其具有多种功能材料的兼容性,被认为最有可能替代传统的光刻技术,实现柔性传感器高分辨率和跨规模制造。近年来,电喷印技术在微型化柔性传感器制造领域显示出广泛的应用潜力。本综述重点介绍了电喷印刷柔性传感器的工艺、材料和应用的最新研究进展。首先,详细介绍了电流体动力喷墨打印技术的工作原理,总结了用于电喷印的各种功能性墨水材料,然后,介绍了电喷印刷中墨水和柔性基底间表界面调控的问题。随后,综述了电喷印方法在柔性压力传感器、柔性气体传感器和柔性电化学传感器等柔性传感器制造的应用进展。最后,总结讨论了下一代电喷印刷技术在柔性传感器领域的机遇与挑战。     

Flexible strain sensor with ridge-like microstructures for wearable applications

The flexible stretchable sensors have great potential for implementation in various applications, such as intelligent soft robots, health monitoring, and motion detection. However, most of the flexible stretchable sensors with microstructures and high sensitivities are fabricated by expensive templates and complex processes. In consideration of large-scale fabrication, a low cost and efficient way is in great demand. Herein, electroless plating on Nafion films with decent swelling ratios are proposed to fabricate stretchable sensors with wrinkle-structured electrodes. By adding isopropanol (IPA) to the electroless plating process, the H₂O-IPA sensor with larger swelling ratio shows deeper surface wrinkles, higher surface roughness, and better sensitivity to strain. At the same time, the H₂O-IPA sensor exhibit good durability (500 cycles). By mounting the sensor on the joint of human finger, the motion of the finger bending and even the bending degree can be accurately detected, indicating the potential use in the field of wearable devices and soft electronic skins.     

Probing the Local Reaction Environment During High Turnover Carbon Dioxide Reduction with Ag-Based Gas Diffusion Electrodes

Discerning the influence of electrochemical reactions on the electrode microenvironment is an unavoidable topic for electrochemical reactions that involve the production of OH⁻ and the consumption of water. That is particularly true for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR), which together with the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) exert changes in the local OH⁻ and H₂O activity that in turn can possibly affect activity, stability, and selectivity of the CO₂RR. We determine the local OH⁻ and H₂O activity in close proximity to a CO₂-converting Ag-based gas diffusion electrode (GDE) with product analysis using gas chromatography. A Pt nanosensor is positioned in the vicinity of the working GDE using shear-force-based scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) approach curves, which allows monitoring changes invoked by reactions proceeding within an otherwise inaccessible porous GDE by potentiodynamic measurements at the Pt-tip nanosensor. We show that high turnover HER/CO₂RR at a GDE lead to modulations of the alkalinity of the local electrolyte, that resemble a 16 m KOH solution, variations that are in turn linked to the reaction selectivity.     

A Novel Carbon Nitride Nanosheets-based Electrochemical Sensor for Determination of Hydroxychloroquine in Pharmaceutical Formulation and Synthetic Urine Samples

This study introduces modified carbon paste electrodes with carbon nitride nanosheets (CNNS) and outlines their application for the determination of hydroxychloroquine sulfate (HCQ) in tablets and synthetic urine samples. CNNS were synthesized by hydrothermal route (200 °C, 10 h) using melamine and citric acid as their precursors. The carbon nitride nanosheets-based electrode (CNNS/E) presented a linear dynamic range for HCQ (LDR), ranging from 10.0 nmol l⁻¹ to 6.92 μmol l⁻¹, and detection (LOD) and quantification limits (LOQ) of 0.16 nmol l⁻¹ and 0.52 nmol l⁻¹, respectively. LOD and LOQ were calculated by the equations: LOD=3(S_d/b), and LOQ=10(S_d/b). The modified sensor presented excellent relative standard deviations for parameters such as repeatability (2.39 % and 1.87 %) and reproducibility (3.22 % and 2.32 %) in HCQ oxidation peaks (1 and 2). The CNNS/E has not shown significant variations in its anodic signal intensity in the presence of some organic and inorganic substances. It is worth bearing in mind that CNNS/E can be easily manufactured and the sensor has the lowest HCQ detection limits reported so far. The proposed sensor was successfully applied for HCQ determination in tablets and synthetic urine, showing good recovery values and an error of 0.60 % about comparative method in tablet samples, assuring the quality of the method.     

Analytical Modelling of Electron-coupled Ion Transfers with Immobilized vs Soluble Redox Transducer at Thick Film-modified Electrodes

Analytical theoretical solutions are deduced for the current-potential response, concentration profiles and interfacial potentials of electron-coupled ion transfers in the cyclic voltammetry with thick film-modified electrodes. The theory covers a wide variety of possible situations, namely, the redox transducer can be either immobilized on the working electrode or freely diffusing in the organic film, and the ion transfer can be either simple or complicated by homogeneous chemical processes. A comparative and comprehensive study of each case is performed, establishing the key parameters that define the behaviour of the system, as well as guidelines to analyse its electrochemical signal.     

Bimetallic CuCo Derived from Prussian Blue Analogue for Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensing

Bimetallic CuCo composites are prepared by calcinating copper hexacyanocobaltate precursor in N₂ atmosphere. The CuCo modified electrodes are fabricated for nonenzymatic glucose sensing in the alkaline electrolyte. The glucose can be directly electro-oxidized on the surface of the electrode catalyst mediated by the redox couples of Cu and Co. The optimal glucose sensor exhibits a high sensitivity (567 μA ⋅ mM⁻¹ ⋅ cm⁻²) in the range up to 825 μM with a detection limit of 3 μM and acceptable selectivity. The sensor can also be applied in serum samples. This work provides a facile and easily-scalable synthesis method of electrocatalysts for nonenzymatic glucose sensors.     

BC/CoNi2S4@PPy柔性复合电极材料的制备及电化学性能

本文采用溶剂热、原位聚合和真空抽滤相结合的方法制备了用于超级电容器的细菌纤维素/镍钴硫化物/聚吡咯(BC/CoNi₂S₄@PPy)柔性电极材料,通过X射线衍射、场发射扫描电镜、红外光谱、氮气吸脱附、拉伸强度和接触角表征了材料的形貌结构、组成、机械性能和亲水性,并采用循环伏安法和恒电流充放电测试了复合材料的电化学性能。结果表明,表面含氧官能团丰富的BC纤维网络结构对氧化还原活性物质CoNi₂S₄的生长和导电聚合物PPy的分布具有引导作用,CoNi₂S₄均匀分布在BC网络中,且PPy均匀包覆在BC纤维和CoNi₂S₄纳米球表面构成具有丰富孔隙结构的三维导电网络,使得该复合材料具有较好的机械性(抗拉强度达28.0±0.1 MPa)、亲水性(对6 mol·L^-1 KOH的瞬间接触角为43.6°)及良好的导电性。该电极材料在1 A·g^-1下比电容高达2670 F·g^-1,充放电循环10000次后比电容的保持率为82.73%,且经1000次反复弯曲后电化学性能保持不变。此外,将其与活性炭组成的非对称超级电容器,在1 A·g^-1下比电容为1428 F·g^-1,最高能量密度和功率密度分别达49.8 Wh·kg^-1和741.8 W·kg^-1。