The determination of copper at thin film electrodes by constant current stripping potentiometry

A comparison of the determination of copper by constant current stripping potentiometry (CCSP) at mercury and gold films has been carried out. The preferred solution conditions for the mercury film study were determined to be 0.1M ammonium acetate at pH 4.5 and 0.1M HCl for the gold film study. The influence of chloride on the stripping signal was investigated and it was found that for the mercury film conditions, well-formed stripping signals could be obtained up to a chloride concentration of 0.5 M which permitted the ready determination of copper in seawater. With the gold film, high chloride concentrations affected both the film stability and the glassy carbon surface and repeatable results were difficult to obtain. The optimized CCSP methods were applied to various aqueous samples including tap water, seawater, TCLP (acetic acid) extracts as well as TCLP extracts using groundwater and ocean water. Based on the results obtained for these various matrices, it was concluded that there are several advantages favoring the mercury film. The interference from organic components in the sample matrix on the general applicability of CCSP for the determination of copper at either a mercury or gold film is discussed.     

Transport and kinetics at microheterogeneous electrodes: Part V. The methylviologen/platinum system

Results are reported for the reaction of methylviologen radical cation, MV⁺ with platinum colloidal particles, studied by stopped flow spectrophotometry. The rate of the reaction depends on the gaseous pretreatment of the particles. For particles reduced by hydrogen, the kinetics are usually first order with respect to MV⁺. The reaction is also first order in the concentration of platinum, and is inhibited in a first order manner by the product MV²⁺. This inhibition suggests that MV²⁺ is adsorbed on the particle surfaces, and this has been confirmed by ac, ring—disc electrode studies on macroscopic platinum electrodes. At high concentrations of MV⁺ some deviation from first order kinetics is observed. These results are all explained by a kinetic model in which either the desorption of MV²⁺ or the adsorption of MV⁺ is the rate limiting process. The rate of consumption of MV⁺ on an oxidised surface is an order of magnitude faster than that on the reduced surface. Ring—disc studies show that this is because the MV⁺ is not producing H₂ but is reducing the surface oxide. The results are shown to fit a simple model which takes into account this titration of the oxide layer. The model also explains why the rate on partially oxidised surfaces will appear to have an order greater than one in [Pt].     

Supramolecular phenomena in organic redox films at electrodes: Part I. The methylene blue/leucomethylene blue redox couple at the platinum electrode

It is possible to generate conductive multilayer structures by reduction of methylene blue cations at the interface: clean surface of a platinum electrode/1 M aqueous electrolyte solution.The characteristics of the multilayer ordered phase generated in fluoride and nitrate solutions are presented and the mechanism of a fast charge transfer between electrode/organic film and organic film/aqueous solution interfaces is discussed. The conductivity of the film is interpreted by postulating formation of a mixed valence structure with the generation of a cation radical intermediate which is favoured in the solid state at characteristic potentials.     

Electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen at electrodes coated with a bimetallic cobalt(II)/platinum(II) porphyrin

Edge plane pyrolytic graphite (EPG) electrodes coated with 5-(4-pyridyl)-10,15,20-tris(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin and its Pt(II) and Co(II)/Pt(II) analogs undergo an electrochemical-chemical-electrochemical (ECE) reaction when anodically scanned in 1.0 M HClO4. The new redox couple formed from this anodic conditioning of the coated electrode is dependent on the pH of the solution. Roughened EPG electrodes coated with the Co(II)/Pt(II) bimetallic porphyrin show a catalytic shift of 500 mV for the reduction of O2 when compared to the reduction of O2 at a bare EPG electrode. An additional catalytic shift of ca. 100 mV is observed for O2 reduction at an EPG electrode coated with the Co(II)/Pt(II) porphyrin which has been oxidized in 1.0 M HClO4. In addition to the added electrocatalysis a significant percentage of O2 reduced at the oxidized Co(II)/Pt(II) EPG electrode is converted to H2O as determined by rotating disk electrode measurements.     

Electro-oxidation of o-phenylenediamine at platinum electrodes in acetonitrile solutions

The study of o-phenylenediamine electro-oxidation at platinum electrodes in acetonitrile solutions under different experimental conditions is presented. Cyclic voltammograms show 4 oxidation peaks, which are assigned to o-phenylenediamine, o,o′-diamineazobenzene and protonated o-phenylenediamine anodic oxidation. An additional prepeak system is apparent at potentials less anodic than the first peak in successive scans. This prepeak system evidences the presence of two redox systems diphenylamine and H⁺, derived from the initial oxidation product o-phenylenediamine cation radical. The effect of base and acid addition is also studied. o,o′-Diamineazobenzene was identified as one of the principal soluble products in preparative scale electrolysis and a general mechanism for o-phenylenediamine oxidation is proposed.     

A simple differential titrator for automatic potentiometric titration at zero current, with two identical indicator electrodes

A simple differential titrator for automatic potentiometric titration at zero current, with two identical indicator electrodes, is described. The autoburette is a normal microburette connected to one tube of a peristaltic pump, and the differentiating system is a closed-flow circuit in a second tube of the pump, this tube containing two electrodes 5 cm apart. The apparatus has been applied to the determination of halides and sulphide-disulphide mixtures, with electrodes coated with an appropriate silver salt.     

Voltammetry at partially covered electrodes: Part I. Chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry at model electrodes

Equations for chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry at partially covered electrodes have been derived using a model of hexagonal array of cylidrical spaces terminated, at the electrode surface, by concentric active and inactive regions. The boundary value problem was shown to be analogous to that for a charge transfer preceded by a chemical reaction. Experiments with the reduction of ferricyanide on gold model electrodes partially covered with photoresist layer showed excellent agreement with the theory. Application of the equations to estimation of coverage and size of active sites distributed on a electrode surface is discussed.     

Spectroscopic investigations of C3 primary alcohols on platinum electrodes in acid solutions.: Part I. n-propanol

The electrochemical behavior of n-propanol (n-PrOH) on polycrystalline Pt in acid solutions was investigated using in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS) and on line differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS). The main products of n-PrOH oxidation are CO₂, propanal and propionic acid. Different types of adsorbates with one, two or three C atoms were detected. Ethane and propane are produced from n-PrOH adsorbates during potential cycling in the H-adatom potential region. An increase in the quantity of adsorbed CO was observed after hydrogenation of n-PrOH adsorbates.     

Kinetics of hydroquinone chemisorption at polycrystalline platinum electrodes: The effect of surface roughness

The rate of hydroquinone (HQ) chemisorption from aqueous H₂SO₄ onto annealed (smooth) and platinized (rough) polycrystalline Pt has been studied. Previously, equilibrium adsorption measurements indicated that at smooth Pt surfaces, adsorption of HQ at c_HQ ⩽ 0.1 mM yielded flat (η⁶)-oriented species while adsorption at c_HQ ⩾ 1 mM resulted in edge (2,3-η²)-attached intermediates. Edge-attached species were not formed efficiently at roughened Pt surfaces. The present data show that the rate of η⁶-HQ chemisorption was significantly lower at roughened than at smooth surfaces. Analysis of the rate data gave the following enthalpies and entropies of activation at smooth (sm) and platinized (pt) surfaces: ΔH^≠_sm,0.1mM = 12.5 kJ/mol; ΔH^≠_sm,2mM = 8.3 kJ/mol; ΔS^≠_sm,0.1mM = −83 J/mol K; ΔS^≠_sm,2mM = −117 J/mol K; ΔH^≠_pt,0.4mM = 12.5 kJ/mol; ΔH^≠_pt,2mM = 12.5 kJ/mol; ΔS^≠_pt,0.4mM = −92 J/mol K; ΔS^≠_pt,2mM = −100 J/mol K. The similarity between ΔH^≠_{pt,0.4 mM}, ΔH^≠_{pt,2 mM} and ΔH^≠_{sm,0.1 mM}, and between ΔS^≠_{pt,0.4 mM}, ΔS^≠_{pt,2 mM} and ΔS^≠_{sm,0.1 mM} correlate with the earlier finding that adsorption of HQ onto roughened Pt surfaces occurred primarily in the flat orientation at all concentrations studied.     

Voltammetry at microcylinder electrodes: Part I. Linear sweep voltammetry

An expression for reversible linear sweep voltammograms at stationary microcylinder electrodes is presented. From numerical calculations theoretical voltammograms are obtained for various values of the dimensionless parameter, p=(nFa²v/RTD)^{$\text{1}\text{2}$}, where a is the radius of the electrode, v the potential sweep rate and D the diffusion coefficient. The peak current and the peak potential are evaluated from the voltammograms as functions of p and are expressed by approximate equations with high precision. In order to examine the validity of the equations, an experimental study was made at platinum wire micro-electrodes (a=10?10) μm). The experimental voltammograms were in good agreement with the ones predicted theoretically for various values of the sweep rates and for several different radii of the electrodes.     

Pulsed amperometric detection of sulfur compounds: Part I. Initial studies of platinum electrodes in alkaline solutions

Conventional voltammetric and amperometric techniques at Pt or Au electrodes have not been considered applicable for quantitative detection of most sulfur compounds. This is the result of the observed loss of electrode activity caused by accumulation of sulfurous adsorbates and surface oxides. Pulsed Amperometric Detection (PAD) at Pt and Au is highly sensitive for the anodic detection of sulfur compounds, organic and inorganic, which adsorb on the electrode surface. The detection of thiourea by PAD at Pt is described here, and is concluded to correspond to the surface-oxide catalyzed oxidation of the sulfur moiety of adsorbed thiourea to sulfate. Results reported here for detection in a flow-injection system (FI/PAD) produce linear calibration plots of I_p vs. c^b at low concentration and linear plots of 1/I_p vs 1/c^b at high concentrations. The detection limit for thiourea is 0.38 ppm (i.e., ca 17 ng/45 μl sample) for the FI system used.     

Oxide growth at platinum electrodes in H2SO4 at potentials below 1.7 V

Measurements of oxide quantity at platinum electrodes have been made by cathodic reduction and by current integration. The convergence of Q—log t plots indicates the form of the growth law and the unusual potential dependence. These, and other results are explained, in a more satisfactory manner than previously, by developing a growth model based on rate-determining nucleation. The theory also provides a means for interpreting the observed continual growth during potential step transients in the oxide region, and for clarifying other aspects of hysteresis behaviour.     

The raman spectroscopy of the ferricyanide/ferrocyanide system at gold, β-palladium hydride and platinum electrodes

The surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of ferricyanide and ferrocyanide anions at gold electrodes shows that both species are adsorbed at the interface. The variation of the spectra with potential and the nature of the cations of the support electrolyte shows that anions and cations are co-adsorbed and that the structure of the anions is markedly perturbed compared to that of the solution phase species. It is also shown that SERS of these ions at palladium electrodes can be readily generated by converting the surface to the β-palladium hydride. In this case the spectra are more simple but both anions are again adsorbed. Adsorption is also shown to take place at smooth platinum electrodes, measurements in this case being carried out by potential modulated surface unenhanced Raman spectroscopy (SUERS) but with resonance Raman enhancement of the scattering.The spectroscopic results show that electron transfer in the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide system cannot be considered to be a purely outer sphere reaction. Results indicate that the smallest change in structure of the adsorbed species takes place in supporting electrolytes containing caesium ions; these solutions give the largest value of the standard rate constant for the reaction.     

Microwave enhanced electroanalysis of formulations: processes in micellar media at glassy carbon and at platinum electrodes

The direct electroanalysis of complex formulations containing alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) is possible in micellar solution and employing microwave-enhanced voltammetry. In the presence of microwave radiation substantial heating and current enhancement effects have been observed at 330 microm diameter glassy carbon electrodes placed into a micellar aqueous solution and both hydrophilic and highly hydrophobic redox systems are detected. For the water soluble Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) redox system in micellar aqueous solutions of 0.1 M NaCl and 0.1 M sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) at low to intermediate microwave power, thermal effects and convection effects are observed. At higher microwave power, thermal cavitation is induced and dominates the mass transport at the electrode surface. For the micelle-soluble redox systems tert-butylferrocene and 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone, strong and concentration dependent current responses are observed only in the presence of microwave radiation. For the oxidation of micelle-soluble alpha-tocopherol current responses at glassy carbon electrodes are affected by adsorption and desorption processes whereas at platinum electrodes, analytical limiting currents are obtained over a wide range of alpha-tocopherol concentrations. However, for the determination of alpha-tocopherol in a commercial formulation interference from proteins is observed at platinum electrodes and direct measurements are possible only over a limited concentration range and at glassy carbon electrodes.