Effect of the counterion on the rate of electron transfer in dendrimer films

The electrochemical behavior of a film composed of a redox-active dendrimer was studied as a function of the type of counterion available during its reduction and reoxidation. The rate of permeation/migration of counterions into the film appeared to be the bottleneck to electron transfer through the film. Because the dendrimer is rather hydrophobic, increasing the hydrophobicity of the counterion increased the rate and extent of electron hopping within the films.