Stern potential and Debye length measurements in dilute ionic solutions with electrostatic force microscopy.

We demonstrate the ability to measure Stern potential and Debye length in dilute ionic solution with atomic force microscopy. We develop an analytic expression for the second harmonic force component of the capacitive force in an ionic solution from the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation. This allows us to calibrate the AFM tip potential and, further, obtain the Stern potential of sample surfaces. In addition, the measured capacitive force is independent of van der Waals and double layer forces, thus providing a more accurate measure of Debye length.

Dielectric constants by multifrequency non-contact atomic force microscopy.

We present a method to obtain capacitive forces and dielectric constants of ultra-thin films on metallic substrates using multifrequency non-contact atomic force microscopy with amplitude feedback in air. Capacitive forces are measured via cantilever oscillations induced at the second bending mode and dielectric constants are calculated by fitting an analytic expression for the capacitance (Casuso et al 2007 Appl. Phys. Lett. 91 063111) to the experimental data. Dielectric constants for self-assembled monolayers of thiol molecules on gold (2.0±0.1) and sputtered SiO2 (3.6±0.07) were obtained under dry conditions, in good agreement with previous measurements. The high Q-factor of the second bending mode of the cantilever increases the accuracy of the capacitive measurements while the low applied potentials minimize the likelihood of variation of the dielectric constants at high field strength and of damage from dielectric breakdown of air.

Effect of electron mediators on current generation and fermentation in a microbial fuel cell.

Effects of select electron mediators [9,10-anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonic acid disodium salt (AQDS), safranine O, resazurin, methylene blue, and humic acids] on metabolic end-products and current production from cellulose digestion by Clostridium cellulolyticum in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were studied using capillary electrophoresis and traditional electrochemical techniques. Addition of the mediator resazurin greatly enhanced current production but did not appear to alter the examined fermentation end-products compared to MFCs with no mediator. Assays for lactate, acetate, and ethanol indicate that the presence of safranine O, methylene blue, and humic acids alters metabolite production in the MFC: safranine O decreased the examined metabolites, methylene blue increased lactate formation, and humic acids increased the examined metabolites. Mediator standard redox potentials (E (0)) reported in the literature do not coincide with redox potentials in MFCs due presumably to the electrolytic complexity of media that supports bacterial survival and growth. Current production in MFCs: (1) can be effected by the mediator redox potential while in the media, which may be significantly shifted from E (0), and (2) depended on the ability of the mediator to access the bacterial electron source, which may be cytoplasmic. In addition, some electron mediators had significant effects on metabolic end-products and therefore the metabolism of the organism itself.

Mediating electron transfer from bacteria to a gold electrode via a self-assembled monolayer.

Numerous bacterial genera are known to respire anaerobically using macroscopic electrodes as electron acceptors. Typically, inexpensive graphite electrodes, which are readily colonized, are used to monitor electrogenic bacterial metabolism for microbial fuel cell and bioelectronics studies. We compare current production by electrogenic bacteria on gold electrodes coated with various alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers to current production on glassy carbon electrodes. Current production is correlated to chain length and headgroup of the monolayer molecules as expected. Relative to graphite, the coated gold electrodes achieve more reproducible experimental conditions and certain headgroups enhance electronic coupling to the bacteria.