Copper ring-disk microelectrodes: fabrication, characterization, and application as an amperometric detector for capillary columns

A novel approach to the fabrication of metal ring-disk (RD) microelectrodes is presented that employs flexible chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and electrode modification techniques. Specifically, the development of a copper ring-disk microelectrode is described utilizing a combination of CVD coating, electroetching, and electroplating. Initially, a 25 μm diameter tungsten wire is concentrically coated by CVD with an insulating layer of silica, a layer of tungsten metal, and finally, a second outer layer of silica. The copper surface was prepared by first creating micrometer cavities by electrochemical etching the tungsten in hydroxide solutions followed by electrodeposition of copper from aqueous solutions of Cu(II). Each step of the process was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and cyclic voltammetry, demonstrating the preparation of a viable metal-based dual ring-disk microelectrode system. For the purpose of demonstrating the concept of introducing specific selectivity into the device, amperometric detection of galactose in 0.1 M NaOH was performed at +0.60 V in bulk solution and after flow injection analysis in a capillary column.     

ZnO纳米线的电化学制备研究

High-quality ZnO nanowires have been synthesized at relatively low temperature via one-step electrochemical anodization technique. In this method, Zn sheet acted as the anode and Pb sheet served as the counter electrode, and the complex solution of HF-C₂H₅OH-H₂O was used as electrolyte. ZnO nanowires were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The results show that the nanowires were wurtzite crystalline ZnO, and the ZnO nanowires with the diameters of 70 nm and 30～40 nm were obtained by adjusting preparation conditions, respectively.     

Synthesis, structure, and electrochemical properties of 12,42-dioxo-21,31-diphenyl-7,10,13-trioxa-1,4(3,1)-diquinoxalina-2(2,3),3(3,2)-diindolizinacyclopentadecaphane

The oxidative dehydrocyclization of the 3-(indolizin-2′-yl)-2-oxoquinoxaline monopodand performed either electrochemically or under the action of molecular iodine affords new redox-active heterocyclophane consisting of the redox-switchable biindolizine fragment combined with the polyether-bridged π-deficient quinoxaline systems. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction study showed that the trioxaundecane chain of heterocyclophane adopts an extended conformation, and one of the phenyl substituents of the molecule closes the pseudocavity formed by the spacer from one of the sides. The cyclic voltammetric study of heterocyclophane in MeCN and DMF showed the three-step oxidation of the indolizine fragments accompanied by the single-electron transfer in each step. The first and third steps are reversible, and the second step is irreversible. The oxidation at potentials of the first peak gives rise to stable radical cations detected by the ESR method (g = 2.0024, a _2N = 0.26 mT). Dedicated to Professor E. A. Berdnikov on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1991–2003, October, 2007.     

Electrochemical characterization of solid materials in volume range I. Chemical effects on the matrix-phase separation

The electrochemical phase isolation (EPI) is described as a preparation method for determining specific precipitations in solid materials in microamounts and microdimensions. Fundamental criteria are examined as a function of the main parameter (polarization current) on the system Fe₃C in a Fe-matrix. The influence of the electrolyte composition on the electrochemical behaviour of the matrix, on the one hand, and of the phase, on the other hand, are investigated and utilized.     

Modification of silica gel with diethylamino group by novel reaction and its characterization

1,3,5,7-Tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (H₄) was deposited on silica gel at 80°C by utilizing a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, where it was catalytically polymerized to form a surface coating of polymethylsiloxane (PMS). Treated silica gel (PMS-Si) increased in weight up to a plateau level, and there was no further increase with increasing reaction time. The film of PMS was partially cross linked; typical values of crosslinking ratio and film thickness were 2% and 0.6 nm, respectively. An anionic ion exchanger containing diethylamino groups was synthesized from PMS-Si by hydrosilylation of allyl glycidyl ether followed by treatment with diethylamine. Its structure was confirmed by¹³C and²⁹Si CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy and FT-IR spectrophotometry. Characterization of silica gel (DEA-Si) modified with diethylamino group was evaluated by a packing of the column for liquid chromatography. As a mixture of five nucleotides was completely separated, it was recognized that DEA-Si was operated by ion exchange action. Because the surface of the silica gel was covered with hydrophobic PMS, the peak heights and retention times did not change after washing of the column with alkaline solution.     

功能性超薄有序分子沉积膜的制备及其结构研究

1991年G.Decher等首次探讨了阴阳离子与聚电解质交替沉积制备有机超薄膜的方法。我们在完善成膜技术和发展成膜基质的基础上,详细研究了其成膜过程与膜的结构,并定义这种新的自组装超薄有序膜为分子沉积膜——MD膜。MD膜是利用阴阳离子的静电吸附反应特性,通过相反离子体系的交替分子沉积制备的层状有序自组装多层超薄膜。需要指出的是,分子沉积既是有机超薄膜的制备技术,本身又是一种自组装超薄有序膜。MD膜制备工艺简单,热稳定性和长期稳定性好,不受基体形状与面积限制。     

Pure Organic Phase Phenol Biosensor Based on Tyrosinase Entrapped in a Vapor Deposited Titania Sol‐Gel Membrane

A novel amperometric biosensor was constructed for the determination of phenols in pure organic phase. This biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing tyrosinase in a titania sol‐gel membrane which was obtained with a vapor deposition method. This method was facile and avoided the calcination step needed in conventional titania sol‐gel process. The titania sol‐gel membrane could effectively retain the essential water layer around the enzyme molecule needed for maintaining its activity in organic phase. The experimental parameters such as solvent and operating potential were optimized. At ?100 mV this biosensor showed a good amperometric response to phenols in pure chloroform without any mediator and rehydration of the enzyme. For catechol determination the sensor exhibited a fast response of less than 5 seconds. The sensitivity of different phenols was as follows: catechol > phenol > p‐cresol. Additionally, the apparent Michaelis‐Menten constants of the encapsulated tyrosinase to catechol, phenol and p‐cresol were found to be 0.15±0.003, 0.17±0.008 and 0.21±0.004 mM, respectively. The biosensor had also good reproducibility and stability. This work provided a promising platform for the construction of pure organic phase biosensors and the determination of substrates with poor water solubility.     

Electrochemical behaviour of an indium electrode in concentrated KOH solutions at different temperatures

Summary The electrochemical behaviour of pure indium in KOH solutions (1–4M) was studied at different temperatures (25–70°C) by potentiostatic techniques. Two anodic peaks corresponding to the formation of In(OH)₃ and In₂O₃ were observed. The heights of the two peaks increased with the increase of alkali concentration. An increase of temperature increased the peak currents and shifted their corresponding potentials to more negative values. The variation of the peak currents and peak potentials with scan rate suggested that the anodic dissolution of indium was a diffusion controlled process. In cyclic voltammetry, the reverse scan consistently showed one peak which was attributed to the reduction of anodic oxidation products into indium. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of In(OH)₃ at the first anodic peak, In(OH)₃ and In₂O₃ at the second anodic peak and In₂O₃ in the permanent passive region.

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Zum elektrochemischen Verhalten einer Indium-Elektrode in konzentrierter Kalilauge bei verschiedenen Temperaturen

Zusammenfassung Es wurde das Verhalten von reinem Indium in 1 – 4M KOH-Lösungen bei Temperaturen zwischen 25 und 70°C mittels potentiostatischer Methoden untersucht. Zwei anodische Peaks, entsprechend der Bildung von In(OH)₃ und In₂O₃, traten auf. Die Höhe der beiden Peaks wurde mit zunehmender Alkalikonzentration gesteigert. Eine Temperaturerhöhung verstärkte die Peakströme und verschob die entsprechenden Potentiale zu negativeren Werten. Die Abhängigkeit der Peakströme und Peakpotentiale von der Scangeschwindigkeit legte den Schluß nahe, daß die anodische Lösung von Indium in einem diffusionskontrollierten Prozeß stattfindet. Bei der cyclischen Voltammetrie zeigte der reverse Scan einheitlich einen Peak, der der Reduktion der anodischen Oxidationsprodukte zu Indium zugeschrieben wurde. Röntgendiffraktionsanalyse bestätigte die Präsenz von In(OH)₃ beim ersten anodischen Peak, In(OH)₃ beim zweiten Peak und In₂O₃ im permanent passiven Bereich.

     

Formation of Ad-Layers and Clusters on Condensation of Metal Vapors on Solid Surfaces

Synthesis of organometallic materials can be accomplished in many cases by cocondensation of metal atoms and organic molecules at low temperatures. The reaction kinetics is determined by the competition between metal cluster growth and formation of the organometallic compound. Interesting compounds may contain one or more metal atoms; the latter type could be obtained by reaction between a cluster containing the desired number of metal atoms and an organic molecule. A precise knowledge of the events occurring on condensation of metal atoms and cluster formation can therefore be of value in the control of chemical synthesis. These phenomena have been investigated in connection with the study of the growth of thin metallic films, both experimentally and theoretically. Direct observation of the formation of very small clusters is difficult. The good agreement between experimental results and recent calculations for the development of large clusters, however, allows reliable theoretical conclusions for the first stages of adsorption and cluster formation. The present contribution describes experimental work on film growth and relevant theoretical concepts, and an attempt is made to develop applications to organometallic synthesis.     

Glass capillary gas chromatography of amino acid enantiomers

Glass capillaries coated with Chirasil-Val, a chirally functionalised polysiloxane, are capable in principle of resolving all protein amino-acid enantiomers in a single run and within a short analysis time, thus allowing for example the quantitative amino acid determination by enantiomer labelling. The elution characteristics of the individual amino acids however are also dependent upon the chemical nature of the capillary wall surface, and a surface pretreatment is found to be necessary if all protein amino acids are to be analysed. Of the various methods of pretreatment tested, etching of borosilicate glass with gaseous HCl followed by deposition of colloidal silicic acid is considered to be the most suitable.