Electrochemical Systems Based on Sol-Gel Silica Matrix Impregnated with Organic Solvent

Two electrochemical systems based on sol-gel silica matrix impregnated with organic solvent were prepared and studied. The first one is composed of tetramethylorthosilicate based material filled with ferrocene solution in polar solvent: propylene carbonate. Electrodes are immersed in this solid electrolyte during all stages of sol-gel process. Despite of the lack of the extra added salt, by using ultramicroelectrode, undistorted electrochemical signal corresponding to the electrooxidation of the ferrocene was obtained. Its diffusion coefficient within the sol-gel matrix depends on the time elapsed after gelation and it is not much below that in salt solution in the same solvent. The second system is based on graphite dispersion in hydrophobic sol-gel silicate matrix. This material was filled with mixture of liquid butylferrocene and hexadecane. After immersion in aqueous salt solution it serves as working electrode. The electrochemical signal corresponding to the electrooxidation of the butylferrocene within organic phase was obtained. Probably the electrode process occurs at three phase (carbon/organic phase/aqueous phase) junction and it is accompanied by anion transfer through the liquid-liquid interface.