Electroanalytical Study of Prussian Blue Modified Glassy Carbon Paste Electrodes

Two types of glassy carbon (GC) powder (i.e., Sigradur K and Sigradur G) have been mixed with mineral oil to obtain glassy carbon paste electrodes (GCPE's). The electrochemical behavior of such electrodes at different percentages of glassy carbon has been evaluated with respect to the electrochemistry of ferricyanide as revealed with cyclic voltammetry and the best paste composition was chosen. GC was then modified with Prussian Blue (PB), mixed at different percentages with unmodified GC and with a fixed amount of mineral oil in order to obtain PB modified glassy carbon paste electrodes (PB‐GCPE's). PB‐GCPE's with different percentages of GC modified with PB (PB‐GC) were compared and the dependence on the amount of PB on their performances was evaluated by studying the parameters of cyclic voltammetry (i.e., current peak, ΔE_p, anodic and cathodic current ratio, charge density) and the amperometric response to H₂O₂. Data interpretation based on the GC surface area is presented. GCPE's with a selected amount of PB‐GC were then tested as H₂O₂ probes and all the analytical parameters together with the dependence on pH were evaluated. Some preliminary experiments with these electrodes assembled as glucose, lysine and lactate biosensors are also reported.     

Citrate selectivity of poly(neutral red) electropolymerized films

The synthesis and the spectroscopic and potentiometric characterization of electropolymerized films obtained from neutral red (NR) on Pt surface are described. FT Raman and NMR spectroscopy were used for evaluation of the resulting poly(NR) layers. Then potentiometry was applied to study the characteristics of the complexation of carboxylates with the poly(NR) films. A potentiometric poly(NR) sensor showing high selectivity for citrate anion was employed for its determination in soft drinks.     

磺胺甲恶唑在二硫化钼纳米片修饰电极上的电化学行为

采用了研磨后超声和离心分离方法制备了二硫化钼纳米片,通过原子力显微镜(AFM)和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对不同离心速度分离的二硫化钼纳米片进行了表征。使用循环伏安法(CV)和差分脉冲伏安法(DPV)在磺胺甲恶唑溶液中对二硫化钼纳米片修饰的玻碳电极进行了电化学行为研究。结果显示,磺胺甲恶唑在二硫化钼修饰电极的循环伏安图上有一对氧化还原峰。其峰电流值与扫描速度的平方根成正比,是扩散控制过程。DPV扫描结果显示,磺胺甲恶唑的峰电流与其浓度之间存在着明显的线性关系。研磨超声方法制备出的二硫化钼纳米片层材料在电极上能够加速电子的转移和传输,从而有效提高峰电流值,为进一步研制准确测定磺胺甲恶唑电化学传感器提供了一种可选择的材料和电化学分析方法。     

An anionic chromogenic sensor based on protonated Reichardt’s pyridiniophenolate

An anionic sensor based on Reichardt’s betaine is described here. The dye is blue-green in chloroform but becomes colorless under protonation. Increasing amounts of different anions were added into the solution of the protonated dye. The addition of F⁻ and caused the reappearance of the original blue-green color, while the addition of I⁻ made the solution of the protonated dye yellow. The observations are discussed based on the fact that F⁻ and can act as bases accepting a proton from the protonated dye and also in relation to the formation of a complex between the protonated dye and iodide.     

Copper(II) ion sensor based on electropolymerized undoped conducting polymers

A solid state copper(II) ion sensor is reported based on the application of electropolymerized undoped (neutral) polycarbazole (PCz) and polyindole (PIn) modified electrodes. The new sensor shows high selectivity to Cu²⁺ ions with a detection limit of 10^–5 M. PCz and PIn are formed respectively by the anodic oxidation of 50 mM carbazole and 5 mM indole monomers in dichloromethane containing 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate on a platinum electrode using a single compartment cell. Potentiostatic polymerization of both the monomers are carried out at 1.3 V and 1.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl, respectively. Perchlorate ions were electrochemically removed from the polymer films by applying – 0.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Polymer-coated electrodes are incubated in 1 M KCl solution for 8 h followed by incubation in distilled water for 2 h before using as a metal ion sensor. The undoped PCz and PIn electrodes were found to be highly selective and sensitive for Cu²⁺ ions with little selectivity for Pb²⁺ and negligible response towards Ag⁺, Hg²⁺, Cu⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺ or Zn²⁺. Potentiometric responses for Cu²⁺ ions are recorded for both the sensor electrodes together with a double-junction Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Calibration curves for Cu²⁺ are reported for both ion sensors. The polymer-modified electrodes were found to be stable for several weeks. Electronic Publication     

基于定向纳米碳管气体放电的气敏传感器研究

介绍了一种基于定向纳米碳管的气敏传感器,以生长定向纳米碳管的氧化铝模板作为阳极,铝板作为阴极,利用纳米碳管的尖端发射效应,在较低的电压下使气体产生放电现象。通过对纳米碳管在气体中击穿电压和放电电流的测量,实现对气体的定性定量检测。同时纳米碳管气敏传感器还具有体积小、灵敏度高、稳定性好、响应速度快、在常温常压下即可进行检测等优点,具有较好的应用前景。     

The physical properties of pressure sensitive rubber composites

Nitrile butadiene rubber, NBR, structural foam of different apparent densities was obtained by using different concentrations of foaming agent, azodicarbonamide, ADC/K. The true stress-strain characteristics, in case of compression, of foamed samples after the application of cyclic stress-strain were measured. The effect of the cyclic stress-strain on strain energy density of ADC/K foaming agent-filled NBR rubber composites was studied. The mechanical parameters were found to depend on the foaming agent concentration and on the pre-cyclic fatigue number. Results also indicated that the strain energy decreased with filler concentration.The effects of the cyclic stress-strain on the conductivity of ADC/K foaming agent-filled NBR rubber composites were studied. The electrical properties were found to depend on the foaming agent concentration, the strain amplitude and the number of stress-strain cycles of pre-strain. This study was assisted by the current-voltage characteristics which were measured under the effect of different compression ratios: 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%. The free current carrier mobility and the equilibrium concentration of charge carriers in the conduction band were produced as functions of compressive strain. Results also indicate that there is a linear variation between pressure and conductivity for all samples, which means that these samples can be used as a pressure sensor.     

A highly selective fluorescent sensor for Cu based on 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole in a poly(vinyl chloride) matrix

This paper describes a copper selective optical chemical sensor based on static quenching of the fluorescence of 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole entrapped in a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane. The effect of the composition of the sensing membrane was studied, and experimental conditions were optimized. The sensors exhibit stable response over the concentration range from 4.0 × 10⁻⁸ M to 5.0 × 10⁻⁵ M Cu²⁺ at pH 4.0-6.5, and a high selectivity. The response time for Cu²⁺ with concentration ≤5 × 10⁻⁶ M is less than 7 min. The optode can be regenerated using 0.1 M HCl and acetate buffer solution. The sensor has been used for direct measurement of copper content in river water samples with a relative error less than 4% with reference to that obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Calibration coefficient of a heat-flow DSC; Part II. Optimal calibration procedure

One-point (Mettler) and many-point (Netzsch) heat flow calibration of a DSC is discussed. It is shown that the two types of calibration are the alternative extremes between quick but rough procedure and time-consuming but accurate one. One-point calibration compares a typical function k(T) at the melting point of indium with the measured value for particular DSC and multiplies k(T) by a scaling factor. Many-point calibration is based on general mathematical procedure, namely fitting a set of experimental values of sensitivity to a polynomial. The polynomial coefficients are evaluated by the method of least squares. Based on the relationship between the sensitivity of a thermocouple and calibration coefficient of a DSC sensor made from it, two-point heat flow calibration is suggested. This is an optimal calibration procedure, for the relationship contains only two unknown coefficients. An example of how to perform the two-point calibration with Netzsch-Proteus Software is described in the Appendix.     

Comparison of Methionine α,γ‐Lyase and Homocysteine α,γ‐Lyase for Electrochemical Determination of Homocysteine

Recently, a novel enzymatic method was developed for determination of homocysteine. This method utilizes the electrochemical hydrogen sulfide sensor along with methionine α,γ‐lyase to accomplish the fast, accurate, sensitive and selective measurements. As a continuation of this work, another enzyme, homocysteine α,γ‐lyase, was used and the parallel experiments of using both enzymes were carried out against the effect of pH, sensitivity, linearity, and interferences, in an intended comparison between these two enzymes. The excellent linearity of amperometric currents against homocysteine concentrations, high sensitivities and low detection limits for both enzymes reconfirmed that the electrochemical method is superior over other analytical means. The high enzymatic activity of methionine α,γ‐lyase surpassing homocysteine α,γ‐lyase endowed the former higher sensitivity, lower detection limit and faster response than the latter, suggesting methionine α,γ‐lyase a better candidate for homocysteine measurement by electrochemical method. The differences between these two enzymes on the trends of response time and sensitivity at different pH environments, reactivity toward several forms of homocysteine as well as on the interference from several agents were also addressed and discussed.