A high-performance electrocatalyst via graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet-decorated bimetallic phosphide for alkaline water electrolysis.

Developing renewable and clean energy systems for overall water electrolysis requires low-cost, highly efficient, and stable catalysts. With this motivation, nickel cobalt phosphorus (NiCoP) was electrodeposited onto nickel foam (NF) and then modified with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). The designed g-C3N4/NiCoP/NF electrode was used for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline water electrolysis. It exhibited a small overpotential of 80 mV@10 mA cm-2 with a Tafel slope of 89 mV dec-1 for the HER. It also exhibited an overpotential of 370 mV@10 mA cm-2 with a Tafel slope of 64 mV dec-1 for the OER. The g-C3N4/NiCoP catalyst exhibited satisfactory stability in an alkaline electrolyzer system, in which g-C3N4/NiCoP/NF was used as the anode and cathode. Meanwhile, the electrocatalyst requires only a cell voltage of 1.70 V to achieve 10 mA cm-2 current density for overall water electrolysis.

Sensitive, simple and fast voltammetric determination of pesticides in juice samples by novel BODIPY-phthalocyanine-SWCNT hybrid platform.

The present work describes the first synthesis of novel asymmetric zinc (II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) including three boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) and one ethyloxy azido moieties. Moreover, single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) surface was functionalized by this ZnPc containing BODIPY; using the azide-alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition (Click) reaction to obtain SWCNT-ZnPc hybrid material. Structural, thermal and morphological characterizations of both ZnPc and SWCNT-ZnPc hybrid were carried out in-depth by spectroscopic, thermal and microscopic techniques. In this study, the synthesized SWCNT-ZnPc material was decorated on composite glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by means of an easy and a practical drop cast method. The modified electrode was tested as a non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor in various common pesticides such as methyl parathion, deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos and spinosad. Electrochemical behavior of non-enzymatic electrode (GCE/SWCNT-ZnPc) was determined via cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The non-enzymatic sensor demonstrated high selectivity for methyl parathion in a wide linear range (2.45 nM-4.0 × 10-8 M), low limit of detection value (1.49 nM) and high sensitivity (0.1847 µA nM-1). Also, the developing non-enzymatic sensor exhibited good repeatability (RSD = 2.3% for 10 electrodes) and stability (85.30% for 30 days). Validation guidelines by HPLC and statistical analysis showed that the proposed voltammetric method were precise, accurate, sensitive, and can be used for the routine quality control of methyl parathion determination in juice samples.

Sensing alcohol vapours with novel unsymmetrically substituted metallophthalocyanines.

Unsymmetrically substituted phthalocyanines were synthesized by the well-known statistical condensation method using two differently substituted precursors, 4-tert-butylphthalonitrile and 4-(4-pyrrol-1-yl)phenoxyphthalonitrile. Spin-coated thin films of these compounds were subsequently exposed to varying concentrations of methanol, ethanol and butanol between 25 and 150 ppm in order to investigate the effects of the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol vapors. The results of this preliminary investigation indicated that sensor performance parameters such as sensitivity, response and recovery time strongly depend on the number of carbon atoms in the analyte molecules. It was found that the sensitivity of the sensors decreases with increasing number of carbon atoms. Electrochemistry studies of CoPc and MnClPc were carried out with cyclic and square wave voltammetry methods. Both complexes illustrated metal and ring-based electron transfer reactions. While CoPc underwent only one metal-based reduction ([CoIIPc2-]/[CoIPc2-]1-), two metal-based reductions ([Cl-MnIIIPc2-]/[Cl-MnIIPc2-]1- and [Cl-MnIIPc2-]1-/[Cl-MnIPc2-]2-) were observed with MnPc. Color changes during the in situ spectroelectrochemical measurements illustrated the versatility of the compounds for display technologies. Pyrrole-containing substituents of the complexes triggered their electropolymerization on the working electrode, which enhances their value as functional materials for modified electrodes.

Highly selective and ultra-sensitive electrochemical sensor behavior of 3D SWCNT-BODIPY hybrid material for eserine detection.

In this work, 4,4-difluoro-8-(4-hydroxyphenyl)- 2,6-diethynly-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) having double terminal ethynyl groups was synthesized. Three dimensional single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-BODIPY hybrid material (3D SWCNT-BODIPY) was synthesized by the reaction of BODIPY bearing double terminal ethynyl groups with azido containing SWCNTs via "Click" reaction. The structural properties and electrochemical detection of eserine (a pesticide) on BODIPY functionalized SWCNTs as a three dimensional (3D) material were investigated. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified by 3D SWCNT-BODIPY hybrid material for the determination of eserine in the range of 0.25-2.25 µM. In the study by the square wave voltammetry (SWV), the bare GCE showed no response, while the new peak at - 0.6 V appeared in the case of the modified electrode. The detection limit and quantification were determined as 160 nM and 528 nM for eserine on the 3D SWCNT-BODIPY modified electrode, respectively. Eserine was also determined with a standard addition method in different brands of orange juices, and the recovery of eserine was obtained to be in the range of 102.09% and 103.22%. This study clearly indicates that the 3D SWCNT-BODIPY modified electrode tested as an electrochemical sensor was found to be highly selective and sensitive to eserine.

TEMPO-functionalized zinc phthalocyanine: synthesis, magnetic properties, and its utility for electrochemical sensing of ascorbic acid.

Zinc(ii) phthalocyanine (TEMPO-ZnPc), peripherally functionalized with 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) radicals is synthesized and its magneto structural and electrochemical behaviors are investigated. TEMPO-ZnPc shows multi-electron ring based reduction reactions and a TEMPO based oxidation reaction. Spectroelectrochemical measurements support these peak assignments. TEMPO-ZnPc is tested as a homogeneous and heterogeneous ascorbic acid (AA) sensor. Disappearance of TEMPO-ZnPc based reduction processes and the observation of new waves at around 0 and 1.20 V with respect to increasing AA concentration indicate the interaction of TEMPO-ZnPc with AA and usability of the complex as an electrochemical AA sensor. For practical usage as heterogeneous electrocatalysts for AA sensing, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) is coated with TEMPO-ZnPc (GCE/TEMPO-ZnPc) and this modified electrode is tested as a heterogeneous AA sensor. The redox peak of GCE/TEMPO-ZnPc at 0.81 V decreases the peak current while a new wave is observed at 0.65 V during the titration of the electrolyte with AA. GCE/TEMPO-ZnPc sense AA with 1.75 × 10(-6) mol dm(-3) LOD with a sensitivity of 1.89 × 10(3) A cm mol(-1).

Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of thiadiazole substituted metallo-phthalocyanines.

4-Thiadiazole substituted phthalonitrile and peripherally tetra-substituted phthalocyanine Cu(II), Fe(II) and Ti(IV)O complexes have been synthesized for the first time. Electrochemical properties of these complexes were determined with voltammetric and in situ spectroelectrochemical measurements. CuPc has redox inactive Cu(2+) center, therefore it gave three Pc based reduction and two Pc based oxidation processes. TiOPc and FePc complexes gave metal based redox processes in addition to Pc based redox reactions due to the redox activity of Ti(4+)O and Fe(2+) metal centers. Although FePc also gave three reduction and two oxidation reactions, peak potentials of these processes are different than those of CuPc due to the different assignments of the redox reactions. TiOPc went to five reduction and one oxidation reactions. Assignments of the redox processes were carried out with in situ spectroelectrochemical measurements. Spectra and color of the electrogenerated redox species of the complexes were also determined with in situ spectroelectrochemical and in situ electrocolorimetric measurements. Distinct color differences between the electrogenerated redox species were observed, which indicated their possible electrochromic usages.

The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of metal free and metallophthalocyanines containing triazole/piperazine units.

The synthesis and characterization of novel peripherally tetra [1,2,4]-triazole substituted metal-free phthalocyanine and its metal complexes (Zn(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Cu(II) and Fe(II)) and the investigation of electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of metal-free, Zn(II), Pb(II), Fe(II) phthalocyanines were performed for the first time in this study. Electrochemical characterizations of the complexes were performed with voltammetric and in situ spectroelectrochemical measurements. Voltammetric responses of the complexes supported the proposed structures, since complexes bearing redox inactive Pc ring metal centers just gave Pc based electron transfer reactions, while iron phthalocyanine went to metal based electron transfer reaction in addition to the Pc based ones. Electron withdrawing nature of [1,2,4]-triazole substituents shifted the redox processes toward the positive potentials. All complexes were electropolymerized during the oxidation reactions in dichloromethane (DCM) solvent. Types of the metal center of the complexes altered the electropolymerization reactions of the complexes. Spectra and colors of the electrogenerated redox species of the complexes were also determined with in situ spectroelectrochemical and in situ electrocolorimetric measurements.