Electrochemical Properties and Analytical Applications of Keggin-type Phosphomolybdic Anions in Electrostatically Linked 2-Aminoethanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayers

A composite film containing a heteropolyanion was prepared on a 2-aminoethanethiol (AT) self-assembled monolayer film-modified gold electrode by attaching the Keggin-type phosphomolybdic anion. The surface structures and electrochemical properties of the composite films were characterized by using ATR-FTIR, AC impedance, cyclic voltammetry and chronocoulometry. FTIR studies indicated that there was some electrostatic interaction between Pmo₁₂O₄₂^7– and surface NH₃⁺. Three reversible redox couples were observed in 1.0molL^–1 H₂SO₄ in the potential range of 0–0.7V for the composite film modified electrode, which were attributed to two-electron and two-proton electrochemical processes of PMo₁₂O₄₂^7–. The diffusion coefficient is determined to be 2.04×10^–7cm²s^–1. The composite film shows good catalytic activities for the reduction of nitrite (NO₂^–) in acidic solution and the catalytic mechanisms are described. The modified electrode provides a linear response for NO₂^– in the concentration range of 1.0×10^–4 to 1.0×10^–7molL^–1 by differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry with a correlation coefficient of 0.9965. The detection limit (three times the signal blank/slope) was 2.0×10^–8molL^–1. The modified electrode was used for the determination of NO₂^– in wastewater.