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We present a new configuration for coupling fluorescence microscopy and voltammetry using self-induced redox cycling for ultrasensitive electrochemical measurements. An array of nanopores, each supporting a recessed disk electrode separated by 100 nm in depth from a planar multiscale bipolar top electrode, was fabricated using multilayer deposition, nanosphere lithography, and reactive-ion etching. Self-induced redox cycling was induced on the disk electrode producing ∼30× current amplification, which was independently confirmed by measuring induced electrogenerated chemiluminescence from Ru(bpy) 3 2/3+ /tri- n -propylamine on the floating bipolar electrode. In this design, redox cycling occurs between the recessed disk and the top planar portion of a macroscopic thin film bipolar electrode in each nanopore. Electron transfer also occurs on a remote (mm-distance) portion of the planar bipolar electrode to maintain electroneutrality. This couples the electrochemical reactions of the target redox pair in the nanopore array with a reporter, such as a potential-switchable fluorescent indicator, in the cell at the distal end of the bipolar electrode. Oxidation or reduction of reversible analytes on the disk electrodes were accompanied by reduction or oxidation, respectively, on the nanopore portion of the bipolar electrode and then monitored by the accompanying oxidation of dihydroresorufin or reduction of resorufin at the remote end of the bipolar electrode, respectively. In both cases, changes in fluorescence intensity were triggered by the reaction of the target couple on the disk electrode, while recovery was largely governed by diffusion of the fluorescent indicator. Reduction of 1 nM of Ru(NH 3 ) 6 3+ on the nanoelectrode array was detected by monitoring the fluorescence intensity of resorufin, demonstrating high sensitivity fluorescence-mediated electrochemical sensing coupled to self-induced redox cycling.
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Cyclic Voltammetry as a Probe of Selective Ion Transport within Layered, Electrode-Supported Ion-Exchange Membrane Materials
Cyclic voltammetry was applied to investigate the permselective properties of electrode-supported ion-exchange polymer films intended for use in future molecular-scale spectroscopic studies of bipolar membranes. The ability of thin ionomer film assemblies to exclude mobile ions charged similarly to the polymer (co-ions) and accumulate ions charged opposite to the polymer (counterions) was scrutinized through use of the diffusible redox probe molecules [Ru(NH3)6]3+and [IrCl6]2−. With the anion exchange membrane (AEM) phase supported on a carbon disk electrode, bipolar junctions formed by addition of a cation exchange membrane (CEM) overlayer demonstrated high selectivity toward redox ion extraction and exclusion. For junctions formed using a Fumion®AEM phase and a Nafion®overlayer, [IrCl6]2−ions exchanged into Fumion®prior to Nafion®overcoating remained entrapped and the Fumion®excluded [Ru(NH3)6]3+ions for durability testing periods of more than 20 h under conditions of interest for eventualin situspectral measurements. Experiments with the Sustainion®anion exchange ionomer uncovered evidence for [IrCl6]2−ion coordination to pendant imidazolium groups on the polymer. A cyclic voltammetric method for estimation of the effective diffusion coefficient and equilibrium extraction constant for redox active probe ions within inert, uniform density electrode-supported thin films was applied to examine charge transport mechanisms.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1922956
- PAR ID:
- 10362888
- Publisher / Repository:
- The Electrochemical Society
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of The Electrochemical Society
- Volume:
- 169
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0013-4651
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- Article No. 026520
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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