Poly(3-methylthiophene)-based porous silicon substrates as a urea-sensitive electrode

Poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MT)-based porous silicon (PS) substrates were fabricated and characterized by cyclic voltammetry, scanning electron microscopy, and auger electron spectroscopy. After doping urease (Urs) into the polymeric matrix, sensitivity and physicochemical properties of the P3MT-based PS substrate was investigated compared to planar silicon (PLS) and bulk Pt substrates. PS substrate was formed by electrochemical anodization in an etching solution composed of HF, H₂O, and ethanol. Subsequently, Ti and Pt thin-films were sputtered on the PS substrate. Effective working electrode area (A_eff) of the Pt-deposited PS substrate was determined from a redox reaction of Fe(CN)₆³⁻/Fe(CN)₆⁴⁻ redox couple in which nearly reversible cyclic voltammograms were obtained. The i_p versus v^1/2 plots showed that A_eff of the PS-based Pt thin-film electrode was 1.62 times larger than that of the PLS-based electrode.Electropolymerization of P3MT on both types of electrodes were carried out by the anodic potential scanning under the given potential range. And then, urease molecules were doped to the P3MT film by the chronoamperometry. Direct electrochemistry of a Urs/P3MT/Pt/Ti/PS electrode in an acetonitrile solution containing 0.1 mol/L NaClO₄ was introduced compared to a P3MT/Pt/Ti/PS electrode at scan rates of 10 mV s⁻¹, 50 mV s⁻¹, and 100 mV s⁻¹.Amperometric sensitivity of the Urs/P3MT/Pt/Ti/PS electrode was ca. 1.67 μA mM⁻¹ per projected unit square centimeter, and that of the Urs/P3MT/Pt/Ti/PLS electrode was ca. 1.02 μA mM⁻¹ per projected unit square centimeter in a linear range of 1-100 mM urea concentrations. 1.6 times of sensitivity increase was coincident with the results from cyclic voltammetrc analysis.Surface morphology from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of Pt-deposited PS electrodes before and after the coating of Urs-doped P3MT films showed that pore diameter and depth were 2 μm and 10 μm, respectively. Multilayered-film structures composed of metals and organics for both electrodes were also confirmed by auger electron spectroscopy (AES) depth profiles.