Oxygen Evolution Reaction on Nanoporous Gold Modified with Ir and Pt: Synergistic Electrocatalysis between Structure and Composition

Active oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts for water splitting have received great attention because of their importance in the utilization of renewable energy sources. Here, the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction activities of a nanoporous gold (NPG)‐based electrode in acidic media are investigated. The dependence of the oxygen evolution reaction activity on the NPG surface area shows that the large electrochemical surface areas of the NPG are effectively utilized to enhance electrocatalytic activity. The NPG surfaces are modified with Pt using atomic layer electrodeposition methods, and the resulting NPG@Pt exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activities compared to those of the NPG and flat Pt electrodes. Ir‐modified NPG (NPG@Ir) electrodes are prepared by spontaneous exchange of Ir on NPG surfaces and exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity compared to that of flat Ir surfaces. The modification of NPG@Pt with Ir results in NPG@Pt/Ir electrodes, and their electrocatalytic activities exceed those of NPG@Ir. The enhanced oxygen evolution reaction activity on NPG@Pt/Ir over that on NPG@Ir surfaces is examined by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The oxygen evolution reaction activity on NPG@Pt/Ir surfaces demonstrates synergistic electrocatalysis between the nanoporous surface structure and active electrocatalytic components.     

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.     

Facet-Dependent Formation and Adhesion of Au Oxide and Nanoporous Au on Poly-Oriented Au Single Crystals**

Nanoporous Au (NPG) has different properties compared to bulk Au, making it an interesting material for numerous applications. To modify the structure of NPG films for specific applications, e. g., the porosity, thickness, and homogeneity of the films, a fundamental understanding of the structure formation is essential. Here, we focus on NPG prepared via electrochemical reduction from Au oxide formed during high voltage (HV) electrolysis on poly-oriented Au single crystal (Au POSC) electrodes. These POSCs consist of a metal bead, with faces with different crystallographic orientations and allow screening of the influence of crystallographic orientation on the structure formation for different facets in one experiment. The HV electrolysis is performed between 100 ms and 30 s at 300 V and 540 V. The amount of Au oxide formed is determined by electrochemical measurements and the structural properties are investigated by scanning electron and optical microscopy. We show that the formation of Au oxide is mostly independent of the crystallographic orientation, except for thick layers, while the macroscopic structure of the NPG films depends on experimental parameters such as the Au oxide precursor thickness and the crystallographic orientation of the substrate. Possible reasons for the frequently observed exfoliation of the NPG films are discussed.     

A Simple and Renewable Nanoporous Gold‐based Electrochemical Sensor for Bisphenol A Detection

A sensitive and simple electrochemical sensor based on nanoporous gold (NPG) was developed for the detection of bisphenol A (BPA). NPG was prepared by the dealloying method. The NPG modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) displayed excellent catalytic activity towards the electrooxidation of BPA. The mechanism of the electrooxidation of BPA on NPG/GCE sensor was inferred. The sensor showed a linear range from 0.1 μM to 50 μM with a detection limit of 12.1 nM BPA. Specially, a simple but effective approach was attempted to renew the used sensor. The application of the sensor for real sample analysis was demonstrated.     

Atomic Layer Electrodeposition of Pt on Nanoporous Au and its Application in pH Sensing

The preparation of nanoporous metal structures has received a substantial amount of attention because of the unique properties and various applications of these structures. In this work, the preparation of nanoporous Pt structures by modification of nanoporous gold (NPG) surfaces with Pt was achieved. An atomic layer electrodeposition (ALED) technique previously reported for the modification of flat Au surfaces with Pt was applied to the NPG surfaces to produce Pt‐modified NPG structures. The optimal ALED parameters, such as deposition potential, time, and number of cycles, for the preparation of Pt‐modified NPG structures were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis confirmed the successful preparation of nanoporous Pt structures by ALED techniques. The Pt‐modified NPG performed well as a pH sensor with a Nernstian slope and negligible hysteresis. The method of preparing the nanoporous Pt structures reported in this work could be utilized in various applications such as electrocatalysis and electroanalysis.     

漆酶在纳米多孔金上的固定化及其酶学性质研究

利用纳米材料为载体对酶等生物大分子进行固定化近年来引起人们的浓厚兴趣. 以Au/Ag合金为原料, 通过控制浓硝酸的腐蚀时间再辅以退火处理得到了不同孔径的纳米多孔金(NPG), 利用扫描电镜(SEM)和N2气体吸附仪对孔性质进行了表征. 以NPG为载体, 用α-硫辛酸和N-乙基-N’-(3-二甲基氨基丙基)碳酰二亚胺/N-羟基琥珀酰亚胺(EDC/NHS)对金表面进行活化, 通过化学共价偶联的方法对产自Trametes versicolor的漆酶进行了固定化. 比较了孔径大小对酶固定化量及比活力的影响. 发现小孔径更有利于对该漆酶的固定化. 与游离酶相比, 固定化酶的最适pH没有改变, 但最适温度却从原来的40 ℃升到了60 ℃. 固定化后, 漆酶的pH和热稳定性都明显提高了. 重复使用8次仍能保持初始活力的65%, 且在4 ℃下保存1个月几乎观察不到酶活力的下降. 此外, 失活的固定化酶经浓硝酸处理后, NPG载体可重复利用. 本结果初步显示出了NPG在生物技术领域中的应用潜力.     

Evaluation of Nanoporous Gold with Controlled Surface Structures for Laser Desorption Ionization (LDI) Analysis: Surface Area Versus LDI Signal Intensity

The structural effect of a nanoporous gold (NPG) surface on the signal intensities of laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) were investigated using NPG surfaces with controlled structures. The relationship between surface area and LDI efficiency was compared and evaluated. Comparisons between bare flat gold and NPG surfaces show that nanostructures increased LDI efficiency. We also found that the LDI signal decreased with increasing depth of nanoporous layers, thus increasing the surface area. This result agrees with a previous report (Shin J. A. et al., J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2010, 21, 989) in which the LDI efficiency of small molecules decreased for ZnO wires with longer lengths. This observation was explained by the penetration and deposition of samples into locations inaccessible to photons because of structural screening. The LDI-MS analysis of oils with NPG surfaces (but without matrix) showed the same trend whereby the NPG with about a 200?nm depth of porous area showed the highest sensitivity. This study clearly shows that the active surface area for solution chemistry can differ from LDI-MS and that NPGs can function as a substrate for LDI oil analysis.     

Ultrathin platinum film covered high-surface-area nanoporous gold for methanol electro-oxidation

An ultrathin platinum film is fabricated on a nanoporous gold (NPG) scaffold through a catalytic chemical deposition method. The morphology and active surface area of the deposited Pt film, which will greatly influence the electro-catalytic properties of the catalyst, can be controlled by adjusting the deposition condition. Compared with bare NPG and high Pt loaded NPG, the performances of methanol electro-oxidation on the low-Pt-content bimetallic film are greatly improved, both in its catalytic current enhancement and signal stability. The best condition for methanol oxidation can be achieved when the area ratio of deposited Pt and uncovered Au was 3:1.     

Nanoporous Au Formation on Au Substrates via High Voltage Electrolysis**

Nanoporous Au (NPG) films have promising properties, making them suitable for various applications in (electro)catalysis or (bio)sensing. Tuning the structural properties, such as the pore size or the surface-to-volume ratio, often requires complex starting materials such as alloys, multiple synthesis steps, lengthy preparation procedures or a combination of these factors. Here we present an approach that circumvents these difficulties, enabling for a rapid and controlled preparation of NPG films starting from a bare Au electrode. In a first approach a Au oxide film is prepared by high voltage (HV) electrolysis in a KOH solution, which is then reduced either electrochemically or in the presence of H₂O₂. The resulting NPG structures and their electrochemically active surface areas strongly depend on the reduction procedure, the concentration and temperature of the H₂O₂-containing KOH solution, as well as the applied voltage and temperature during HV electrolysis. Secondly, the NPG film can be prepared directly by applying voltages that result in anodic contact glow discharge electrolysis (aCGDE). By carefully adjusting the corresponding parameters, the surface area of the final NPG film can be specifically controlled. The structural properties of the electrodes are investigated by means of XPS, SEM and electrochemical methods.     

高效铂-纳米多孔金催化剂的设计和制备

使用去合金法制备了孔径和孔壁均匀的纳米多孔金(NPG)电极.研究发现NPG对甲酸、甲醛的氧化具有很高的电催化活性.如在NPG基体再沉积微量的铂,不仅明显改善了NPG的结构稳定性,而且由于Pt、Au两组分之间的协同效应而使该催化剂对有机小分子的电催化氧化具有比纯铂更高的催化活性和更强的抗催化毒物能力.     

Preparation, properties, and applications of n-pentenyl arabinofuranosyl donors

[reaction: see text] The development of n-pentenyl furanosyl donors has been tested using arabinose as a model. The readily prepared ortho ester (NPOE) is converted into disarmed (NPG(AC)) and thence armed (NPG(ALK)) n-pentenyl arabinofuranosides. The reactivities of these furanosyl donors and pyranosyl counterparts have been assessed by allowing pairs of both to compete for an acceptor. For the NPOE and armed (NPG(ALK)) pairs, coupling products were obtained from donors, whereas for the disarmed (NPG(AC)) pair, only the arabinofurano coupled product was obtained. To probe their synthetic utility, the NPOE was shown to be the only precursor needed to prepare an alpha-1,5-linked arabinan segment of the complex lipoarabinomannan cell wall array of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.     

Coordination of copper(II) ions by the fragments of neuropeptide gamma containing D1, H9, H12 residues and products of copper-catalyzed oxidation

A potentiometric, spectroscopic (UV-Vis, CD and EPR) and mass spectrometric (ESI-MS) study of Cu(II) binding to the (1-2,7-21)NPG, Asp(1)-Ala-Ile(7)-Ser-His(9)-Lys-Arg-His(12)-Lys-Thr-Asp-Ser-Phe-Val-Gly-Leu-Met(21)-NH(2), and Ac-(1-2,7-21)NPG, Ac-Asp(1)-Ala-Ile(7)-Ser-His(9)-Lys-Arg-His(12)-Lys-Thr-Asp-Ser-Phe-Val-Gly-Leu-Met(21)-NH(2), fragments of neuropeptide gamma were carried out. The results clearly indicate the stabilization of the 1 N {NH(2), β-COO(-)}, 2 N {NH(2), β-COO(-), N(Im)} and 3 N {NH(2), β-COO(-), 2N(Im)} complexes by the coordination of the β-carboxylate group of the D(1) residue. For the (1-2,7-21)NPG the CuH(2)L complex with 3 N {NH(2), β-COO(-), 2N(Im)}, the binding mode dominates in a wide pH range of 4-8.5. With the sequential increase of pH, deprotonated amide nitrogens are involved in copper coordination. For the Ac-(1-2,7-21)NPG peptide the imidazole nitrogen atoms are the primary metal binding sites forming macrochelates in the pH range 4 to 7. The CuHL complex with 4 N {N(Im), N(-), N(-), N(Im)} coordination mode is formed in pH range 6-9. Deprotonation and co-ordination of the third amide nitrogen were detected at pH ～8.6. Metal-catalyzed oxidation (MCO) of proteins is mainly a site-specific process in which one or a few amino acids at metal-binding sites on the protein are preferentially oxidized. To elucidate the products of the copper(II)-catalyzed oxidation of the (1-2,7-21)NPG and Ac-(1-2,7-21)NPG, the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method and Cu(II)/hydrogen peroxide as a model oxidizing system were employed. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide with 1?:?4 peptide-H(2)O(2) molar ratio for the Ac-(1-2,7-21)NPG peptide the oxidation of the methionine residue to methionine sulfoxide and for (1-2,7-21)NPG to sulfone was observed. For the Cu(II)-peptide-hydrogen peroxide in 1?:?1?:?4 molar ratio systems, oxidation of the histidine residues to 2-oxohistidines was detected. Under experimental conditions the (1-2,7-21)NPG and Ac-(1-2,7-21)NPG undergo fragmentations by cleavage of the S(8)-H(9), H(9)-K(10), R(11)-H(12) and H(12)-K(13) peptide bonds supporting the participation of the H(9) and H(12) residues in the coordination of copper(II) ions. For the (1-2,7-21)NPG peptide chain the involvement of the D(1) residue in the coordination of metal ions is supported by the alkoxyl radical modification of this amino acid residue.     

Electrooxidation of Glucose at Nanoporous Gold Surfaces: Structure Dependent Electrocatalysis and Its Application to Amperometric Detection

Electrooxidation of glucose is investigated at nanoporous gold (NPG) with controlled surface structures by applying different deposition charges during the formation of Ag? Au layers. As the deposition charge increases, the NPG surfaces exhibit smaller ligament/pore structures and the electrocatalytic oxidation of glucose becomes more effective. Voltammetric responses of NPG suggest that the electrocatalytic oxidation arises from the enrichment of (110) or (100) surface orientation of gold with higher deposition charges. The electrooxidation of glucose is retained at NPG surfaces with higher deposition charges in the presence of Cl^?, which suggests possible applications to the amperometric glucose detection in biological samples.     

Kinetic Control over Morphology of Nanoporous Graphene on Surface

On-surface synthesis of high-quality nanoporous graphene (NPG) for application in nanotechnology and nanodevices remains challenging. Rational design of molecular precursors and proper kinetic control over the reaction process are the two key factors to tune the synthesis. Herein, we report a detailed study of the coupling reactions of a planar halogen-substituted nanographene molecular precursor, hexaiodo-peri-hexabenzocoronene (I₆-HBC), on the Au(111) surface in the synthesis of NPG. The influence of three basic kinetic processes – molecular adsorption, migration, and coupling – on the synthesis was investigated. The results show that the HBC molecules deposited at low temperature predominantly desorb from the Au(111) surface during the annealing process, whereas depositing the precursor molecules onto a hot surface (700 K) can lead to the formation of NPG. However, at such a high surface temperature, simultaneous intermolecular dehydrogenative coupling between HBC monomers can hinder the ordered growth of NPG through Ullmann coupling. Moreover, the deposition rate of the precursors greatly influences the growth morphology of the NPG nanostructures.     

Electrochemical sensor for detection of p-nitrophenol based on nanoporous gold

Nanoporous gold (NPG) with uniform pore sizes and ligaments was prepared by a simple dealloying method. The as-prepared NPG samples were used as the working electrodes to investigate the redox behavior of p-nitrophenol (p-NP) by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Quite different from the voltammetric behavior of polycrystalline gold electrode, the CV profiles of NPG display a pair of nearly symmetric redox waves which are ascribed to the reaction of 4-(hydroxyamino)phenol/4-nitrosophenol couple. It is interesting that this pair of redox waves are hardly affected by the isomers of p-NP; and moreover, their peak areas are linear with the concentration of p-NP in the range from 0.25 to 10 mg dm^?3. Because of high sensitivity and good selectivity, NPG is expected to act as a promising electrochemical sensor material for detecting trace p-NP in wastewaters.     

基于纳米孔金与离子印迹聚合物结合的新型电化学传感器用于测定砷离子(III)

砷是一种有毒的化学元素,尤其对环境和人体健康有害. 因此,简单、快速和准确的砷离子（As³⁺）检测方法的开发引起了广泛的关注. 本项工作研究了基于离子印迹聚合物（MIP）和纳米多孔金（NPG）改性氧化铟锡（ITO）电极（MIP/NPG/ITO）用于检测不同水质中砷离子（As³⁺）测定的电化学传感器. 通过步骤简单、易操控、绿色环保的电沉积方法在ITO表面原位制备具有高导电,大比表面积,高生物相容性的NPG. 然后通过电聚合在NPG表面上原位合成一层MIP,其中As³⁺用作模板分子,邻苯二胺用作功能单体. 通过扫描电镜（SEM）和能谱仪（EDS）对MIP/NPG/ITO的制备过程进行了跟踪. 采用铁氰化钾与亚铁氰化钾螯合物作为电化学探针产生信号,采用循环伏安法（CV）和电化学阻抗谱（EIS）研究了MIP/NPG/ITO的电化学行为. 通过优化实验条件,采用循环伏安法对As³⁺进行了定量检测,其测量As³⁺的线性范围为2.0×10^-11至9.0×10^-9 mol·L^-1,检测下限为7.1×10^-12 mol·L^-1（S/N = 3）. 所构建传感器的检出限远低于10 ppb,符合世界卫生组织（WHO）和环境保护局（EPA）设定的饮用水标准. 另外,该传感器具有制备和确定步骤简单,重复性好,重现性和稳定性优异的优点. 值得一提的是,所制备的传感器已成功应用于测量景观河水、地下水、自来水和生活污水等四种水质中As³⁺. 可以预见,这种简单而廉价的传感器在环境监测,食品分析和临床诊断领域具有潜在的实际应用价值.     

Unexpected Imidazoquinoxalinone Annulation Products in the Photoinitiated Reaction of Substituted‐3‐Methyl‐Quinoxalin‐2‐Ones with N‐Phenylglycine

Photoinduced electron transfer between N ‐phenylglycine (NPG) and electronically excited triplets of 7‐substituted‐3‐methyl‐quinoxalin‐2‐ones in acetonitrile generate the respective ion radical pair, where by decarboxylation the phenyl‐amino‐alkyl radical, PhNHCH₂?, is generated. This radical reacts with the 3‐methyl‐quinoxalin‐2‐ones ground states, leading to the product 2. Other, unexpected, 7‐substituted‐1,2,3,3a‐tetrahydro‐3a‐methyl‐2‐phenylimidazo[1,5‐a]quinoxalin‐4(5H)‐ones, annulation products, 3a–f, were generated; likely by the addition of two PhNHCH₂? radicals, to positions 3 and 4 of the quinoxalin‐2‐ones. The reaction mechanism includes a photoinduced one electron transfer initiation step, propagation steps involving radical intermediates and NPG with radical chain termination steps that lead to the respective products 2a–f and 3a–f and NPG by‐products. The proposed mechanism accounts for the strong dependency found for the initial photoconsumption quantum yields on the electron‐withdrawing power of the substituent. Therefore, photolysis of common reactants widely used such as NPG and substituted quinoxalin‐2‐ones may provide a simple synthetic way to the unusual, unreported tetrahydro‐imidazoquinoxalinones 3a–f.     

Highly sensitive and selective electrochemical detection of L-cysteine using nanoporous gold

Nanoporous gold (NPG) with uniform pore sizes and ligaments was prepared by using a simple dealloying method. NPG electrodes exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of CySH and the mechanism for the electrochemical reaction of CySH on NPG has been discussed. Interestingly, if the operating potential is fixed at 0.65 V, a strong current is observed and interferences by tryptophan and tyrosine are avoided. The calibration plot is linear in the concentration range from 1 μM to 400 μM (R²?=?0.994), and the quantification limit is as low as 50 nM. The NPG-modified electrode has good reproducibility, high sensitivity and selectivity, can be used to sense CySH in aqueous solution.

Electrochemical Biosensor Based on Nanoporous Au/CoO Core–Shell Material with Synergistic Catalysis

An ultrathin CoO layer is deposited on the skeleton surfaces of a nanoporous gold (NPG) film by using atomic layer deposition, creating a flexible electrode. Detailed characterization demonstrates the superior performance of the flexible NPG/CoO hybrids for electrochemical catalysis. The NPG/CoO hybrid not only achieves high catalytic activity for glucose oxidation and H₂O₂ reduction, but also exhibits a linear dependence of the electrical signal on the concentration of glucose and H₂O₂ molecules in the electrolyte. Meanwhile, the sensitivity for H₂O₂ reduction can be as high as 62.5 μA mm ^?1 cm^?2 with linear dependence on the concentration in the range of 0.1–92.9 mm . The high sensitivity is proposed to result from the synergistic effect of Au and CoO at the interfaces, and the high conductivity of the gold skeleton with a large surface area. The superior electrochemical performance of this hybrid electrode is promising for future potential applications in various transitional‐metal‐oxide‐based electrochemical electrodes.