Porous boron-doped diamond/carbon nanotube electrodes

Assisted deposition of nano-hydroxyapatite onto exfoliated carbon nanotube oxide scaffolds

Electrodeposited nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) is more similar to biological apatite in terms of microstructure and dimension than apatites prepared by other processes. Reinforcement with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) enhances its mechanical properties and increases adhesion of osteoblasts. Here, we carefully studied nHAp deposited onto vertically aligned multi-walled CNT (VAMWCNT) scaffolds by electrodeposition and soaking in a simulated body fluid (SBF). VAMWCNTs are porous biocompatible scaffolds with nanometric porosity and exceptional mechanical and chemical properties. The VAMWCNT films were prepared on a Ti substrate by a microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition method, and then oxidized and exfoliated by oxygen plasma etching (OPE) to produce graphene oxide (GO) at the VAMWCNT tips. The attachment of oxygen functional groups was found to be crucial for nHAp nucleation during electrodeposition. A thin layer of plate-like and needle-like nHAp with high crystallinity was formed without any need for thermal treatment. This composite (henceforth referred to as nHAp-VAMWCNT-GO) served as the scaffold for in vitro biomineralization when soaked in the SBF, resulting in the formation of both carbonate-rich and carbonate-poor globular-like nHAp. Different steps in the deposition of biological apatite onto VAMWCNT-GO and during the short-term biomineralization process were analysed. Due to their unique structure and properties, such nano-bio-composites may become useful in accelerating in vivo bone regeneration processes.

Diamond network: template-free fabrication and properties

A porous diamond network with three-dimensionally interconnected pores is of technical importance but difficult to be produced. In this contribution, we demonstrate a simple, controllable, and "template-free" approach to fabricate diamond networks. It combines the deposition of diamond/β-SiC nanocomposite film with a wet-chemical selective etching of the β-SiC phase. The porosity of these networks was tuned from 15 to 68%, determined by the ratio of the β-SiC phase in the composite films. The electrochemical working potential and the reactivity of redox probes on the diamond networks are similar to those of a flat nanocrystalline diamond film, while their surface areas are hundreds of times larger than that of a flat diamond film (e.g., 490-fold enhancement for a 3 μm thick diamond network). The marriage of the unprecedented physical/chemical features of diamond with inherent advantages of the porous structure makes the diamond network a potential candidate for various applications such as water treatment, energy conversion (batteries or fuel cells), and storage (capacitors), as well as electrochemical and biochemical sensing.

The role of modifying molecular chains in the formation of organized molecular films of organo-modified nanodiamond: construction of a highly ordered low defect particle layer and evaluation of desorption behavior of organic chains

The role of organo-modifying molecular chains in the formation of molecular films of organo-modified nanodiamond is discussed herein based on interfacial chemical particle integration of organo-modified nanodiamond having a particle size of 5 nm. The surface of nanodiamond is known to be covered with a nanolayer of adsorbed water. This water nanolayer was exploited for organo-modification of nanodiamond with long-chain fatty acids via adsorption, leading to nanodispersion of nanodiamond in general organic solvents as a mimic of solvency. The organo-modified nanodiamond dispersed "solution" was used as a spreading solution for depositing a mono-"particle" layer on the water surface, and a Langmuir particle layer was integrated at the air/water interface. Multi-"particle" layers were then formed via the Langmuir-Blodgett technique and were subjected to fine structural analysis. The effect of organo-modification enabled integration and multilayer formation of inorganic nanoparticles due to enhancement of the van der Waals interactions between the chains. That is to say, the "encounter" between the organo-modifying chain and the inorganic particles led to solubilization of the inorganic particles and enhanced interactions between the particles, which can be regarded as imparting new function to the organic molecules. The morphology of the single-particle layer was maintained after removal of the organic region of the composite via the baking process, whereas the regularity of the layered period was disordered. Thus, the organic chains are essential as modifiers for maintenance of the layered structure.

Enhanced capacitance of composite TiO2 nanotube/boron-doped diamond electrodes studied by impedance spectroscopy

We report on novel composite nanostructures based on boron-doped diamond thin films grown on top of TiO2 nanotubes. The nanostructures made of BDD-modified titania nanotubes showed an increase in activity and performance when used as electrodes in electrochemical environments. The BDD thin films (∼200-500 nm) were deposited using microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (MW PA CVD) onto anodically fabricated TiO2 nanotube arrays. The influence of boron-doping level, methane admixture and growth time on the performance of the Ti/TiO2/BDD electrode was studied in detail. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to investigate the surface morphology and grain size distribution. Moreover, the chemical composition of TiO2/BDD electrodes was investigated by means of micro-Raman spectroscopy. The composite electrodes TiO2/BDD are characterized by a significantly higher capacitive current compared to BDD films deposited directly onto a Ti substrate. The novel composite electrode of TiO2 nanotube arrays overgrown by boron-doped diamond (BDD) immersed in 0.1 M NaNO3 can deliver a specific capacitance of 2.10, 4.79, and 7.46 mF cm(-2) at a scan rate of 10 mV s(-1) for a [B]/[C] ratio of 2k, 5k and 10k, respectively. The substantial improvement of electrochemical performance and the excellent rate capability could be attributed to the synergistic effect of TiO2 treatment in CH4 : H2 plasma and the high electrical conductivity of BDD layers. The analysis of electrochemical impedance spectra using an electric equivalent circuit allowed us to determine the surface area on the basis of the value of constant phase element.

Electrochemical performance of porous diamond-like carbon electrodes for sensing hormones, neurotransmitters, and endocrine disruptors

Porous diamond-like carbon (DLC) electrodes have been prepared, and their electrochemical performance was explored. For electrode preparation, a thin DLC film was deposited onto a densely packed forest of highly porous, vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (VACNT). DLC deposition caused the tips of the carbon nanotubes to clump together to form a microstructured surface with an enlarged surface area. DLC:VACNT electrodes show fast charge transfer, which is promising for several electrochemical applications, including electroanalysis. DLC:VACNT electrodes were applied to the determination of targeted molecules such as dopamine (DA) and epinephrine (EP), which are neurotransmitters/hormones, and acetaminophen (AC), an endocrine disruptor. Using simple and low-cost techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry, analytical curves in the concentration range from 10 to 100 μmol L(-1) were obtained and excellent analytical parameters achieved, including high analytical sensitivity, good response stability, and low limits of detection of 2.9, 4.5, and 2.3 μmol L(-1) for DA, EP, and AC, respectively.