51
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Liu Y, Jin C, Liu Y, Ruiz KH, Ren H, Fan Y, White HS, Chen Q. Visualization and Quantification of Electrochemical H 2 Bubble Nucleation at Pt, Au, and MoS 2 Substrates. ACS Sens 2021; 6:355-363. [PMID: 32449344 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c00913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Electrolytic gas evolution is a significant phenomenon in many electrochemical technologies from water splitting, chloralkali process to fuel cells. Although it is known that gas evolution may substantially affect the ohmic resistance and mass transfer, studies focusing on the electrochemistry of individual bubbles are critical but also challenging. Here, we report an approach using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) with a single channel pipet to quantitatively study individual gas bubble nucleation on different electrode substrates, including conventional polycrystalline Pt and Au films, as well as the most interesting two-dimensional semiconductor MoS2. Due to the confinement effect of the pipet, well-defined peak-shaped voltammetric features associated with single bubble nucleation and growth are consistently observed. From stochastic bubble nucleation measurement and finite element simulation, the surface H2 concentration corresponding to bubble nucleation is estimated to be ∼218, 137, and 157 mM, with critical nuclei contact angles of ∼156°, ∼161°, and ∼160° at polycrystalline Pt, Au, and MoS2 substrates, respectively. We further demonstrated the surface faceting at polycrystalline Pt is not specifically correlated with the bubble nucleation behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Liu
- Key Lab of Science and Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Cheng Jin
- Key Lab of Science and Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Yuwen Liu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Karla Hernandez Ruiz
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Hang Ren
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States
| | - Yuchi Fan
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Henry S. White
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Qianjin Chen
- Key Lab of Science and Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
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52
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Hill JW, Hill CM. Directly visualizing carrier transport and recombination at individual defects within 2D semiconductors. Chem Sci 2021; 12:5102-5112. [PMID: 34163749 PMCID: PMC8179556 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc07033e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-dimensional semiconductors (2DSCs) are promising materials for a wide range of optoelectronic applications. While the fabrication of 2DSCs with thicknesses down to the monolayer limit has been demonstrated through a variety of routes, a robust understanding of carrier transport within these materials is needed to guide the rational design of improved practical devices. In particular, the influence of different types of structural defects on transport is critical, but difficult to interrogate experimentally. Here, a new approach to visualizing carrier transport within 2DSCs, Carrier Generation-Tip Collection Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy (CG-TC SECCM), is described which is capable of providing information at the single-defect level. In this approach, carriers are locally generated within a material using a focused light source and detected as they drive photoelectrochemical reactions at a spatially-offset electrolyte interface created through contact with a pipet-based probe, allowing carrier transport across well-defined, µm-scale paths within a material to be directly interrogated. The efficacy of this approach is demonstrated through studies of minority carrier transport within mechanically-exfoliated n-type WSe2 nanosheets. CG-TC SECCM imaging experiments carried out within pristine basal planes revealed highly anisotropic hole transport, with in-plane and out-of-plane hole diffusion lengths of 2.8 µm and 5.8 nm, respectively. Experiments were also carried out to probe recombination across individual step edge defects within n-WSe2 which suggest a significant surface charge (∼5 mC m-2) exists at these defects, significantly influencing carrier transport. Together, these studies demonstrate a powerful new approach to visualizing carrier transport and recombination within 2DSCs, down to the single-defect level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua W Hill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave Laramie WY 82071 USA
| | - Caleb M Hill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, 1000 E University Ave Laramie WY 82071 USA
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53
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Yang Y, Xiong Y, Zeng R, Lu X, Krumov M, Huang X, Xu W, Wang H, DiSalvo FJ, Brock JD, Muller DA, Abruña HD. Operando Methods in Electrocatalysis. ACS Catal 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c04789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yao Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Yin Xiong
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Rui Zeng
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Xinyao Lu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Mihail Krumov
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Xin Huang
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Weixuan Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Hongsen Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Francis J. DiSalvo
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Joel. D. Brock
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - David A. Muller
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Héctor D. Abruña
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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54
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Bentley CL, Agoston R, Tao B, Walker M, Xu X, O'Mullane AP, Unwin PR. Correlating the Local Electrocatalytic Activity of Amorphous Molybdenum Sulfide Thin Films with Microscopic Composition, Structure, and Porosity. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:44307-44316. [PMID: 32880446 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c11759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Thin-film electrodes, produced by coating a conductive support with a thin layer (nanometer to micrometer) of active material, retain the unique properties of nanomaterials (e.g., activity, surface area, conductivity, etc.) while being economically scalable, making them highly desirable as electrocatalysts. Despite the ever-increasing methods of thin-film deposition (e.g., wet chemical synthesis, electrodeposition, chemical vapor deposition, etc.), there is insufficient understanding on the nanoscale electrochemical activity of these materials in relation to structure/composition, particularly for those that lack long-range order (i.e., amorphous thin-film materials). In this work, scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) is deployed in tandem with complementary, colocated compositional/structural analysis to understand the microscopic factors governing the electrochemical activity of amorphous molybdenum sulfide (a-MoSx) thin films, a promising class of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst. The a-MoSx thin films, produced under ambient conditions by electrodeposition, possess spatially heterogeneous electrocatalytic activity on the tens-of-micrometer scale, which is not attributable to microscopic variations in elemental composition or chemical structure (i.e., Mo and/or S bonding environments), shown through colocated, local energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. A new SECCM protocol is implemented to directly correlate electrochemical activity to the electrochemical surface area (ECSA) in a single measurement, revealing that the spatially heterogeneous HER response of a-MoSx is predominantly attributable to variations in the nanoscale porosity of the thin film, with surface roughness ruled out as a major contributing factor by complementary atomic force microscopy (AFM). As microscopic composition, structure, and porosity (ECSA) are all critical factors dictating the functional properties of nanostructured materials in electrocatalysis and beyond (e.g., battery materials, electrochemical sensors, etc.), this work further cements SECCM as a premier tool for structure-function studies in (electro)materials science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron L Bentley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Roland Agoston
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Binglin Tao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Marc Walker
- Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Xiangdong Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Anthony P O'Mullane
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Patrick R Unwin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
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55
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Abstract
We present the results of acid–base experiments performed at the single ion (H+ or OH−) limit in ∼6 aL volume nanopores incorporating electrochemical zero-mode waveguides (E-ZMWs). At pH 3 each E-ZMW nanopore contains ca. 3600H+ ions, and application of a negative electrochemical potential to the gold working electrode/optical cladding layer reduces H+ to H2, thereby depleting H+ and increasing the local pH within the nanopore. The change in pH was quantified by tracking the intensity of fluorescein, a pH-responsive fluorophore whose intensity increases with pH. This behavior was translated to the single ion limit by changing the initial pH of the electrolyte solution to pH 6, at which the average pore occupancy 〈n〉pore ∼3.6H+/nanopore. Application of an electrochemical potential sufficiently negative to change the local pH to pH 7 reduces the proton nanopore occupancy to 〈n〉pore ∼0.36H+/nanopore, demonstrating that the approach is sensitive to single H+ manipulations, as evidenced by clear potential-dependent changes in fluorescein emission intensity. In addition, at high overpotential, the observed fluorescence intensity exceeded the value predicted from the fluorescence intensity-pH calibration, an observation attributed to the nucleation of H2 nanobubbles as confirmed both by calculations and the behavior of non-pH responsive Alexa 488 fluorophore. Apart from enhancing fundamental understanding, the approach described here opens the door to applications requiring ultrasensitive ion sensing, based on the optical detection of H+ population at the single ion limit. Visualizing dynamic change in the number of protons during electroreduction of protons in attoliter volume zero-mode waveguides.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Vignesh Sundaresan
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame Notre Dame IN 46556 USA
| | - Paul W Bohn
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame Notre Dame IN 46556 USA .,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame Notre Dame IN 46556 USA
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56
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Yule LC, Daviddi E, West G, Bentley CL, Unwin PR. Surface microstructural controls on electrochemical hydrogen absorption at polycrystalline palladium. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2020.114047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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57
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Li Y, Morel A, Gallant D, Mauzeroll J. Oil-Immersed Scanning Micropipette Contact Method Enabling Long-term Corrosion Mapping. Anal Chem 2020; 92:12415-12422. [PMID: 32786459 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c02177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
This work reports the development of an oil-immersed scanning micropipette contact method, a variant of the scanning micropipette contact method, where a thin layer of oil wets the investigated substrate. The oil-immersed scanning micropipette contact method significantly increases the droplet stability, allowing for prolonged mapping and the use of highly evaporative saline solutions regardless of ambient humidity levels. This systematic mapping technique was used to conduct a detailed investigation of localized corrosion taking place at the surface of an AA7075-T73 aluminum alloy in a 3.5 wt % NaCl electrolyte solution, which is typically challenging in the conventional scanning micropipette contact method. Maps of corrosion potentials and corrosion currents extracted from potentiodynamic polarization curves showed good correlations with the chemical composition of surface features and known galvanic interactions at the microscale level. This demonstrates the viability of the oil-immersed scanning micropipette contact method and opens up the avenue to mechanistic corrosion investigations at the microscale level using aqueous solutions that are prone to evaporation under noncontrolled humidity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjiao Li
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, H3A 0B8 Quebec, Canada
| | - Alban Morel
- Automotive and Surface Transportation Research Centre, Division of Transportation and Manufacturing, National Research Council Canada, 75 de Mortagne Blvd, Boucherville, J4B 6Y4 Quebec, Canada
| | - Danick Gallant
- Automotive and Surface Transportation Research Centre, Division of Transportation and Manufacturing, Aluminum Technology Center, National Research Council Canada, 501 University Blvd East, Saguenay, G7H 8C3 Quebec, Canada
| | - Janine Mauzeroll
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, H3A 0B8 Quebec, Canada
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58
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Bentley CL, Kang M, Unwin PR. Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy (SECCM) in Aprotic Solvents: Practical Considerations and Applications. Anal Chem 2020; 92:11673-11680. [PMID: 32521997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Many applications in modern electrochemistry, notably electrosynthesis and energy storage/conversion take advantage of the "tunable" physicochemical properties (e.g., proton availability and/or electrochemical stability) of nonaqueous (e.g., aprotic) electrolyte media. This work develops general guidelines pertaining to the use of scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) in aprotic solvent electrolyte media to address contemporary structure-electrochemical activity problems. Using the simple outer-sphere Fc0/+ process (Fc = ferrocene) as a model system, high boiling point (low vapor pressure) solvents give rise to highly robust and reproducible electrochemistry, whereas volatile (low boiling point) solvents need to be mixed with suitable low melting point supporting electrolytes (e.g., ionic liquids) or high boiling point solvents to avoid complications associated with salt precipitation/crystallization on the scanning (minutes to hours) time scale. When applied to perform microfabrication-specifically the electrosynthesis of the conductive polymer, polypyrrole-the optimized SECCM set up produces highly reproducible arrays of synthesized (electrodeposited) material on a commensurate scale to the employed pipet probe. Applying SECCM to map electrocatalytic activity-specifically the electro-oxidation of iodide at polycrystalline platinum-reveals unique (i.e., structure-dependent) patterns of surface activity, with grains of specific crystallographic orientation, grain boundaries and areas of high local surface misorientation identified as potential electrocatalytic "hot spots". The work herein further cements SECCM as a premier technique for structure-function-activity studies in (electro)materials science and will open up exciting new possibilities through the use of aprotic solvents for rational analysis/design in electrosynthesis, microfabrication, electrochemical energy storage/conversion, and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron L Bentley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Minkyung Kang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Patrick R Unwin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
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59
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Paiva TO, Torbensen K, Patel AN, Anne A, Chovin A, Demaille C, Bataille L, Michon T. Probing the Enzymatic Activity of Individual Biocatalytic fd-Viral Particles by Electrochemical-Atomic Force Microscopy. ACS Catal 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c01920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Telmo O. Paiva
- Université de Paris, Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire, CNRS UMR 7591, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Kristian Torbensen
- Université de Paris, Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire, CNRS UMR 7591, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Anisha N. Patel
- Université de Paris, Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire, CNRS UMR 7591, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Agnès Anne
- Université de Paris, Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire, CNRS UMR 7591, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Chovin
- Université de Paris, Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire, CNRS UMR 7591, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Christophe Demaille
- Université de Paris, Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire, CNRS UMR 7591, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Laure Bataille
- Université de Bordeaux, Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, INRA UMR 1332, F-33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France
| | - Thierry Michon
- Université de Bordeaux, Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, INRA UMR 1332, F-33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France
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60
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Strange LE, Yadav J, Garg S, Shinde PS, Hill JW, Hill CM, Kung P, Pan S. Investigating the Redox Properties of Two-Dimensional MoS 2 Using Photoluminescence Spectroelectrochemistry and Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:3488-3494. [PMID: 32286830 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c00769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Control over photophysical and chemical properties of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is the key to advance their applications in next-generation optoelectronics. Although chemical doping and surface modification with plasmonic metals have been reported to tune the photophysical and catalytic properties of 2D TMDs, there have been few reports of tuning optical properties using dynamic electrochemical control of electrode potential. Herein, we report (1) the photoluminescence (PL) enhancement and red-shift in the PL spectrum of 2D MoS2, synthesized by chemical vapor deposition and subsequent transfer onto an indium tin oxide electrode, upon electrochemical anodization and (2) spatial heterogeneities in its photoelectrochemical (PEC) activities. Spectroelectrochemistry shows that positive electrochemical bias causes an initial ten-fold increase in the PL intensity followed by a quick decrease in the enhancement. The PL enhancement and spectrum red-shift are associated with the decrease in nonradiative decay rates of excitons formed upon electrochemical anodization of 2D MoS2. Additionally, scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) study shows that the 2D MoS2 crystal is spatially sensitive to PEC oxidation at positive potentials. SECCM also shows a photocurrent increase caused by spatially heterogeneous edge-type defect sites of the crystal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Joshua W Hill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
| | - Caleb M Hill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
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61
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Chen Q, Liu Y, Edwards MA, Liu Y, White HS. Nitrogen Bubbles at Pt Nanoelectrodes in a Nonaqueous Medium: Oscillating Behavior and Geometry of Critical Nuclei. Anal Chem 2020; 92:6408-6414. [PMID: 32281788 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gas bubble evolution is present in many electrochemical and photoelectrochemical processes. We previously reported the formation of individual H2, N2, and O2 nanobubbles generated from electrocatalytic reduction of H+ and oxidation of N2H4 and H2O2, respectively, at Pt nanodisk electrodes in an aqueous solution. All the nanobubbles formed display a dynamic stationary state of a three-phase boundary with an invariant residual current. Here, we test the hypothesis that gas nanobubbles can also be electrogenerated in a nonaqueous medium. Interestingly, we found oscillating bubble behavior corresponding to nucleation, growth, and dissolution in dimethyl sulfoxide and methanol. One possible explanation of the oscillation mechanism is provided by the instable dynamic equilibrium between the gas influx due to supersaturation and outflux due to Laplace pressure. Furthermore, the critical gas concentrations for N2 nanobubble nucleation are estimated to be 148, 386, 200, and 16 times supersaturation and the contact angles of the critical nuclei to be 164°, 151°, 160°, and 174° in water, dimethyl sulfoxide, ethylene glycol, and methanol, respectively. This is the first report on electrochemical nucleation of gas bubbles in nonaqueous solvents. Our electrochemical gas bubble study based on a nanoelectrode platform has proven to be a prototypical example of single-entity electrochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianjin Chen
- Key Lab of Science and Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yuwen Liu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Martin A Edwards
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Yulong Liu
- Key Lab of Science and Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Henry S White
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
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62
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Dang N, Etienne M, Walcarius A, Liu L. Scanning Gel Electrochemical Microscopy (SGECM): Lateral Physical Resolution by Current and Shear Force Feedback. Anal Chem 2020; 92:6415-6422. [PMID: 32233427 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Scanning gel electrochemical microscopy (SGECM) is a novel technique measuring local electrochemistry based on a gel probe. The gel probe, which is fabricated by electrodeposition of hydrogel on a microdisk electrode, immobilizes the electrolyte, and constitutes a two-electrode system upon contact with the sample. The contact area determines the lateral physical resolution of the measurement, and considering the soft nature of the gel it is essential to be well analyzed. In this work, the lateral physical resolution of SGECM is quantitatively studied from two aspects: (1) marking single sampling points by locally oxidizing Ag to AgCl and measuring their size; (2) line scan over reference samples with periodic topography and composition. The gel probe is approached to the sample by either current or shear force feedback, and the physical resolution of them is compared. For the optimal gel probe based on 25 μm diameter Pt disk electrode of Rg ≈ 2, the lateral physical resolution of SGECM at contact position is ca. 50 μm for current feedback and ca. 63 μm for shear force feedback. More importantly, the lateral physical resolution of SGECM can be flexibly tuned in the range of 14-78 μm by pulling or pressing the gel probe after touching the sample. In general, current feedback is more sensitive to gel-sample contact than shear force feedback. But the latter is more versatile, which is also applicable to nonconductive samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Dang
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour les Matériaux et l'Environnement (LCPME), F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Mathieu Etienne
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour les Matériaux et l'Environnement (LCPME), F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Alain Walcarius
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour les Matériaux et l'Environnement (LCPME), F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Liang Liu
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour les Matériaux et l'Environnement (LCPME), F-54000 Nancy, France
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63
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Gao R, Edwards MA, Qiu Y, Barman K, White HS. Visualization of Hydrogen Evolution at Individual Platinum Nanoparticles at a Buried Interface. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:8890-8896. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c02202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Gao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Martin A. Edwards
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Yinghua Qiu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Koushik Barman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
| | - Henry S. White
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United States
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64
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Ying YL, Wang J, Leach AR, Jiang Y, Gao R, Xu C, Edwards MA, Pendergast AD, Ren H, Weatherly CKT, Wang W, Actis P, Mao L, White HS, Long YT. Single-entity electrochemistry at confined sensing interfaces. Sci China Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11426-020-9716-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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65
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Tarnev T, Cychy S, Andronescu C, Muhler M, Schuhmann W, Chen Y. A Universal Nano-capillary Based Method of Catalyst Immobilization for Liquid-Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:5586-5590. [PMID: 31960548 PMCID: PMC7155139 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201916419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A universal nano-capillary based method for sample deposition on the silicon nitride membrane of liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy (LCTEM) chips is demonstrated. It is applicable to all substances which can be dispersed in a solvent and are suitable for drop casting, including catalysts, biological samples, and polymers. Most importantly, this method overcomes limitations concerning sample immobilization due to the fragility of the ultra-thin silicon nitride membrane required for electron transmission. Thus, a straightforward way is presented to widen the research area of LCTEM to encompass any sample which can be externally deposited beforehand. Using this method, Nix B nanoparticles are deposited on the μm-scale working electrode of the LCTEM chip and in situ observation of single catalyst particles during ethanol oxidation is for the first time successfully monitored by means of TEM movies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsvetan Tarnev
- Analytical Chemistry—Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES)Faculty for Chemistry and BiochemistryRuhr University Bochum44801BochumGermany
| | - Steffen Cychy
- Industrial ChemistryFaculty of Chemistry and BiochemistryRuhr University Bochum44801BochumGermany
| | - Corina Andronescu
- Chemical Technology IIIFaculty of Chemistry and CENIDECenter for NanointegrationUniversity Duisburg EssenCarl-Benz-Strasse 19947057DuisburgGermany
| | - Martin Muhler
- Industrial ChemistryFaculty of Chemistry and BiochemistryRuhr University Bochum44801BochumGermany
| | - Wolfgang Schuhmann
- Analytical Chemistry—Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES)Faculty for Chemistry and BiochemistryRuhr University Bochum44801BochumGermany
| | - Yen‐Ting Chen
- Center for Solvation Science (ZEMOS)Ruhr University Bochum44801BochumGermany
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66
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Min Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yue-Yi Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yi-Lun Ying
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yi-Tao Long
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
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67
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Thompson AC, Simpson BH, Lewis NS. Macroscale and Nanoscale Photoelectrochemical Behavior of p-Type Si(111) Covered by a Single Layer of Graphene or Hexagonal Boron Nitride. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:11551-11561. [PMID: 32040911 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b21134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D) materials may enable a general approach to the introduction of a dipole at a semiconductor surface as well as control over other properties of the double layer at a semiconductor/liquid interface. Vastly different properties can be found in the 2D materials currently studied due in part to the range of the distribution of density-of-states. In this work, the open-circuit voltage (Voc) of p-Si-H, p-Si/Gr (graphene), and p-Si/h-BN (hexagonal boron nitride) in contact with a series of one-electron outer-sphere redox couples was investigated by macroscale measurements as well as by scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM). The band gaps of Gr and h-BN (0-5.97 eV) encompass the wide range of band gaps for 2D materials, so these interfaces (p-Si/Gr and p-Si/h-BN) serve as useful references to understand the behavior of 2D materials more generally. The value of Voc shifted with respect to the effective potential of the contacting solution, with slopes (ΔVoc/ΔEEff) of -0.27 and -0.38 for p-Si/Gr and p-Si/h-BN, respectively, indicating that band bending at the p-Si/h-BN and p-Si/Gr interfaces responds at least partially to changes in the electrochemical potential of the contacting liquid electrolyte. Additionally, SECCM is shown to be an effective method to interrogate the nanoscale photoelectrochemical behavior of an interface, showing little spatial variance over scales exceeding the grain size of the CVD-grown 2D materials in this work. The measurements demonstrated that the polycrystalline nature of the 2D materials had little effect on the results and confirmed that the macroscale measurements reflected the junction behavior at the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelise C Thompson
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Burton H Simpson
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Nathan S Lewis
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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68
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Tarnev T, Cychy S, Andronescu C, Muhler M, Schuhmann W, Chen Y. Eine universelle, auf Nanokapillaren basierende Methode zur Katalysatorimmobilisierung für die Flüssigzell‐Transmissionselektronenmikroskopie. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201916419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tsvetan Tarnev
- Lehrstuhl für Analytische Chemie und Zentrum für Elektrochemie (CES) Fakultät für Chemie und Biochemie Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Steffen Cychy
- Technische Chemie Fakultät für Chemie und Biochemie Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Corina Andronescu
- Chemical Technology III Faculty of Chemistry and CENIDE Center for Nanointegration University Duisburg Essen Carl-Benz-Straße 199 47057 Duisburg Deutschland
| | - Martin Muhler
- Technische Chemie Fakultät für Chemie und Biochemie Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Wolfgang Schuhmann
- Lehrstuhl für Analytische Chemie und Zentrum für Elektrochemie (CES) Fakultät für Chemie und Biochemie Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Yen‐Ting Chen
- Zentrum für molekulare Spektroskopie und Simulation solvensgesteuerter Prozesse (ZEMOS) Ruhr-Universität Bochum 44801 Bochum Deutschland
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69
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Takahashi Y, Kobayashi Y, Wang Z, Ito Y, Ota M, Ida H, Kumatani A, Miyazawa K, Fujita T, Shiku H, Korchev YE, Miyata Y, Fukuma T, Chen M, Matsue T. High-Resolution Electrochemical Mapping of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:3601-3608. [PMID: 31777142 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201912863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
High-resolution scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) is used to image and quantitatively analyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalytically active sites of 1H-MoS2 nanosheets, MoS2 , and WS2 heteronanosheets. Using a 20 nm radius nanopipette and hopping mode scanning, the resolution of SECCM was beyond the optical microscopy limit and visualized a small triangular MoS2 nanosheet with a side length of ca. 130 nm. The electrochemical cell provides local cyclic voltammograms with a nanoscale spatial resolution for visualizing HER active sites as electrochemical images. The HER activity difference of edge, terrace, and heterojunction of MoS2 and WS2 were revealed. The SECCM imaging directly visualized the relationship of HER activity and number of MoS2 nanosheet layers and unveiled the heterogeneous aging state of MoS2 nanosheets. SECCM can be used for improving local HER activities by producing sulfur vacancies using electrochemical reaction at the selected region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasufumi Takahashi
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan.,Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, (PRESTO) (Japan), Science and Technology Agency (JST), Saitama, 332-0012, Japan
| | - Yu Kobayashi
- Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Ziqian Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Yoshikazu Ito
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, (PRESTO) (Japan), Science and Technology Agency (JST), Saitama, 332-0012, Japan.,Institute of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8573, Japan
| | - Masato Ota
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Hiroki Ida
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604, Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Akichika Kumatani
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604, Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan.,WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University, 2-1-1-509, Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
| | - Keisuke Miyazawa
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Takeshi Fujita
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kochi University of Technology, Kochi, 782-8502, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Shiku
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Yuri E Korchev
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan.,Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Yasumitsu Miyata
- Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Takeshi Fukuma
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Mingwei Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.,WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University, 2-1-1-509, Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) (Japan), Science and Technology Agency (JST), Saitama, 332-0012, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Matsue
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-604, Aramaki Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan.,WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University, 2-1-1-509, Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
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70
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Mariano R, Yau A, McKeown JT, Kumar M, Kanan MW. Comparing Scanning Electron Microscope and Transmission Electron Microscope Grain Mapping Techniques Applied to Well-Defined and Highly Irregular Nanoparticles. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:2791-2799. [PMID: 32095702 PMCID: PMC7033971 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b03505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Investigating how grain structure affects the functional properties of nanoparticles requires a robust method for nanoscale grain mapping. In this study, we directly compare the grain mapping ability of transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) in a scanning electron microscope to automated crystal orientation mapping (ACOM) in a transmission electron microscope across multiple nanoparticle materials. Analysis of well-defined Au, ZnO, and ZnSe nanoparticles showed that the grain orientations and GB geometries obtained by TKD are accurate and match those obtained by ACOM. For more complex polycrystalline Cu nanostructures, TKD provided an interpretable grain map whereas ACOM, with or without precession electron diffraction, yielded speckled, uninterpretable maps with orientation errors. Acquisition times for TKD were generally shorter than those for ACOM. Our results validate the use of TKD for characterizing grain orientation and grain boundary distributions in nanoparticles, providing a framework for the broader exploration of how microstructure influences nanoparticle properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruperto
G. Mariano
- Department
of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Allison Yau
- Department
of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Joseph T. McKeown
- Materials
Science Division, Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Mukul Kumar
- Materials
Engineering Division, Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Matthew W. Kanan
- Department
of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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71
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Choi M, Siepser NP, Jeong S, Wang Y, Jagdale G, Ye X, Baker LA. Probing Single-Particle Electrocatalytic Activity at Facet-Controlled Gold Nanocrystals. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:1233-1239. [PMID: 31917592 PMCID: PMC7727918 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b04640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic reduction reactions (i.e., the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction) at individual, faceted Au nanocubes (NCs) and nano-octahedra (ODs) expressing predominantly {100} and {111} crystal planes on the surface, respectively, were studied by nanoscale voltammetric mapping. Cyclic voltammograms were collected at individual nanoparticles (NPs) with scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) and correlated with particle morphology imaged by electron microscopy. Nanoscale measurements from a statistically informative set of individual NPs revealed that Au NCs have superior HER electrocatalytic activity compared to that of Au ODs, in good agreement with macroscale cyclic voltammetry measurements. Au NCs exhibited more particle-to-particle variation in catalytic activity compared to that with Au ODs. The approach of single-particle SECCM imaging coupled with macroscale CV on well-defined NPs provides a powerful toolset for the design and activity assessment of nanoscale electrocatalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myunghoon Choi
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Natasha P Siepser
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Soojin Jeong
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Gargi Jagdale
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Xingchen Ye
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Lane A Baker
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
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72
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Yule L, Shkirskiy V, Aarons J, West G, Shollock B, Bentley C, Unwin P. Nanoscale electrochemical visualization of grain-dependent anodic iron dissolution from low carbon steel. Electrochim Acta 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2019.135267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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73
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Takahashi Y, Kobayashi Y, Wang Z, Ito Y, Ota M, Ida H, Kumatani A, Miyazawa K, Fujita T, Shiku H, Korchev YE, Miyata Y, Fukuma T, Chen M, Matsue T. High‐Resolution Electrochemical Mapping of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Transition‐Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201912863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yasufumi Takahashi
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI) Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi Kanazawa Ishikawa 920-1192 Japan
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, (PRESTO) (Japan) Science and Technology Agency (JST) Saitama 332-0012 Japan
| | - Yu Kobayashi
- Department of Physics Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji Tokyo 192-0397 Japan
| | - Ziqian Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
| | - Yoshikazu Ito
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, (PRESTO) (Japan) Science and Technology Agency (JST) Saitama 332-0012 Japan
- Institute of Applied Physics Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences University of Tsukuba Tsukuba Ibaraki 305-8573 Japan
| | - Masato Ota
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI) Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi Kanazawa Ishikawa 920-1192 Japan
| | - Hiroki Ida
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies Tohoku University 6-6-11-604, Aramaki Aoba Aoba-ku Sendai 980-8579 Japan
| | - Akichika Kumatani
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies Tohoku University 6-6-11-604, Aramaki Aoba Aoba-ku Sendai 980-8579 Japan
- WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR) Tohoku University 2-1-1-509, Katahira Aoba-ku Sendai 980-8577 Japan
| | - Keisuke Miyazawa
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI) Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi Kanazawa Ishikawa 920-1192 Japan
| | - Takeshi Fujita
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering Kochi University of Technology Kochi 782-8502 Japan
| | - Hitoshi Shiku
- Department of Applied Chemistry Graduate School of Engineering Tohoku University Sendai 980-8579 Japan
| | - Yuri E. Korchev
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI) Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi Kanazawa Ishikawa 920-1192 Japan
- Department of Medicine Imperial College London London W12 0NN UK
| | - Yasumitsu Miyata
- Department of Physics Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji Tokyo 192-0397 Japan
| | - Takeshi Fukuma
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI, WPI) Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi Kanazawa Ishikawa 920-1192 Japan
| | - Mingwei Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Johns Hopkins University Baltimore MD 21218 USA
- WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR) Tohoku University 2-1-1-509, Katahira Aoba-ku Sendai 980-8577 Japan
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST) (Japan) Science and Technology Agency (JST) Saitama 332-0012 Japan
| | - Tomokazu Matsue
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies Tohoku University 6-6-11-604, Aramaki Aoba Aoba-ku Sendai 980-8579 Japan
- WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR) Tohoku University 2-1-1-509, Katahira Aoba-ku Sendai 980-8577 Japan
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74
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Wang Y, Gordon E, Ren H. Mapping the Potential of Zero Charge and Electrocatalytic Activity of Metal-Electrolyte Interface via a Grain-by-Grain Approach. Anal Chem 2020; 92:2859-2865. [PMID: 31941268 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Potential of zero charge (PZC) is a fundamental quantity that dictates the structure of the electrical double layer. Studies using single crystals suggest a polycrystalline surface should display an inhomogeneous distribution of PZC and electric field, which directly affects the electrochemical energy storage and conversion processes occurring at the electrode-electrolyte interface. Herein, we demonstrate the direct mapping of local PZC using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM). The potential-dependent charging current upon the formation of the microscopic electrode-electrolyte interface is used to determine the PZC. Using polycrystalline Pt as a model system, correlative SECCM and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) images show the dependence of PZC on the local crystal grain orientation. The electrocatalytic activity can be mapped from the same SECCM experiment via local voltammetry, which demonstrates the variation of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity across Pt grains. The method reported here can be readily applied to study other electrochemical interfaces, providing rich correlative information on the surface property and electrocatalytic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Miami University , Oxford , Ohio 45056 , United States
| | - Emma Gordon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Miami University , Oxford , Ohio 45056 , United States
| | - Hang Ren
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Miami University , Oxford , Ohio 45056 , United States
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75
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Daviddi E, Chen Z, Beam Massani B, Lee J, Bentley CL, Unwin PR, Ratcliff EL. Nanoscale Visualization and Multiscale Electrochemical Analysis of Conductive Polymer Electrodes. ACS NANO 2019; 13:13271-13284. [PMID: 31674763 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b06302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Conductive polymers are exceptionally promising for modular electrochemical applications including chemical sensors, bioelectronics, redox-flow batteries, and photoelectrochemical systems due to considerable synthetic tunability and ease of processing. Despite well-established structural heterogeneity in these systems, conventional macroscopic electroanalytical methods-specifically cyclic voltammetry-are typically used as the primary tool for structure-property elucidation. This work presents an alternative correlative multimicroscopy strategy. Data from laboratory and synchrotron-based microspectroscopies, including conducting-atomic force microscopy and synchrotron nanoscale infrared spectroscopy, are combined with potentiodynamic movies of electrochemical fluxes from scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) to reveal the relationship between electrode structure and activity. A model conductive polymer electrode system of tailored heterogeneity is investigated, consisting of phase-segregated domains of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) surrounded by contiguous regions of insulating poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), representing an ultramicroelectrode array. Isolated domains of P3HT are shown to retain bulk-like chemical and electronic structure when blended with PMMA and possess approximately equivalent electron-transfer rate constants compared to pure P3HT electrodes. The nanoscale electrochemical data are used to model and predict multiscale electrochemical behavior, revealing that macroscopic cyclic voltammograms should be much more kinetically facile than observed experimentally. This indicates that parasitic resistances rather than redox kinetics play a dominant role in macroscopic measurements in these conductive polymer systems. SECCM further demonstrates that the ambient degradation of the P3HT electroactivity within P3HT/PMMA blends is spatially heterogeneous. This work serves as a roadmap for benchmarking the quality of conductive polymer films as electrodes, emphasizing the importance of nanoscale electrochemical measurements in understanding macroscopic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Daviddi
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , United Kingdom
| | - Zhiting Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , University of Arizona , Tucson , Arizona 85721 , United States
| | - Brooke Beam Massani
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , University of Arizona , Tucson , Arizona 85721 , United States
| | - Jaemin Lee
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , United Kingdom
| | - Cameron L Bentley
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , United Kingdom
| | - Patrick R Unwin
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , United Kingdom
| | - Erin L Ratcliff
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , University of Arizona , Tucson , Arizona 85721 , United States
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76
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Payne NA, Mauzeroll J. Identifying Nanoscale Pinhole Defects in Nitroaryl Layers with Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy. ChemElectroChem 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.201901394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A. Payne
- Department of ChemistryMcGill University 801 Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, QC Canada H3 A 0B8
| | - Janine Mauzeroll
- Department of ChemistryMcGill University 801 Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, QC Canada H3 A 0B8
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77
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Edwards MA, Robinson DA, Ren H, Cheyne CG, Tan CS, White HS. Nanoscale electrochemical kinetics & dynamics: the challenges and opportunities of single-entity measurements. Faraday Discuss 2019; 210:9-28. [PMID: 30264833 DOI: 10.1039/c8fd00134k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The development of nanoscale electrochemistry since the mid-1980s has been predominately coupled with steady-state voltammetric (i-E) methods. This research has been driven by the desire to understand the mechanisms of very fast electrochemical reactions, by electroanalytical measurements in small volumes and unusual media, including in vivo measurements, and by research on correlating electrocatalytic activity, e.g., O2 reduction reaction, with nanoparticle size and structure. Exploration of the behavior of nanoelectrochemical structures (nanoelectrodes, nanoparticles, nanogap cells, etc.) of a characteristic dimension λ using steady-state i-E methods generally relies on the well-known relationship, λ2 ∼ Dt, which relates diffusional lengths to time, t, through the coefficient, D. Decreasing λ, by performing measurements at a nanometric length scales, results in a decrease in the effective timescale of the measurement, and provides a direct means to probe the kinetics of steps associated with very rapid electrochemical reactions. For instance, steady-state voltammetry using a nanogap twin-electrode cell of characteristic width, λ ∼ 10 nm, allows investigations of events occurring at timescales on the order of ∼100 ns. Among many other advantages, decreasing λ also increases spatial resolution in electrochemical imaging, e.g., in scanning electrochemical microscopy, and allows probing of the electric double layer. This Introductory Lecture traces the evolution and driving forces behind the "λ2 ∼ Dt" steady-state approach to nanoscale electrochemistry, beginning in the late 1950s with the introduction of the rotating ring-disk electrode and twin-electrode thin-layer cells, and evolving to current-day investigations using nanoelectrodes, scanning nanocells for imaging, nanopores, and nanoparticles. The recent focus on so-called "single-entity" electrochemistry, in which individual and very short redox events are probed, is a significant departure from the steady-state approach, but provides new opportunities to probe reaction dynamics. The stochastic nature of very fast single-entity events challenges current electrochemical methods and modern electronics, as illustrated using recent experiments from the authors' laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Edwards
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, 315 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0850, USA.
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78
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Zhuang J, Liao X, Deng Y, Cheng L, Zia AA, Cai Y, Zhou M. A circuit model for SECCM and topographic imaging method in AC mode. Micron 2019; 126:102738. [PMID: 31476526 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2019.102738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Single-barrel scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) can be used to perform electrochemical activity analysis and sample surface imaging simultaneously. Compared to SECM & SICM in imaging, the most significant advantage of SECCM is that it does not need to immerse sample in solution, which avoids the electrochemical reaction between electrolyte and sample surface. In traditional direct current (DC) topographic imaging method of SECCM, when the meniscus droplet is contacted with the sample surface, the presence of the redox current determines the Z-height of a scanning point. However, there are some problems in DC mode. Firstly, the redox (Faraday) current is very small (pA/nA), which is susceptible to interference of ambient environment. Secondly, since the inertia of the droplet, the overall height of the imaged topography depends on the droplet size (probe tip diameter) and scanning speed. Therefore, this paper first proposes a single-barrel SECCM circuit model and verifies this circuit model using the first-order zero-state response in the DC mode. Then, an AC scanning mode is proposed, which monitors the change of AC amplitude to determine the Z-height of the scanning point when the meniscus droplet approaches the surface of the sample. The experiments demonstrate that the AC mode has a powerful ability to overcome interference and provide high-stable topographic imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Education Ministry for Modern Design Rotor-Bearing System, Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China; School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
| | - Xiaobo Liao
- Key Laboratory of Education Ministry for Modern Design Rotor-Bearing System, Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China; School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China; School of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, China
| | - Yalou Deng
- Key Laboratory of Education Ministry for Modern Design Rotor-Bearing System, Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China; School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Lei Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Education Ministry for Modern Design Rotor-Bearing System, Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China; School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Ali Akmal Zia
- Key Laboratory of Education Ministry for Modern Design Rotor-Bearing System, Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China; School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Yong Cai
- School of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, China
| | - Maolin Zhou
- School of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, China
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79
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Martín-Yerga D, Costa-García A, Unwin PR. Correlative Voltammetric Microscopy: Structure-Activity Relationships in the Microscopic Electrochemical Behavior of Screen Printed Carbon Electrodes. ACS Sens 2019; 4:2173-2180. [PMID: 31353890 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.9b01021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) are widely used for electrochemical sensors. However, little is known about their electrochemical behavior at the microscopic level. In this work, we use voltammetric scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), with dual-channel probes, to determine the microscopic factors governing the electrochemical response of SPCEs. SECCM cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements are performed directly in hundreds of different locations of SPCEs, with high spatial resolution, using a submicrometer sized probe. Further, the localized electrode activity is spatially correlated to colocated surface structure information from scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. This approach is applied to two model electrochemical processes: hexaammineruthenium(III/II) ([Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+), a well-known outer-sphere redox couple, and dopamine (DA), which undergoes a more complex electron-proton coupled electro-oxidation, with complications from adsorption of both DA and side-products. The electrochemical reduction of [Ru(NH3)6]3+ proceeds fairly uniformly across the surface of SPCEs on the submicrometer scale. In contrast, DA electro-oxidation shows a strong dependence on the microstructure of the SPCE. By studying this process at different concentrations of DA, the relative contributions of (i) intrinsic electrode kinetics and (ii) adsorption of DA are elucidated in detail, as a function of local electrode character and surface structure. These studies provide major new insights on the electrochemical activity of SPCEs and further position voltammetric SECCM as a powerful technique for the electrochemical imaging of complex, heterogeneous, and topographically rough electrode surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Martín-Yerga
- Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, University of Oviedo, Julián Clavería, Oviedo 33006, Spain
| | - Agustín Costa-García
- Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, University of Oviedo, Julián Clavería, Oviedo 33006, Spain
| | - Patrick R. Unwin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
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80
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Tarnev T, Aiyappa HB, Botz A, Erichsen T, Ernst A, Andronescu C, Schuhmann W. Elektrochemische Rasterzellmikroskopie einzelner ZIF‐basierter Nanokompositpartikel als Elektrokatalysatoren für die Sauerstoffentwicklung in alkalischen Medien. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201908021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tsvetan Tarnev
- Analytical Chemistry – Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES) Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry Ruhr University Bochum 44780 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Harshitha Barike Aiyappa
- Analytical Chemistry – Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES) Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry Ruhr University Bochum 44780 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Alexander Botz
- Analytical Chemistry – Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES) Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry Ruhr University Bochum 44780 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Thomas Erichsen
- Analytical Chemistry – Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES) Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry Ruhr University Bochum 44780 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Andrzej Ernst
- Analytical Chemistry – Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES) Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry Ruhr University Bochum 44780 Bochum Deutschland
| | - Corina Andronescu
- Chemical Technology III Faculty of Chemistry and CENIDE Center for Nanointegration University Duisburg Essen Carl-Benz-Str. 199 47057 Duisburg Deutschland
| | - Wolfgang Schuhmann
- Analytical Chemistry – Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES) Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry Ruhr University Bochum 44780 Bochum Deutschland
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81
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Tarnev T, Aiyappa HB, Botz A, Erichsen T, Ernst A, Andronescu C, Schuhmann W. Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy Investigation of Single ZIF-Derived Nanocomposite Particles as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution in Alkaline Media. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:14265-14269. [PMID: 31347751 PMCID: PMC6790716 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201908021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
"Single entity" measurements are central for an improved understanding of the function of nanoparticle-based electrocatalysts without interference arising from mass transfer limitations and local changes of educt concentration or the pH value. We report a scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) investigation of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67)-derived Co-N-doped C composite particles with respect to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Surmounting the surface wetting issues as well as the potential drift through the use of a non-interfering Os complex as free-diffusing internal redox potential standard, SECCM could be successfully applied in alkaline media. SECCM mapping reveals activity differences relative to the number of particles in the wetted area of the droplet landing zone. The turnover frequency (TOF) is 0.25 to 1.5 s-1 at potentials between 1.7 and 1.8 V vs. RHE, respectively, based on the number of Co atoms in each particle. Consistent values at locations with varying number of particles demonstrates OER performance devoid of macroscopic film effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsvetan Tarnev
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Harshitha Barike Aiyappa
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Alexander Botz
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Erichsen
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Andrzej Ernst
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Corina Andronescu
- Chemical Technology III, Faculty of Chemistry and CENIDE, Center for Nanointegration University Duisburg Essen, Carl-Benz-Str. 199, 47057, Duisburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schuhmann
- Analytical Chemistry-Center for Electrochemical Sciences (CES), Faculty for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
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82
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Hill JW, Hill CM. Directly Mapping Photoelectrochemical Behavior within Individual Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets. NANO LETTERS 2019; 19:5710-5716. [PMID: 31287956 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b02336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Spatial variations in photoelectrochemical reaction rates within individual p-type WSe2 nanosheets were mapped through the application of scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM). The simultaneous topographical and electrochemical information provided via SECCM directly revealed how both sheet thickness and the presence of defect structures affect the local rate of photoelectrochemical reactions for both outer sphere and inner sphere redox couples. Sheet thickness was found to play a dramatic role in reaction rates, with onset potentials shifting by as much as 0.5 V over thicknesses of 20-120 nm, attributable to the inability of thin sheets to support independent space charge layers. Step/edge features were found to play a detrimental role for the outer sphere redox couple investigated (Ru(NH3)63+ reduction), with taller steps having larger effects on performance. Shorter step features were found to be beneficial for hydrogen evolution, showing a controlled density of defect features is desirable for inner sphere processes. The studies presented here not only provide valuable, quantitative insights into the behavior of transitional metal dichalcogenide materials but also demonstrate the power of applying SECCM to the study of photoelectrochemical systems, particularly those involving two-dimensional (2D) materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua W Hill
- Department of Chemistry , University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Ave , Laramie , Wyoming 82071 , United States
| | - Caleb M Hill
- Department of Chemistry , University of Wyoming , 1000 E. University Ave , Laramie , Wyoming 82071 , United States
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83
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Daviddi E, Gonos KL, Colburn AW, Bentley CL, Unwin PR. Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy (SECCM) Chronopotentiometry: Development and Applications in Electroanalysis and Electrocatalysis. Anal Chem 2019; 91:9229-9237. [PMID: 31251561 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b02091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) has been applied for nanoscale (electro)activity mapping in a range of electrochemical systems but so far has almost exclusively been performed in controlled-potential (amperometric/voltammetric) modes. Herein, we consider the use of SECCM operated in a controlled-current (galvanostatic or chronopotentiometric) mode, to synchronously obtain spatially resolved electrode potential (i.e., electrochemical activity) and topographical "maps". This technique is first applied, as proof of concept, to study the electrochemically reversible [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+ electron transfer process at a glassy carbon electrode surface, where the experimental data are in good agreement with well-established chronopotentiometric theory under quasi-radial diffusion conditions. The [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+ process has also been imaged at "aged" highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), where apparently enhanced electrochemical activity is measured at the edge plane relative to the basal plane surface, consistent with potentiostatic measurements. Finally, chronopotentiometric SECCM has been employed to benchmark a promising electrocatalytic system, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), where higher electrocatalytic activity (i.e., lower overpotential at a current density of 2 mA cm-2) is observed at the edge plane compared to the basal plane surface. These results are in excellent agreement with previous controlled-potential SECCM studies, confirming the viability of the technique and thereby opening up new possibilities for the use of chronopotentiometric methods for quantitative electroanalysis at the nanoscale, with promising applications in energy storage (battery) studies, electrocatalyst benchmarking, and corrosion research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Daviddi
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , U.K
| | - Katerina L Gonos
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , U.K
| | - Alex W Colburn
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , U.K
| | - Cameron L Bentley
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , U.K
| | - Patrick R Unwin
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , U.K
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84
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Lemay SG. Noise as Data: Nucleation of Electrochemically Generated Nanobubbles. ACS NANO 2019; 13:6141-6144. [PMID: 31149800 PMCID: PMC6595431 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.9b03348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Single-entity electrochemistry aims to expand the toolkit for probing matter at the nanometer scale. Originally focused largely on electrochemically active systems, these methods are increasingly turning into versatile probes complementary to optical, electrical, or mechanical methods. Recent studies of the nucleation, structure, and stability of gas nanobubbles, which exploit electrochemistry at nanoelectrodes as generation and stabilization mechanisms, are prototypical examples. These measurements illustrate the interplay between advances in electrochemical methods and strategies for extracting microscopic information from the results.
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85
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Kolagatla S, Subramanian P, Schechter A. Simultaneous Mapping of Oxygen Reduction Activity and Hydrogen Peroxide Generation on Electrocatalytic Surfaces. CHEMSUSCHEM 2019; 12:2708-2714. [PMID: 30972916 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201900656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical scanning probe microscopies have become valuable experimental tools, owing to their capability of capturing topographic features in addition to mapping the electrochemical activity of nanoscale oxygen reduction catalysts. However, most scanning probe techniques lack the ability to correlate topographic features with the electrochemical oxygen reduction and peroxide formation in real time. In this report, we show that it is indeed possible to construct high-resolution catalytic current maps at an electrified solid-liquid interface by placing a specially made Au-coated SiO2 Pt atomic force microscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy (AFM-SECM) dual electrode tip approximately 4-8 nm above the reaction center. The catalytic current measured every 16 nm and high collection efficiency (≈90 %) of the reverse current of peroxide byproducts was also demonstrated with the help of the dual electrode tip. Simultaneous oxygen reduction and intermediate peroxide oxidation current mapping was demonstrated using this Au-coated SiO2 Pt probe on two model surfaces, namely highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and Pt nanoparticles (NPs) supported on a glassy carbon surface.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alex Schechter
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, 40700, Israel
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86
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Tao B, Yule LC, Daviddi E, Bentley CL, Unwin PR. Correlative Electrochemical Microscopy of Li-Ion (De)intercalation at a Series of Individual LiMn 2 O 4 Particles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:4606-4611. [PMID: 30724004 PMCID: PMC6766856 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201814505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The redox activity (Li-ion intercalation/deintercalation) of a series of individual LiMn2 O4 particles of known geometry and (nano)structure, within an array, is determined using a correlative electrochemical microscopy strategy. Cyclic voltammetry (current-voltage curve, I-E) and galvanostatic charge/discharge (voltage-time curve, E-t) are applied at the single particle level, using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), together with co-location scanning electron microscopy that enables the corresponding particle size, morphology, crystallinity, and other factors to be visualized. This study identifies a wide spectrum of activity of nominally similar particles and highlights how subtle changes in particle form can greatly impact electrochemical properties. SECCM is well-suited for assessing single particles and constitutes a combinatorial method that will enable the rational design and optimization of battery electrode materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binglin Tao
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of WarwickCoventryCV4 7ALUK
| | - Lewis C. Yule
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of WarwickCoventryCV4 7ALUK
| | - Enrico Daviddi
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of WarwickCoventryCV4 7ALUK
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87
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Yule LC, Bentley CL, West G, Shollock BA, Unwin PR. Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy: A versatile method for highly localised corrosion related measurements on metal surfaces. Electrochim Acta 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.12.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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88
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Walmsley JD, Hill JW, Saha P, Hill CM. Probing Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction at Individual Cu Nanostructures via Optically Targeted Electrochemical Cell Microscopy. JOURNAL OF ANALYSIS AND TESTING 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s41664-019-00090-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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89
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Tao B, Yule LC, Daviddi E, Bentley CL, Unwin PR. Correlative Electrochemical Microscopy of Li‐Ion (De)intercalation at a Series of Individual LiMn
2
O
4
Particles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201814505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Binglin Tao
- Department of Chemistry University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Lewis C. Yule
- Department of Chemistry University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | - Enrico Daviddi
- Department of Chemistry University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
| | | | - Patrick R. Unwin
- Department of Chemistry University of Warwick Coventry CV4 7AL UK
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90
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Liu DQ, Tao B, Ruan HC, Bentley CL, Unwin PR. Metal support effects in electrocatalysis at hexagonal boron nitride. Chem Commun (Camb) 2019; 55:628-631. [PMID: 30556069 DOI: 10.1039/c8cc08517j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A scanning electrochemical droplet cell technique has been employed to screen the intrinsic electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets supported on different metal substrates (Cu and Au). Local (spatially-resolved) voltammetry and Tafel analysis reveal that electronic interaction with the underlying metal substrate plays a significant role in modulating the electrocatalytic activity of h-BN, with Au-supported h-BN exhibiting significantly enhanced HER charge-transfer kinetics (exchange current is ca. two orders of magnitude larger) compared to Cu-supported h-BN, making the former material the superior support in a catalytic sense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Qing Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK.
| | - Binglin Tao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK.
| | - Hong-Cheng Ruan
- School of Information and Safety Engineering, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China
| | - Cameron L Bentley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK.
| | - Patrick R Unwin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, UK.
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91
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Bentley CL, Edmondson J, Meloni GN, Perry D, Shkirskiy V, Unwin PR. Nanoscale Electrochemical Mapping. Anal Chem 2018; 91:84-108. [PMID: 30500157 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b05235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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92
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Bentley CL, Kang M, Unwin PR. Nanoscale Surface Structure–Activity in Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 141:2179-2193. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b09828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Minkyung Kang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
| | - Patrick R. Unwin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K
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93
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Affiliation(s)
- Lane A. Baker
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
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94
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Kim JT, Pyo J, Seol SK, Je JH. Precise Placement of Microbubble Templates at Single Entity Resolution. ACS Macro Lett 2018; 7:1267-1271. [PMID: 35651264 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Microbubbles have been used as a soft template to produce hollow structures for diverse applications in chemistry, materials science, and biomedicine. It is a challenge, however, to control their size and position at single-entity level. We report on an on-demand method to produce and place a single microbubble with programmed size and position. The method exploits scanning an electrolyte-filled micropipette to place a hydrogen (H2) bubble, generated by water electrolysis, on the desired position. The bubble growth is self-limited after the bubble size fits to the pipet aperture, yielding well-controlled bubble size. The bubble growth dynamics within the pipet is successfully investigated by a methodology that combines phase-contrast X-ray imaging and electric-current measurement. We show that the microbubbles, accurately controlled in size and position, can be used for the fabrication of various polypyrrole microcontainer arrays. We expect the scanning-pipet strategy could be generalized for manipulating various soft materials at will.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Tae Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jaeyeon Pyo
- Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51543, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Kwon Seol
- Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51543, Republic of Korea
- Electro-Functionality Materials Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do 51543, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Ho Je
- X-ray Imaging Center, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 77 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
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95
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Saha P, Hill JW, Walmsley JD, Hill CM. Probing Electrocatalysis at Individual Au Nanorods via Correlated Optical and Electrochemical Measurements. Anal Chem 2018; 90:12832-12839. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b03360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Partha Saha
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
| | - Joshua W. Hill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
| | - Joshua D. Walmsley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
| | - Caleb M. Hill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, United States
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96
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Abstract
A concentration gradient driven imaging mechanism is described for scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM). Two different solution phases, one filling a double-barrel pipet and one in the bath, are used to afford probe control and imaging under nonstandard SICM conditions. Under these conditions, solutions with no added electrolyte can be utilized as the bath solution. Further, both positive and negative feedback modes are exhibited as the probe approaches the surface. We term this method biphasic-SICM (BP-SICM). Technical details of implementing BP-SICM and operational principles are described herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myunghoon Choi
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
| | - Lane A Baker
- Department of Chemistry , Indiana University , 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue , Bloomington , Indiana 47405 , United States
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97
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Perera RT, Arcadia CE, Rosenstein JK. Probing the nucleation, growth, and evolution of hydrogen nanobubbles at single catalytic sites. Electrochim Acta 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2018.07.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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98
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Bentley CL, Perry D, Unwin PR. Stability and Placement of Ag/AgCl Quasi-Reference Counter Electrodes in Confined Electrochemical Cells. Anal Chem 2018; 90:7700-7707. [PMID: 29808685 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b01588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nanoelectrochemistry is an important and growing branch of electrochemistry that encompasses a number of key research areas, including (electro)catalysis, energy storage, biomedical/environmental sensing, and electrochemical imaging. Nanoscale electrochemical measurements are often performed in confined environments over prolonged experimental time scales with nonisolated quasi-reference counter electrodes (QRCEs) in a simplified two-electrode format. Herein, we consider the stability of commonly used Ag/AgCl QRCEs, comprising an AgCl-coated wire, in a nanopipet configuration, which simulates the confined electrochemical cell arrangement commonly encountered in nanoelectrochemical systems. Ag/AgCl QRCEs possess a very stable reference potential even when used immediately after preparation and, when deployed in Cl- free electrolyte media (e.g., 0.1 M HClO4) in the scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) format, drift by only ca. 1 mV h-1 on the several hours time scale. Furthermore, contrary to some previous reports, when employed in a scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) format (meniscus contact with a working electrode surface), Ag/AgCl QRCEs do not cause fouling of the surface (i.e., with soluble redox byproducts, such as Ag+) on at least the 6 h time scale, as long as suitable precautions with respect to electrode handling and placement within the nanopipet are observed. These experimental observations are validated through finite element method (FEM) simulations, which consider Ag+ transport within a nanopipet probe in the SECCM and SICM configurations. These results confirm that Ag/AgCl is a stable and robust QRCE in confined electrochemical environments, such as in nanopipets used in SICM, for nanopore measurements, for printing and patterning, and in SECCM, justifying the widespread use of this electrode in the field of nanoelectrochemistry and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron L Bentley
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , United Kingdom
| | - David Perry
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , United Kingdom
| | - Patrick R Unwin
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Coventry CV4 7AL , United Kingdom
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99
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Advances and Perspectives in Chemical Imaging in Cellular Environments Using Electrochemical Methods. CHEMOSENSORS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/chemosensors6020024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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100
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Abstract
Exploiting a femtoliter liquid meniscus formed on a nanopipet is a powerful approach to spatially control mass transfer or chemical reaction at the nanoscale. However, the insufficient reliability of techniques for the meniscus formation still restricts its practical use. We report on a noncontact, programmable method to produce a femtoliter liquid meniscus that is utilized for parallel three-dimensional (3D) nanoprinting. The method based on electrohydrodynamic dispensing enables one to create an ink meniscus at a pipet-substrate gap without physical contact and positional feedback. By guiding the meniscus under rapid evaporation of solvent in air, we successfully fabricate freestanding polymer 3D nanostructures. After a quantitative characterization of the experimental conditions, we show that we can use a multibarrel pipet to achieve parallel fabrication process of clustered nanowires with precise placement. We expect this technique to advance productivity in nanoscale 3D printing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojun Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong , China
| | - Zhaoyi Xu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong , China
| | - Jung Hyun Kim
- Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center , Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) , Changwon-si , Gyeongsangnam-do 51543 , Republic of Korea
- Electrical Functional Material Engineering , Korea University of Science and Technology (UST) , Changwon-si , Gyeongsangnam-do 51543 , Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Kwon Seol
- Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center , Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) , Changwon-si , Gyeongsangnam-do 51543 , Republic of Korea
- Electrical Functional Material Engineering , Korea University of Science and Technology (UST) , Changwon-si , Gyeongsangnam-do 51543 , Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Tae Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering , The University of Hong Kong , Pokfulam Road , Hong Kong , China
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