Electrochemical studies for the electroactivity of amine-capped aniline trimer on the anticorrosion effect of as-prepared polyimide coatings

The electroactive polyimide consisting of various content of amine-capped aniline trimers (ATs) have been successfully synthesized and characterized by Fourier-Transformation infrared and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The electroactivity of as-prepared polyimides was tested by electrochemical cyclic voltammetry (CV) studies. It was noticed that the as-prepared electroactive polyimide with higher content of amine-capped ATs shows higher electroactivity (i.e., larger redox current) than that of non-electroactive polyimide, leading to enhance corrosion protection efficiency on cold-rolled steel (CRS) electrodes. This enhanced corrosion protection efficiency has been explained based on a series of electrochemical measurements such as corrosion potential, polarization resistance, corrosion current and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies in 5 wt-% NaCl electrolyte. This significant enhancement of corrosion protection on CRS electrodes as compared to non-electroactive polyimide might probably be attributed to the redox catalytic property of as-prepared electroactive polyimide coatings inducing the formation of passive layer of metal oxide.     

Electroanalytical and spectroscopic characterization of poly(o-phenylenediamine) grown on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

The polymerization of ortho-phenylenediamine (o-PD) on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) at different pH (1,3,5,7) was investigated by electroanalytical and spectroscopic methods. Cyclic voltammetry was used both to polymerize o-PD and to study the electroactivity of the resulting poly(ortho-phenylenediamine) (PPD) film. A redox couple associated to the PPD electroactivity, deeply influenced by the pH adopted during polymerization, was recorded. A correlation between this feature and the electrochemistry shown by the oligomers of o-PD, generated in solution during the polymer synthesis, was also found. A comparison between the absorption spectra, in the visible region, of the soluble oligomers and of the PPD films was also performed, suggesting that changes in both the polymer and the oligomer structure occur and are highly related to the polymerization pH. In particular, a higher degree of conjugation is exhibited by the PPD films electrosynthesised at lower pH and this likely explains the higher conductivity as well as the higher electroactivity shown by the material obtained in these conditions.     

Novel guests for porous columnar thin films: the switchable perchlorinated trityl radical derivatives

TiO(2) and SiO(2) porous thin films consisting of tilted nanocolumns prepared by glancing angle evaporation (GLAD) have been infiltrated with guest derivatives belonging to the family of perchlorinated trityl radicals, novel guest molecules presenting an open-shell electronic configuration associated with paramagnetism, fluorescence, and electroactivity. The main driving forces for infiltration from aqueous solutions of the carboxylate-substituted radical derivatives are the electrostatic interactions between their negative charge and the net positive charges induced on the film pores. Positive charges on the internal surface of the films were induced by either adjusting the radical solution pH at values lower than the point of zero charge (PZC) of the oxide or passivating the nanocolumns oxide surface with a positively charged aminosilane. The infiltrated composite thin films are robust and easy to handle thanks to the physical protection exerted by the film columns. They also keep the multifunctionality of the used guests, as confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), UV-vis spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. To prove the electroactivity of the infiltrated porous films, a porous TiO(2) host layer was supported onto conductive indium tin oxide (ITO). By application of an appropriate redox potential, the guest radical molecules have been reversibly switched from their open-shell electronic configuration to their diamagnetic state and hence changed their optical properties. On the basis of these results, it is herein proposed that the appropriate surface functionalization of the pore internal surface of GLAD thin films can be used to prepare novel radical-oxide composite thin films usable for the development of robust switchable electrically driven photonic and magnetic devices.     

PANI膜电聚合过程及电控分离苯酚的EQCM研究

通过电沉积方法在镀铂石英晶片上制备了导电聚苯胺(PANI)膜,采用电化学石英晶体微天平(EQCM)技术探讨了苯胺聚合机制及在苯酚溶液中的氧化还原特性.在0.5 mol/L硫酸溶液中结合循环伏安法考察了PANI膜在完全还原态(L)-半氧化态(E)-完全氧化态(P)之间的电活性和稳定性;在不同浓度的苯酚溶液中结合恒电压阶跃...     

Using the rotating disk electrode for evaluating film porosity of conductive polymers

Conductive polymer (poly-o-phenylenediamine and poly-3-methylthiophene) films were synthesized on a rotating disk electrode. Dependences of the limiting penetration currents on the nature of the polymer and film thickness were obtained in solutions containing electroactive substances (hydroquinone, quinone) reducing or oxidiring at redox potentials beyond the range of polymer electroactivity (selected by adjusting the pH value). The transport of hydroquinone and quinone test species through the pores in polymer films was examined based on the results of these studies, and the degree of film porosity was evaluated.     

Self-assembly of S-layer-enveloped cytochrome c polyelectrolyte multilayers

We report a study of the electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly of electroactive polyelectrolyte multilayers incorporating the redox protein cytochrome c (cyt c) combined with recrystallization of the bacterial cell wall surface layer from Bacillus sphaericus CCM 2177 SbpA (S-layer). The polyelectrolyte multilayer assembly was prepared on flat gold electrodes with a nanometer-scale roughness that allowed monitoring of the film formation throughout all the assembly stages by atomic force microscopy measurements in liquid with respect to topography and forces. The deposition of alternating layers of sulfonated polyaniline and cyt c was carried out by adsorption from the corresponding solutions on a cyt c monolayer electrode. The electroactivity of cyt c within the assembly was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry. We showed that the surface properties of the electrode terminating layer change after each adsorption step accordingly. We also found that S-layer recrystallization on the top of the multilayer film was feasible while electroactivity of cyt c within a polyelectrolyte matrix was partially maintained. This approach offers a new strategy to design a biocompatible and permselective outer envelope of a polyelectrolyte multilayer, promising sensor applications.     

血红素修饰电极及其催化氧还原性质

金属大环络合物（卟啉、酞箐、维生素Ｂ_(１２)等）修饰电极对氧、一氧化氮和其它生物物质的催化作用［１－３］引起了化学工作者的极大兴趣,血红素是一种重要的铁卟啉化合物,是血液中血红蛋白的重要组成部分,承担携氧的任务,由于其特殊的生理功能,研究血红素修饰电极的性质和作用对进一步研究开发燃料电池具有很重大的意义．卟啉在电极上的修饰有多种方法,当卟啉或金属卟啉环侧链上具有苯氨基、苯酚基、乙烯基或吡咯等取代基时［３］,可采用电氧化聚合法制备聚卟啉膜．本文采用循环伏安法在水溶液中制备了聚血红素膜电极,研究了聚…     

纳米结构TiO2/聚3-甲基噻吩多孔膜电极光电化学研究

用光电流作用谱、光电流-电势图、紫外-可见吸收光谱等光电化学方法研究了导电玻璃(ITO)/TiO₂/聚3-甲基噻吩(PMT)电极的光电转换性质. 结果表明, PMT膜为p型半导体, 其禁带宽度为1.93 eV. 并通过循环伏安和光电化学方法确定了其导带位置为－3.44 eV, 价带为－5.37 eV, 在纳米TiO₂与PMT之间存在p-n异质结, ITO/TiO₂/PMT电极不仅提高了光电流, 而且使产生光电流的起始波长红移至＞600 nm, 从而提高了宽禁带半导体的光电转换效率.     

Fast reversible electron transfer for photosynthetic reaction center from wild type Rhodobacter sphaeroides re-constituted in polycation sandwiched monolayer film

Direct reversible electron transfer for photosynthetic reaction center from wild type Rhodobacter sphaeroides re-constituted in polycation sandwiched monolayer film was observed in this work. The redox potential E0' = 0.46 V vs. NHE for first primary donor redox couple P/P+ was accurately measured from reversible CV or SWV peaks, which were quite close to those obtained from optic redox titration method. Reaction center (RC) in film was found re-constituted in such an ordered way that the orientation of RC favored the electron transfer in film. Thus, the protein electroactivity seems to be turned on in this artificial biomimic thin film. Furthermore, RC in the film features a photo-induced redox-peak fluctuation, suggesting an intact and functional state for RC in such film. Redox peaks were also found dependent of pH, implying a proton-coupled electron transfer occurring in film. Charge recombination was observed accompanied with change of electrochemical driving force. Electrochemical model assuming several classes of electroactive sites in the films on the electrode with a dispersion of standard potentials successfully fits SWV experimental data at different pulse height and frequency.     

表面吸附质对银亚胶体吸光特性的影响

纯银溶胶在390nm处有一吸收峰。当银溶胶吸附了1-苯基-5-巯基四氮唑(PMT)或2-巯基苯骈噻唑(MBT)时, 银溶胶由亮黄色转变为橙红色, 即在510～550nm处出现一个新的吸收峰。研究发现, 卤素离子在银溶胶颗粒上与PMT和MBT有竞争吸附作用。但是卤离子对银溶胶的光谱吸收的影响完全不同于PMT和MBT。在讨论这种差别时应首先考虑金属银溶胶颗粒表面性质因吸附不同物质所产生的变化。     

Insights into the formation and operation of polyaniline sulfonate/cytochrome c multilayer electrodes: contributions of polyelectrolytes' properties

The multilayer formation of two different sulfonated polyanilines with cytochrome c is presented and mechanistic aspects of the contributions of the polyelectrolytes' properties to the characteristics of the assemblies are discussed. These two modified polymers, PASA1 and PASA2 are chemically synthesized and differ in the grade of sulfonation, substitution, and the chain length of the polymer. The influence of these properties on the multilayer assembly with cytochrome c is studied in detail by Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) technique and Cyclic Voltammetry (CV). It is shown that the multilayer formation is successful, however, the redox activity of polyanilines itself has to be taken into account. In the case of a strong redox activity (PASA2) voltammetric analysis allows the separation of redox processes addressed to the polyelectrolyte and cyt c. For multilayers with PASA1 as building block electroactivity can be predominantly attributed to cyt c ensuring a high amount of electroactive protein and a low probability for interfering redox reaction, making this system suitable for biosensor applications.     

基于聚硫堇膜对DNA杂交的直接电化学检测

In this work, the application of a conducting polymer, poly（thionine）, modified electrode as matrix to DNA immobilization as well as transducer to label-free DNA hybridization detection was introduced. The electropolymerization of thionine onto electrode surface was carried out by a simple two-step method, which involved a preanodization of glassy carbon electrode at a constant positive potential in thionine solution following cyclic voltammetry scans in the solution. Electrochemical detection was performed by differential pulse voltammetry in the electroactivity potential domain of poly（thionine）. The resulting poly（thionine） modified electrode showed a good stability and electroactivity in aqueous media during a near neutral pH range. Additionally, the pendant amino groups on the poly（thionine） chains enabled poly（thionine） modified electrode to immobilize phosphate group terminated DNA probe via covalent linkage. Hybridization process induced a clear decrease in poly（thionine） redox current, which was corresponding to the decrease in poly（thionine） electroactivity after double stranded DNA was formed on the polymer film. The detection limit of this electrochemical DNA hybridization sensor was 1.0 × 10^-10mol/L. Compared with complementary sequence, the hybridization signal values of 1-base mismatched and 3-base mismatched samples were 63.9% and 9.2%, respectively.     

Crown-tetrathiafulvalenes attached to a pyrrole or an EDOT unit: synthesis, electropolymerization and recognition properties

A crown-tetrathiafulvalene electroactive receptor has been covalently linked to electropolymerizable pyrrole or 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene monomers. The synthetic route to the monofonctionalized tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) ligand has been optimized. Two derivatives of pyrrole (N- and 3-substituted) were synthesized. The various substituted monomers have been electropolymerized to produce polypyrrole (PP) and poly(ethylenedioxothiophene) (PEDOT) films bearing the electroactive TTF moiety. The electroactivity of the polymer films is efficiently controlled by the well-defined two-step redox behavior of the TTF unit. In the case of PEDOT, an alternative post-polymerization derivatization strategy has been used, involving the grafting of the crown-TTF ligand on the previously grown PEDOT backbone. Though chemical derivatization is realized under heterogeneous conditions, in the bulk of the film, this strategy proved to be particularly efficient. These electrodes constitute the first examples of conducting polymer-based modified electrodes incorporating a TTF electrochemical probe, able to interact with a guest ion, such as Ba2+. The cation recognition properties of these various electrodes have been analyzed by cyclic voltammetry and their electroactivity in water as well as their regeneration capability have been investigated.     

pH-dependent behaviors of electroactive myoglobin loaded into layer-by-layer films assembled with alginate and hydroxyethyl cellulose ethoxylate

In the present work, strong polybase quaternized hydroxyethyl cellulose ethoxylate (HECE) and weak polyacid alginate (AA) were assembled into {HECE/AA} n layer-by-layer (LBL) films on electrodes by electrostatic interaction between them, and the films were then immersed in myoglobin (Mb) solution to load Mb into the films, designated as {HECE/AA}n-Mb. The {HECE/AA}n-Mb films showed a nearly reversible cyclic voltammetric (CV) peak pair at about -0.34 V vs SCE in pH 7.0 buffers for Mb heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple, and the surface concentration of electroactive Mb in the films (Gamma*) was affected significantly by the pH of Mb loading solution and testing solution. The amount of Mb loaded from pH 5.0 solution was much larger than that from pH 9.0 solution, which is mainly attributed to the higher degree of swelling, porosity, and permeability of {HECE/AA}n films at pH 5.0 than at pH 9.0. In addition, the electrostatic interaction between Mb and the AA component in the films might also play an important role in Mb loading. The pH of the testing solution where {HECE/AA}n-Mb films were tested by CV also influenced the Gamma* value, showing that the fraction of electroactive Mb among the total Mb loaded into the films increased remarkably as the pH of the testing solution decreased. This result is rationalized in terms of the pH-dependent film permeability toward counterions and the electron-hopping mechanism in electron transfer of redox proteins in the film phase. This model system may provide a general and effective approach to control the electroactivity of immobilized redox proteins in the multilayer assembly containing weak polyions by adjusting pH and may guide us to develop the new kind of controllable electrochemical biosensors based on the direct electrochemistry of enzymes.     

Magnetic hybrid modified electrodes, based on magnetite nanoparticle containing polyaniline and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)

In this paper, we report on the direct electrodeposition of magnetic hybrids based on magnetite nanoparticle containing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polyaniline (PANI) in the presence of magnetite and the special conducting electrolyte, potassium tetraoxalate. The optimal electropolymerization processes (monitored by scanning electron microscopy) were performed potentiostatically, and the incorporation of the iron oxide into the polymeric film was demonstrated by Diffuse Reflectance UV-Visible Spectroscopy (DR-UV?Cvis) and transmission electron microscopic measurements. Electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance proved that both the neat PEDOT and the PEDOT/magnetite hybrid show anion exchange behaviour. Cyclic voltammetric features of the polymers and their hybrids exhibited an enhanced redox capacity of the composites. The difference in the effect of the scanning rate on this capacity increase in the two cases could be interpreted by the assumption that the presence of magnetite manifests dominantly in the enhanced intrinsic electroactivity of PANI, while in the case of the PEDOT composite, the extra charge is more connected to the charge surplus originating from the redox activity of the nanoparticles.     

Effect of the electropolymerisation conditions on the electrochemical, morphological and structural properties of PEDOTh films

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOTh) films were deposited on platinum electrodes by consecutive potential scanning from acetonitrile solutions with 50 mM EDOTh. The effect of the supporting electrolyte used during electropolymerisation, namely LiClO₄, TBAClO₄ and TBAPF₆, in the redox behaviour, surface morphology and degree of crystallinity of the films has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry, X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The use of LiClO₄ leads to a higher electropolymerisation efficiency and an increase of electroactivity and crystallinity of the polymers. This electrolyte promotes the formation of a more compact morphology with clusters of different sizes. The film porosity increases when Li⁺ is substituted by a larger cation, TBA⁺. The PEDOTh layer obtained with as counter ion is more porous than the obtained with and presents a fibrillar aspect. The influence of the scan rate was also studied for films obtained in TBAClO₄, and high electropolymerisation efficiency and an increase of crystallinity were observed for a low scan rate. PEDOTh films with different number of growing cycles were obtained in LiClO₄, pointing their redox behaviour to structural rearrangement during thickening; the thicker film presents higher structural organization. It was possible to prepare films in different conditions, but with the same electroactivity, showing the same structural arrangement.     

On the application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to study the self-healing properties of protective coatings

Active corrosion protection based on self-healing of defects in coatings is a vital issue for development of new advanced corrosion protection systems. However, there is a significant lack of experimental protocols, which can be routinely used to reveal the self-healing ability and to study the active corrosion protection properties of organic and hybrid coatings.The present work demonstrates the possibility to use EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) for investigation of the self-healing properties of protective coatings applied on a metal surface. The model EIS experiments supported by SVET (scanning vibrating electrode technique) measurements show that an increase of low frequency impedance during immersion in the corrosive medium is related to the suppression of active corrosion processes and healing of the corroded areas. Thus, EIS can effectively be employed as a routine method to study the self-repair properties of different protective systems. The 2024 aluminium alloy coated with hybrid sol–gel film was used as a model system to study the healing of artificial defects by an organic inhibitor (8-hydroxyquinoline).     

Synthesis of palladium–polypyrrole nanocomposite and its electrocatalytic properties in the oxidation of formaldehyde

Three alternative methods were developed for the synthesis of modifying palladium–polypyrrole layers on the surface of an inert electrode. Their electrocatalytic activity toward formaldehyde under inert atmosphere was checked. All the suggested methods are one-stage and allow synthesis of a film on the electrode surface from a solution containing a palladium salt and pyrrole in the absence of other active reagents. The electrochemical methods (potentiodynamic and double cathodic and anodic pulses techniques) in an aqueous medium give films with poorly reproducible electrocatalytic properties, while the chemical redox synthesis affords films with reproducibly high electroactivity toward methylene glycolate.     

Effect of interphase interaction within zinc-filled composite coating on the potential of the cathodic protection of steel

The potential of cathodic protection of steel with composite coatings based on polystyrene (PS) filled by highly dispersed powders of zinc (Zn) of different forms and dispersivities is investigated. The potential for all PS/Zn systems with a low content of filler is shown to be less than for pure metal; as some critical value (the percolation threshold) is reached, the negative values of potential increase abruptly and become higher in absolute value than the potential of pure metal. The threshold zinc contents are found to depend on the particle shape and rise from 9 to 30 vol% upon transitioning from spear-shaped to spherical particles. The electrochemical protection properties of a composite coating are correlate with the enthalpy of mixing of filled composites. The enthalpy of mixing in regions of low filling is shown to be negative, indicating strong interphase interaction; that in regions of high filling is positive. The positive enthalpy of mixing corresponds to compositions that generate the potential of cathodic protection. It is found that an increase in the concentration range of positive values of a composition’s enthalpy of mixing occurs symbatically with a decrease in the threshold concentration of metallic zinc within the composition. We conclude that cathodic protection by zinc-filled polymeric composites is due to weak interphase interaction that results in the aggregation of particles of metallic zinc within a polymeric matrix and the appearance of an infinite cluster. In the case of PS/Zn compositions, it is shown that the infinite cluster appears at enthalpies of mixing greater than 0.6 J/g of the composition.     

QCM and EC-SPR Studies of Cytochrome cSelf-assembled on Au Electrode and Enhancement of SPR Signal by Au Nanoparticles

Quartz crystal microbalance(QCM) and cyclic voltammetry(CV) were used to characterize the monolayer of cytochrome c(Cyt c), which was adsorbed on gold film modified with alkanethiol mixed monolayer. A direct comparison of protein surface coverages calculated from QCM and cyclic voltammetric measurements illustrates that the ratio of the electroactive Cyt c to the total surface-confined Cyt cis 34%, which suggests that the orientation is a main factor affecting the electroactivity of Cyt c. Moreover, surface plasmon resonance(SPR) measurement combined with CV “in situ” was used to investigate the conformational change of Cyt c in the redox process. Besides, Au nanoparticles(Au NPs) were adsorbed on the surface of Cyt c. The result indicates that Au NPs promote electron transfer between Cyt c and the gold electrode, and SPR result suggests Au NPs enhance SPR signal.