Electrochemical and sem characterization of Ag electrodes roughened by potential sweep and potential step processes in aqueous chloride and chloride + pyridine media

The effect of solution pH and the presence of pyridine on the redox behavior of Ag electrodes in aqueous chloride media is investigated. Scanning electron microscopy is used to evaluate differences in surface morphology of Ag electrodes subjected to electrochemical oxidation and oxidation—reduction processes in 0.1 M KCl and 0.1 M KCl + 0.05 M pyridine media at pH values of 2, 7, and 12. Potential sweep and potential step methods are used to effect the electrochemical oxidation and oxidation—reduction events. Comparisons are made between the resulting surface morphologies on the submicroscopic level for Ag surfaces roughened in these two ways. The redox chemistry of the oxidation and reduction processes is interpreted in terms of the different species capable of interacting with the Ag electrode surface and Ag⁺ species generated during oxidation in each medium. Surface adsorbates proposed to be important include chloride ions and pyridine. The relative importance of these species in terms of their ability to influence the redox chemistry of the Ag electrodes is seen to be a sensitive function of solution pH.     

Coupled Redox and pH Potentiometric Responses of Electrodes Coated with Polypyrrole

ABSTRACT

The coupled influence of solution acidity and redox electrolytes on the open-circuit potentials of polypyrrole-modified electrodes was studied by recording the potential vs. time dependencies. It was observed that doping anions affect the relative rate of the responses resulting from pH influence (pH response) and from the presence of a redox couple in the solution, such as Fe(III)/Fe(II) or Fe(CN)6^3-/4-(redox response). Separation of the pH and redox responses was possible for polypyrrole doped with large organic anions of weak acids (Tiron, sulphosalicylic acid, Indigo Carmine). In such cases, a very fast pH response was recorded after which the polymer potential relaxed to the solution redox potential in each case. The final stable potential was determined entirely by the potential of the redox couple in solution. The final potential was pH-independent unless the redox potential was influenced by solution acidity. The solution pH determines only the shape of the potential vs. the time dependence, e.g. much faster responses were observed for solutions with a higher H* concentration.     

Voltammetric and spectroscopic studies of pyrroloquinoline quinone coenzyme under neutral and basic conditions

The voltammetric and spectroscopic properties of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) have been investigated in the pH range from 5 to 13.5. PQQ gives a reversible cyclic voltammogram at the mercury electrode, which is ascribed to a two-step one-electron redox reaction of the o-quinone moiety. Digital simulation analysis of the reversible voltammogram made it possible to evaluate the standard redox potentials of the PQQ/pyrroloquinoline semiquinone (PQQ_sem) and PQQ_sem/pyyroloquinoline quinol (PQQ_red) couples. From the redox potential vs. pH relationships, the acid dissociation constants of PQQ, PQQ_sem, and PQQ_red have also been determined. The absorption and electron spin resonance spectroscopic properties are explained by the acid-base and redox equilibria proposed here.     

Voltammetric measurement of pH using a mixed self-assembly of macrocyclic nickel(II) complex and diimine on gold electrode

Redox active mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of a macrocyclic nickel complex, dinickel (II)(2,2^′-bis(1,3,5,8,12-pentaazacyclotetradec-3-yl)-diethyl disulfide (MNC) and a electrochemically derived diimine, 4^′-mercapto-N-phenylquinone diimine (NPQD) on gold electrode is used for the voltammetric measurement of solution pH (pH 6–9.4). The formal potential of MNC is insensitive to the solution pH and it serves as a reference molecule, whereas the redox reaction of NPQD is pH dependent and it serves as an indicator molecule. The formal potential of NPQD shifts −56 mV while changing the solution pH by one unit. The formal potential of the bifunctional self-assembly is insensitive to oxygen in solution and the dissolved oxygen does not interfere with the voltammetric measurement.     

Raman spectroelectrochemical study of Toluidine Blue,adsorbed and electropolymerized at a gold electrode

The redox dye Toluidine Blue (TB), adsorbed and electropolymerized at a roughened gold electrode, has been studied by Raman spectroscopy at λ_ex of 676.4 nm in an electrochemical cell. Most of the spectral bands have been assigned based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The number and position of the bands, as well as their intensity depend on electrode potential and solution pH, allowing one to discern different redox forms of TB or its polymer. Raman spectra, obtained in an acidic solution (pH 1.0) at a low electrode potential (−0.2 to 0.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl) are of low intensity, and correspond to the reduced (leucoform) of TB. At a higher potential (0.2–1.0 V), the intensity increases significantly, presumably due to resonance enhancement, and new bands appear, corresponding to oxidized form of TB. In a pH-neutral solution, the changes in spectra with varying electrode potential are less expressed. The observed changes in band positions and intensities have been analyzed.     

The voltammetric behaviour of solid 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) microparticles

The electrochemical behaviour of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) microparticles, attached to a graphite electrode and adjacent to an aqueous electrolyte solution, has been studied by cyclic voltammetry. DPPH exhibits one reversible redox couple with a formal potential of 0.340 V versus Ag|AgCl (pH=7.0). At more positive potentials, a redox couple appears with a formal potential E_f=0.733 V versus Ag|AgCl. The oxidation at this potential is followed by an irreversible chemical reaction generating a product which gives a redox couple with a formal potential at 0.177 V versus Ag|AgCl. The reduction process of this couple is followed by a slow chemical reaction in the course of which DPPH is reformed.     

364B - Multicomponent redox systems: potentiometric resolution of cytochrome c and c1 in yeast mitochondria

In the preceding paper a new method has been presented to study multicomponent redox systems such as the cytochromes of the respiratory chain. This method, based on an analytical relationship A(U_h) between the absorbance and the redox potential of the observed system, is applied in the present work to the study of the c-type cytochromes in yeast mitochondria.Absorbance values were collected by two distinct optical techniques: dual wavelength and rapid scan spectrometry. Spectra recorded by rapid scan spectrometry exhibited a wavelength dependent background change during the redox titrations and had to be corrected before analysis.Analysis of data provided by dual wavelength spectrometry revealed pitfalls in this technique when applied to membraneous systems. The corresponding absorbance values were therefore considered unreliable for the analysis.From the titrations involving rapid scan spectrometry two species were resolved with U_m1 = 285 ± 5 mV and U_m2 = 220 ± 10 mV at pH 7.2 and 20 °C. These values are identical to the ones of isolated cytochromes c and c₁ respectively. The individual difference spectra have been calculated in the α region; their maxima are located at 551 and 553 nm for the high and low potential species respectively.The two resolved compounds have been identified with cytochrome c and cytochrome c₁. This has been confirmed by titrating mitochondria from a mutant lacking cytochrome c.     

Voltammetric studies of the activity of an electrode made of a graphite-epoxy composite in redox reactions of ascorbic acid and hydroquinone

The potentials of the anodic peak of ascorbic acid oxidation and the potential differences of anodic and cathodic peaks (ΔE _p) of the hydroquinone/benzoquinone redox system at an electrode made of a graphite-epoxy composite are determined in weakly acidic and neutral supporting electrolytes by direct and cyclic voltammetry. The results obtained are compared with thermodynamic values and with the available values of these parameters at different solid electrodes for the above-mentioned redox systems. The effect of aging of the surface of electrodes made of graphite-epoxy composites on the potentials and peak currents of the anodic oxidation of ascorbic acid are studied. It is demonstrated that the regeneration of the electrode surface by mechanically cutting thin layers is important for reducing the δE _p value of the hydroquinone/benzoquinone redox system down to 28–30 mV in supporting electrolytes with pH 2.0 and 7.0. This value is typical of thermodynamically reversible electrode reactions involving two-electron transfer at 20–25°C.     

Phosphate and arsenate electro-insertion processes into a N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctylphenylenediamine redox liquid

The electro-insertion of ions is a well-known phenomenon, which allows the transfer of anions or cations across phase boundaries to be monitored and driven electro-chemically. Extremely hydrophilic anions, such as phosphate and arsenate, are not usually observed to undergo electro-insertion. It is shown here that at organic redox liquid|water|electrode triple interfaces these anions can be forced electro-chemically to transfer into organic media.The transfer process of phosphate anions from aqueous buffer solutions into organic microdroplets of the redox liquid N,N,N^′,N^′-tetraoctylphenylenediamine (TOPD) is pH and concentration sensitive. It is shown that phosphate is transferred in the form of PO₄HK⁻ in the presence of phosphate buffer. Two distinct potential regions are identified and attributed to (i) interfacial redox processes at the liquid|liquid interface associated with deprotonation and (ii) bulk redox processes associated with anion transfer from the aqueous to the organic phase.The comparison of phosphate and arsenate electro-insertion processes suggests that arsenate is less hydrophilic and transferred into the organic phase preferentially.     

Analysis of a high redox potential heme in tetraheme cytochrome c3 by direct electrochemistry

Cytochrome c₃ from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Miyazaki F), a redox protein, contains four bis-histidine-coordinated hemes and has lower redox potential than other heme proteins. Direct electrochemical measurements of cytochrome c₃ were carried out using a pyrolytic graphite edge (PGE) electrode. A low redox potential, already measured by redox titration, and a high redox potential (− 245 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) were observed at room temperature. The high redox potential of cytochrome c₃ was similar to that observed for the loss of an axial ligand at heme. To investigate the loss of the histidine ligand, we explored the electrochemistry of four cytochrome c₃ mutants, in which the sixth coordinated histidine was replaced by methionine. The electrochemistry of the cytochrome c₃ mutants indicated that only Heme III undergoes loss of its axial histidine ligand.     

Electrochemical oxidation of l-cysteine mediated by a fullerene-C60-modified carbon electrode

Use of a glassy carbon electrode modified by adhered microcrystals of fullerene-C₆₀ mediates the oxidation of cysteine in the presence of aqueous potassium-containing electrolytes. Under conditions of cyclic voltammetry, the potential for the oxidation of cysteine is lowered by approximately 100 mV and current is enhanced significantly relative to the situation prevailing when a bare glassy carbon electrode is used. Additional mediation occurs when the potential range covered includes that of C₆₀/C₆₀ⁿ⁻ redox couples. The sensitivity under condition of cyclic voltammetry is significantly dependent on pH, temperature and C₆₀ dosage. Excellent analytical and/or recovery data are obtained with vitamin pill, cassamino acid (hydrolyzed casein) and for a range of beverages.     

The electrode responses of a tungsten bronze electrode differ in potentiometry and voltammetry and give access to the individual contributions of electron and proton transfer

A tungsten wire covered with Na_0.75WO₃ acts in potentiometry as a reversible pH electrode having a pH dependent open-circuit potential E_ocp with nernstian slope. The mid-peak potential E_mp of cyclic voltammograms also depends on pH. At low pH (e.g., pH 2) and slow scan rates (e.g., 2 mV s^–1) the voltammetric response is almost completely reversible. At higher pH and faster scan rates, the voltammetric systems exhibit features of increasing irreversibility. Under the conditions of reversibility, the E_ocp and E_mp differ significantly. E_ocp is determined by the proton transfer at the electrode surface; whereas E_mp is determined by the electron transfer equilibrium tungsten(VI)/tungsten(V) and the proton transfer at the electrode surface. The difference between E_ocp and E_mp provides the individual thermodynamic contributions of electron and proton transfer to the overall pH dependent redox electrode. This is the first time that both contributions can be separated for an insertion electrochemical system (thin surface layer). It is also shown for the first time that the mechanism of an ion-sensitive electrode can differ in potentiometry and voltammetry.     

Spectrophotometric and potentiometric study of the acid—base equilibria of indophenols in aqueous media

Six indophenols, with redox and acid—base indicator properties, have been examined by spectrophotometric and potentiometric methods. By analysing the absorption spectra obtained at different pH values, three independent values were obtained for their K_Ox dissociation constants, which are closely related to their properties as acid—base indicators. Three of the indophenols have also been examined by acid—base and redox potentiometric titrations. All K_Ox and E° values agree well with polarographic values. The use of these substances as visual acid—base and redox indicators is discussed.     

Study of redox behavior of Cd(II) and interaction of Cd(II) with proline in the aqueous medium using cyclic voltammetry

The redox behavior of Cd(II) and the interaction of Cd(II) with cyclic amino acid, proline, have been studied in 0.1 M KCl, 0.1 M NaClO₄ and acetate buffer of different pH. The CVs were recorded at glassy carbon electrode within the potential window 200 and ?1500 mV. The reference and counter electrode used were Ag/AgCl and Pt wire, respectively. The cyclic voltammograms show one pair of cathodic and anodic peaks for the Cd(II)/Cd(0) system indicating the involvement of two electron transfer processes. The peak potential shift and charge transfer rate constant (k_f) values strongly support the interaction between metal and ligand. The higher value of peak current ratio and peak potential separation (ΔE) indicate that the systems are quasireversible. The effect of supporting electrolyte and concentration of electro active species on the interaction were also studied.     

Electrochemistry of self-assembled monolayers of the blue copper protein Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin on Au(111)

We report the self-assembly and electrochemical behaviour of the blue copper protein Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin on Au(111) electrodes in aqueous acetate buffer (pH=4.6). The formation of monolayers of this protein is substantiated by electrochemical measurements. Capacitance results indicate qualitatively that the protein is strongly adsorbed at sub-μM concentrations in a broad potential range (about 700 mV). This is further supported by the attenuation of a characteristic cyclic voltammetric peak of Au(111) in acetate solution with increasing azurin concentration. Reductive desorption is clearly disclosed in NaOH solution (pH=13), strongly suggesting that azurin is adsorbed via its disulphide group. An anodic peak and a cathodic peak associated with the copper centre of azurin are finally observed in the differential pulse voltammograms. These peaks are, interestingly, indicative of long-range electrochemical electron transfer such as paralleled by intramolecular electron transfer between the disulphide anion radical and the copper atom in homogeneous solution, and anticipated by theoretical frames. Together with reported in situ scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) results they constitute the first case for electrochemistry of self-assembled monolayers of azurin, even redox proteins. This integrated investigation provides a new approach to both structure and function of adsorbed redox metalloproteins at the molecular level.     

On choosing a reference redox system for electrochemical measurements: a cautionary tale

The potential of a quasi-reference electrode can be determined by introducing an internal reference redox system (IRRS) which comprises either the oxidizable or reducible form of a reversible (and, ideally, outer-sphere) redox couple and then observing the cyclic voltammetric responses. The objective is to choose the IRRS so that the cyclic voltammetric response for the simultaneously present electroactive analyte system (ANS) can be observed independently of the IRRS response. We identify three fundamental paradigms describing the relative positioning of the IRRS and ANS on the potential scale, the operative redox components for the IRRS and ANS, and the starting potential (E _start), reversing potential (E _rev), and ending potential (E _end) for the cyclic voltammetric scan as follows: paradigm A, an optimal paradigm which can produce completely independent cyclic voltammetric responses for the IRRS or for ANS; paradigm B, a less-than-optimal paradigm which can produce an independent cyclic voltammetry (CV) response for the ANS or a mixed response for the IRRS with that response on top of the ANS response; paradigm C, a problematic paradigm that can produce an independent CV response for the IRRS or a mixed response for the ANS with that response on top of the IRRS response; and any mixed response produces a thermodynamically favored redox cross-reaction which couples the IRRS and ANS systems and which can complicate the analysis of the ANS and IRRS responses. The conclusion is that paradigm C is to be avoided.     

Electrochemical characterization of the redox couple of Fe(III)/Fe(II) mediated by grafted polymer electrode

A new grafted polymer electrode (GPE) (polystyrene as polymer) was grafted with acrylonitrile as a monomer using gamma irradiation to produce a new grafted polymer. The redox process of K₃Fe(CN)₆ during cyclic voltammetry was studied by the new GPE. The ratio of Ipc/Ipa >1 of GPE to GCE Ipc/Ipa = 1.7, indicating that this electrode is a reversible electrode and can be used in conductivity studies by voltammetric analysis. The physical properties of the new electrode GP have good hardness, insolubility, and stability at different high temperatures and at different pH. Also, the sensitivity under conditions of cyclic voltammetry is significantly dependent on pH, electrolyte, and scan rate. At different scan rates, two oxidation peaks and two reduction peaks of Fe(III) were observed in a reversible process: Fe(III) Fe(II), and Fe(II) Fe(0). Interestingly, the redox reaction of Fe(III) solution using GPE remained constant even after 15 cycles. It is therefore evident that the GPE possesses some degree of stability. The potential use of the grafted polymer as a useful electrode material is therefore clearly evident.     

Simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid,dopamine and serotonin at poly(phenosafranine) modified electrode

The oxidation of phenosafranine at glassy carbon electrode gives rise to stable redox active electropolymerized film containing a polyazine moiety (poly(phenosafranine)). The redox response of the poly(phenosafranine) film was observed at the modified electrode at different pH and the pH dependence of the peak potential is 60 mV/pH, which is very close to the expected Nernstian behavior. The apparent diffusion coefficient (D_app) of poly(phenosafranine) film was measured as 2.51 × 10⁻⁹ cm²/s. This film exhibits potent and persistent electron-mediating behavior followed by well-separated oxidation peaks towards ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and serotonin with activation overpotential, which is 200 mV lower than that of the bare electrode for AA oxidation. Using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) studies, the limit of detection of DA in the presence of AA is estimated to be in the submicromolar regime. This method has been used for determining DA and AA concentrations in real samples with satisfactory results.     

Electrochemical behavior of glassy carbon electrodes modified by electrochemical oxidation

Glassy carbon electrodes were modified electrochemically by pretreatment in sulfate, phosphate or carbonate solutions by means of cycling the potential well into the positive limit of the solvent. Electrodes treated in this manner were then used to incorporate and concentrate a variety of redox species that were either cations or aromatic containing compounds, including Ru(bpy)²⁺₃, Ru(NH₃)³⁺₆, Cu(NH₃)²⁺₄, ferrocene, methylviologen, 1,4-benzoquinone, anthraquinone-2-sulfonate, riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). Surface-equivalent concentrations ranged from 5 × 10^?9 to 1 × 10^?7 mol cm^?2 for electrodes pretreated for 10 min in sulfuric acid. An E_1/2 vs. pH study of 1,4-benzoquinone, riboflavin, FMN and FAD in modified electrodes shows that the pK_a values shift toward higher pH (nearly 2 pH units). Results concerning the incorporation of redox compounds detected only by mediation with other electroactive complexes and the study of the modified electrodes in electrocatalysis are also discussed.     

Redox behavior of juglone in buffered aq.: Ethanol media

The present work reports the redox mechanism of 5-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione (HND), commonly known as juglone, in buffered aqueous media having 50% of ethanol. HND followed different mechanistic routes depending upon the pH of the media and more than one pK_a were evaluated from the changes in the slope of the E_p vs. pH plot. The change of pH from acidic to neutral conditions was found to switch the mechanism from CEC to EE mechanism. Pulse techniques were utilized to determine the number of electrons involved in the oxidation and/or the reduction step and to ensure the nature of the redox process. Based upon the obtained results, an electrode reaction mechanism was proposed. Computational studies of HND supported the experimental results. UV-Visible spectroscopy was also employed for the detailed characterization of the compound in a wide range of pH and for the determination of its pK_a.