Development of galvanostatic Fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Here, we report development of the galvanostatic Fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (FTEIS), which monitors impedance of electrochemical reactions activated by current steps. We first derive relevant relations for potential change upon application of a step current, obtain impedances theoretically from the relations by simulation, and verify them with experimental results. The validity of the galvanostatic FTEIS technique is demonstrated by measuring impedances of a semiconductive silicon wafer using the conventional frequency response analysis (FRA), the potentiostatic FTEIS, and the galvanostatic FTEIS methods, and the results are in excellent agreement with each other. This work is significant in that the galvanostatic FTEIS would allow one to record impedance changes during charge/discharge cycles of secondary batteries and fuel cells as well as electrochemically irreversible systems which may produce noise level chronoamperometric currents by potentiostatic techniques.

Multifunctional conjugated polymers with main-chain donors and side-chain acceptors for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs).

A novel multifunctional conjugated polymer (RCP-1) composed of an electron-donating backbone (carbazole) and an electron-accepting side chain (cyanoacetic acid) connected through conjugated vinylene and terthiophene has been synthesized and tested as a photosensitizer in two major molecule-based solar cells, namely dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs). Promising initial results on overall power conversion efficiencies of 4.11% and 1.04% are obtained from the basic structure of DSSCs and OPVs based on RCP-1, respectively. The well-defined donor (D)-acceptor (A) structure of RCP-1 has made it possible, for the first time, to reach over 4% of power conversion efficiency in DSSCs with an organic polymer sensitizer and good operation stability.

Label-free impedimetric sensor for a ribonucleic acid oligomer specific to hepatitis C virus at a self-assembled monolayer-covered electrode.

A ribonucleic acid (RNA) sensor based on hybridization of its peptide nucleic acid (PNA) molecule with a target RNA oligomer of the internal ribosome entry site sequence specific to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the electrochemical impedance detection is described. This RNA is one of the most conservative molecules of the whole HCV RNA genome. The ammonium ion terminated PNA molecule was immobilized via its host-guest interactions with the diaza crown ring of 3-thiophene-acetamide-diaza-18-crown-6 synthesized by a simple two-step method, which forms a well-defined self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on gold. Hybridization events of the probe PNA with the target RNA were monitored by measuring charge-transfer resistances for the Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) redox probe using Fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The ratio of the resistances of the SAM-covered electrode measured before and after hybridization increased linearly with log[RNA] in the rat liver lysate with a detection limit of about 23 pM.

Label-free electrochemical detection of the p53 core domain protein on its antibody immobilized electrode.

We report quantitative results on interactions between a tumor suppressor protein, p53, also known as a prognostic cancer marker, and its antibody. The p53 antibody molecules immobilized on an (R)-lipo-diaza-18-crown-6 self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-modified gold disk electrode were shown to effectively capture the p53 protein by Western blot, quartz crystal microbalance, and electrochemical impedance experiments. The p53 protein thus captured modulated the ability of the electrode for charge transfer to and from a redox probe in the solution in a p53 concentration range of approximately 0.1-30 microg/mL. The same interaction was also observed in the human embryonic kidney cell lysate, demonstrating that the SAM-modified electrode can serve as a selective platform for electrochemically monitoring the cellular p53 concentration.

(R)-lipo-diaza-18-crown-6 self-assembled monolayer as a selective serotonin receptor.

A highly selective receptor for serotonin was designed using cages formed by the (R)-lipo-diaza-18-crown-6 self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on gold and experimentally verified by a variety of electrochemical experiments in solutions containing large amounts of dopamine and ascorbic acid, as well as other interferents. The molecular modeling study showed that parameters such as the H-pi interaction provided important driving forces for the cage to form a strong inclusion complex with serotonin. The charge-transfer resistance (R(CT)'s) to/from redox probe ions, Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-), was greatly enhanced because of their electrostatic attractions to ammonium ions of serotonin molecules captured by cages. The changes in R(CT)-values were shown to be remarkably selective for serotonin in the presence of many interferents.

DNA hybridization sensors based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy as a detection tool.

Recent advances in label free DNA hybridization sensors employing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) as a detection tool are reviewed. These sensors are based on the modulation of the blocking ability of an electrode modified with a probe DNA by an analyte, i.e., target DNA. The probe DNA is immobilized on a self-assembled monolayer, a conducting polymer film, or a layer of nanostructures on the electrode such that desired probe DNA would selectively hybridize with target DNA. The rate of charge transfer from the electrode thus modified to a redox indicator, e.g., [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-), which is measured by EIS in the form of charge transfer resistance (R(ct)), is modulated by whether or not, as well as how much, the intended target DNA is selectively hybridized. Efforts made to enhance the selectivity as well as the sensitivity of DNA sensors and to reduce the EIS measurement time are briefly described along with brief future perspectives in developing DNA sensors.

Label-free detection of antibody-antigen interactions on (R)-lipo-diaza-18-crown-6 self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrodes.

Novel (R)-diaza-18-crown-6 has been prepared by a simple two-step synthetic method and characterized for its ability to form a uniform self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on gold as well as to immobilize proteins using atomic force microscopy, quartz crystal microbalance, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) experiments. The (R)-lipo-diaza-18-crown-6 was shown to form a well-defined SAM on gold, which subsequently captures the antibody (Ab) molecules that in turn capture the antigen (Ag) molecules. The Ab molecules studied include antibody C-reactive protein (Ab-CRP) and antibody ferritin (Ab-ferritin) along with their Ag's, i.e., CRP and ferritin. Quantitative detection of the Ab-Ag interactions was accomplished by EIS experiments with a Fe(CN)6(3-/4-) redox probe present. The ratios of the charge-transfer resistances for the redox probe on the SAM-antibody-covered electrode to those with the antigen molecules attached show an excellent linearity for log[Ag] with lower detection limits than those of other SAMs for the electrochemical sensing of proteins.

Selective electrochemical sensing of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) on thiophene-3-boronic acid self-assembled monolayer covered gold electrodes.

We report a novel concept of sensing glycated hemoglobin, HbA 1c, which is now the most important index for a long-term average blood glucose level, by first selectively immobilizing it on the thiophene-3-boronic acid (T3BA) self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-covered gold electrode by a selective chemical reaction with boronic acid. HbA 1c thus immobilized is then detected by the label-free electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) measurements with a redox probe, an equimolar mixture of K 3Fe(CN) 6 and K 4Fe(CN) 6, present. The rate of charge transfer between the electrode and the redox probe is shown to be modulated by the amount of HbA 1c in the matrix hemoglobin solution due to the blocking effect caused by the binding of HbA 1c with boronic acid. Both the formation of a well-defined T3BA-SAM on the gold surface and the chemical binding of its boronic acid with HbA 1c in solution were confirmed by quartz crystal microbalance, atomic force microscopy, and EIS experiments.

Highly cooperative ion-pair recognition of potassium cyanide using a heteroditopic ferrocene-based crown ether-trifluoroacetylcarboxanilide receptor.

A heteroditopic receptor having crown ether and trifluoroacetylcarboxanilide groups selectively recognizes both potassium and cyanide ions in acetonitrile with an association constant of as high as Ka = 1.9 x 10(7) M(-1) through a highly cooperative ion-pair interaction, resulting in two orders of magnitude enhancement in the binding affinity.

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers 40. Earlier phases of aniline polymerization studied by Fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Earlier stages of aniline polymerization have been studied by Fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (FTEIS) experiments. Initial oxidation of aniline leads to the formation of a thin layer passivating the electrode surface, which is depassivated upon a further increase in potential and mediates a further electron transfer from aniline to the electrode. The charge-transfer resistance was first shown to decrease upon increasing the potential, which leads to the inductive behavior upon further increase in the overpotential. The oligomer-polymer film thus formed was shown to undergo a transition from its passive state to neutral oligomer-polymer molecules via a conducting state; its oxidation was then observed during the anodic scan. It is this transition to the conductive states that leads to the propagation of the conductive zone throughout the nonconductive film, leading to further growth of polyaniline, as was clearly shown by the FTEIS measurements.

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers 39. Contacts between conducting polymers and noble metal nanoparticles studied by current-sensing atomic force microscopy.

Electrical properties of contacts formed between conducting polymers and noble metal nanoparticles have been examined using current-sensing atomic force microscopy (CS-AFM). Contacts formed between electrochemically prepared pi-conjugated polymer films such as polypyrrole (PPy), poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MeT), as well as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and noble metal nanoparticles including platinum (Pt), gold (Au), and silver (Ag) have been examined. The Pt nanoparticles were electrochemically deposited on a pre-coated PPy film surface by reducing a platinum precursor (PtCl62-) at a constant potential. Both current and scanning electron microscopic images of the film showed the presence of Pt islands. The Au and Ag nanoparticles were dispersed on the P3MeT and PEDOT film surfaces simply by dipping the polymer films into colloid solutions containing Au or Ag particles for specified periods (5 to approximately 10 min). The deposition of Au or Ag particles resulted from either their physical adsorption or chemical bonding between particles and the polymer surface depending on the polymer. When compared with PPy, P3MeT and PEDOT showed a stronger binding to Au or Ag nanoparticles when dipped in their colloidal solutions for the same period. This indicates that Au and Ag particles are predominantly linked with the sulfur atoms via chemical bonding. Of the two, PEDOT was more conductive at the sites where the particles are connected to the polymer. It appears that PEDOT has better aligned sulfur atoms on the surface and is strongly bonded to Au and Ag nanoparticles due to their strong affinity to gold and silver. The current-voltage curves obtained at the metal islands demonstrate that the contacts between these metal islands and polymers are ohmic.

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers 38. Electrodeposited poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene) studied by current sensing atomic force microscopy.

Electrical and morphological properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) thin films electrodeposited on gold-on-silicon electrodes by galvanostatic, potentiostatic, and potentiodynamic methods have been determined using current sensing atomic force microscopic experiments. Surface morphologies and vertical conductivities of PEDOT films were affected by the experimental parameters including the preparation method, the current density, the potential, and the potentiodynamic cyclic number. Band gaps obtained from current-voltage curves of dedoped PEDOT were in excellent agreement with those obtained from absorption spectra. When the film thickness was increased on the gold-on-silicon electrode, the topographic images were not very well defined due to the high roughness but conductivities increased significantly in all the galvanostatically, potetiostatically, and potentiodynamically grown PEDOT films.

Determination of electron transfer kinetic parameters by fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis.

A new attempt to obtain electron transfer kinetic parameters at an electrified electrode/electrolyte interface using Fourier transform electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (FTEIS) analyses of small potential step chronoamperometric currents is presented. The kinetic parameters thus obtained allowed mass transport free voltammograms to be constructed in an overpotential region, where the diffusion limits the electron transfer reaction, using the Butler-Volmer (B-V) relation. The B-V voltammograms clearly distinguish electrode reactions that are not much different in their electron transfer kinetic parameters, thus showing very similar normal linear sweep voltammetric (SCV) behaviors. Electrochemical reduction of p-benzoquinone, which displays nearly the same SCV responses at a gold electrode regardless whether the electrode is covered by a thiolated beta-cyclodextrin self-assembled monolayer, was taken as an example for the demonstration. The results show that the two voltametrically similar systems display very different electron transfer characteristics.

Selective recognition and electrochemical sensing of dicarboxylates with a ferrocene-based bis(o-trifluoroacetylcarboxanilide) receptor.

A ferrocene-based bis(o-trifluoroacetylcarboxanilide) receptor selectively recognizes m-phenylene diacetate through cooperative binding; the receptor also displays a significant negative shift in the oxidation potential of ferrocene upon the guest binding.

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers 36. pH dependence of polyaniline conductivities studied by current-sensing atomic force microscopy.

We demonstrate from our current-sensing atomic force microscopic studies that both electrical and topographical properties of electrochemically prepared polyaniline (PAn) films are affected by their preparation conditions. The electrical properties of the fully doped PAn films prepared in 0.30 M nitric acid with its pH and ionic strength adjusted to 0.50 can be described as a conductor with an average conductivity of 49 (+/-13) S/cm with primarily a compact structure resulting from a relatively small growth rate. The doped PAn films prepared at pH 5.0, for example, have compact structures with large grains and lightly doped semiconducting properties with an average conductivity of about 1.54 (+/-0.09) x 10(-4) S/cm. From these data, we conclude that the degree of protonation of the monomers and the main reactions taking place during an early stage of the polymerization reaction are important factors determining the chemical structures as well as their conductivities and morphologies of the PAn films.

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers 37. Nanoscale monitoring of electrical properties during electrochemical growth of polypyrrole and its aging.

Electrical and morphological properties of polypyrrole (PPy) films were studied during and after their electrochemical growth under various experimental conditions on a nanometer scale using a current-sensing atomic force microscope (CS-AFM). Of acetonitrile (ACN) solutions containing various amounts of water, one that contained 1.0% water produced the best quality films in their electrical and morphological properties in terms of homogeneities. The degree of doping, as well as time evolution of the film structure and its conductivity, of the PPy films was investigated during their growth in water and ACN with 1.0% water by obtaining the current images at a few designated growing stages, and the results were compared. Well-doped, conductive films were obtained from the very early stage during the electrodeposition of PPy in the ACN solution, while the films were poorly doped in water. As the film deposition progressed further in both aqueous and nonaqueous media, the doped areas spread over the whole surface leading to a more homogeneously conducting film. The current-voltage traces were obtained at each growing stage, which showed that the conductivity increases in both media as the PPy grows; the conductivity of the film grown in ACN is much higher than that of the film grown in water at all growing stages. The electrical properties of the PPy film deteriorated gradually upon exposure to air.

Electrochemistry of conductive polymers. 34. Two-dimensional correlation analysis of real-time spectroelectrochemical data for aniline polymerization.

Electrochemical polymerization of aniline has been studied using real-time spectroelectrochemical experiments conducted concurrently with potentiodynamic scans in a nitric acid electrolyte with its pH adjusted to 0.50. Two-dimensional correlation spectral analysis and subsequent extraction of pure component spectra as well as their relative concentration profiles from complex spectroelectrochemical data employing the alternating least-squares regression iteration-based self-modeling curve resolution method led to positive identification of intermediate species. A conclusion was reached on the polymerization reaction mechanism based on these intermediate species and how their concentrations increased or decreased during the potential scans. The mechanism thus concluded represents a summary of a current understanding of the aniline polymerization reaction.

An electrochemically controllable nanomechanical molecular system utilizing edge-to-face and face-to-face aromatic interactions.

[formula: see text] A new molecular system, 2,11-dithio[4,4]metametaquinocyclophane containing a quinone moiety, was designed and synthesized. As the quinone moiety can readily be converted into an aromatic pi-system (hydroquinone) upon reduction, the nanomechanical molecular cyclophane system exhibits a large flapping motion like a molecular flipper from the electrochemical redox process. The conformational changes upon reduction and oxidation are caused by changes of nonbonding interaction forces (devoid of bond formation/breaking) from the edge-to-face to face-to-face aromatic interactions and vice versa, respectively.

Rational design of biologically important chemosensors: a novel receptor for selective recognition of acetylcholine over ammonium cations.

[structure: see text] In consideration of competition between cation-pi and hydrogen bond interaction forces, we designed a novel receptor, 1,3,5-tris(pyrrolyl)benzene, which shows high selectivity for acetylcholine (ACh). The selectivity of the receptor for ACh over other ammonium cations is demonstrated by the ion-selective electrode (ISE) method in buffer solution. The binding free energy of the receptor with ACh in chloroform solution is measured to be 3.65 kcal/mol in the presence of chloride anion by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and that in water is estimated to be much greater ( approximately 6 kcal/mol).

Electrochemical generation of ferrate in acidic media at boron-doped diamond electrodes.

An extremely strong oxidant, ferrate (Fe(VI) or FeO4(2-), has been produced electrochemically in an acidic aqueous medium for the first time.