Single Potential Scan Methods for Nanoporous Gold Formation on Ultramicroelectrode Surfaces

Nanoporous gold (NPG) has been extensively investigated because of their applications. Here, we report a straightforward method for the preparation of NPG on micrometer-scale electrodes. Well-defined NPG structures were formed on Au surfaces by a single potential scan within 100 seconds. This method is applied to Au surfaces with small dimensions regardless of the electrode geometry, whereas it is not applicable to conventional millimeter-scale electrodes. The effects of electrode sizes and scan rates on NPG formation were systematically examined, and the amperometric glucose detection with 20-μL sample volumes using an ultramicroelectrode (UME) with NPG surfaces was demonstrated.