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Lehane RA, Gamero-Quijano A, Malijauskaite S, Holzinger A, Conroy M, Laffir F, Kumar A, Bangert U, McGourty K, Scanlon MD. Electrosynthesis of Biocompatible Free-Standing PEDOT Thin Films at a Polarized Liquid|Liquid Interface. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:4853-4862. [PMID: 35262332 PMCID: PMC8949726 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c12373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
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Conducting polymers
(CPs) find applications in energy conversion
and storage, sensors, and biomedical technologies once processed into
thin films. Hydrophobic CPs, like poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)
(PEDOT), typically require surfactant additives, such as poly(styrenesulfonate)
(PSS), to aid their aqueous processability as thin films. However,
excess PSS diminishes CP electrochemical performance, biocompatibility,
and device stability. Here, we report the electrosynthesis of PEDOT
thin films at a polarized liquid|liquid interface, a method nonreliant
on conductive solid substrates that produces free-standing, additive-free,
biocompatible, easily transferrable, and scalable 2D PEDOT thin films
of any shape or size in a single step at ambient conditions. Electrochemical
control of thin film nucleation and growth at the polarized liquid|liquid
interface allows control over the morphology, transitioning from 2D
(flat on both sides with a thickness of <50 nm) to “Janus”
3D (with flat and rough sides, each showing distinct physical properties,
and a thickness of >850 nm) films. The PEDOT thin films were p-doped (approaching the theoretical limit), showed high
π–π conjugation, were processed directly as thin
films without insulating PSS and were thus highly conductive without
post-processing. This work demonstrates that interfacial electrosynthesis
directly produces PEDOT thin films with distinctive molecular architectures
inaccessible in bulk solution or at solid electrode–electrolyte
interfaces and emergent properties that facilitate technological advances.
In this regard, we demonstrate the PEDOT thin film’s superior
biocompatibility as scaffolds for cellular growth, opening immediate
applications in organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) devices
for monitoring cell behavior over extended time periods, bioscaffolds,
and medical devices, without needing physiologically unstable and
poorly biocompatible PSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob A Lehane
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Alonso Gamero-Quijano
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Sigita Malijauskaite
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Angelika Holzinger
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Michele Conroy
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Department of Physics, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Fathima Laffir
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Amit Kumar
- School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast (QUB), Belfast BT71 NN, UK
| | - Ursel Bangert
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Department of Physics, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Kieran McGourty
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Health Research Institute (HRI), University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Micheál D Scanlon
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick (UL), Limerick V94 T9PX, Ireland.,The Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research (AMBER) Centre, CRANN Institute, Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Dublin 2 D02 PN40, Ireland
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3
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Zarbin AJG. Liquid-liquid interfaces: a unique and advantageous environment to prepare and process thin films of complex materials. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2021; 8:1409-1432. [PMID: 34846449 DOI: 10.1039/d0mh01676d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Thin film technology is pervasive for many fields with high impact in our daily lives, which makes processing materials such as thin films a very important subject in materials science and technology. However, several paramount materials cannot be prepared as thin films through the well-known and consolidated deposition routes, which strongly limits their applicability. This is particularly noticeable for multi-component and complex nanocomposites, which present unique properties due to the synergic effect between the components, but have several limitations to be obtained as thin films, mainly if homogeneity and transparence are required. This review highlights the main advances of a novel approach to both process and synthesize different classes of materials as thin films, based on liquid/liquid interfaces. The so-called liquid/liquid interfacial route (LLIR) allows the deposition of thin films of single- or multi-component materials, easily transferable over any kind of substrate (plastics and flexible substrates included) with precise control of the thickness, homogeneity and transparence. More interesting, it allows the in situ synthesis of multi-component materials directly as thin films stabilized at the liquid/liquid interface, in which problems related to both the synthesis and processing are solved together in a single step. This review presents the basis of the LLIR and several examples of thin films obtained from different classes of materials, such as carbon nanostructures, metal and oxide nanoparticles, two-dimensional materials, organic and organometallic frameworks, and polymer-based nanocomposites, among others. Moreover, specific applications of those films in different technological fields are shown, taking advantage of the specific properties emerging from the unique preparation route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo J G Zarbin
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), CP 19032, CEP 81531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
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5
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Rastgar S, Teixeira Santos K, Angelucci CA, Wittstock G. Catalytic Activity of Alkali Metal Cations for the Chemical Oxygen Reduction Reaction in a Biphasic Liquid System Probed by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy. Chemistry 2020; 26:10882-10890. [PMID: 32460434 PMCID: PMC7496973 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202001967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Chemical reduction of dioxygen in organic solvents for the production of reactive oxygen species or the concomitant oxidation of organic substrates can be enhanced by the separation of products and educts in biphasic liquid systems. Here, the coupled electron and ion transfer processes is studied as well as reagent fluxes across the liquid|liquid interface for the chemical reduction of dioxygen by decamethylferrocene (DMFc) in a dichloroethane-based organic electrolyte forming an interface with an aqueous electrolyte containing alkali metal ions. This interface is stabilized at the orifice of a pipette, across which a Galvani potential difference is externally applied and precisely adjusted to enforce the transfer of different alkali metal ions from the aqueous to the organic electrolyte. The oxygen reduction is followed by H2 O2 detection in the aqueous phase close to the interface by a microelectrode of a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM). The results prove a strong catalytic effect of hydrated alkali metal ions on the formation rate of H2 O2 , which varies systematically with the acidity of the transferred alkali metal ions in the organic phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shokoufeh Rastgar
- Carl von Ossietzky University of OldenburgChemistry Department261111OldenburgGermany
| | - Keyla Teixeira Santos
- Carl von Ossietzky University of OldenburgChemistry Department261111OldenburgGermany
- Federal University of ABCCenter for Natural and Human SciencesAv. dos Estados 500109210-580Santo André/SPBrazil
| | - Camilo Andrea Angelucci
- Federal University of ABCCenter for Natural and Human SciencesAv. dos Estados 500109210-580Santo André/SPBrazil
| | - Gunther Wittstock
- Carl von Ossietzky University of OldenburgChemistry Department261111OldenburgGermany
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9
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Gamero-Quijano A, Molina-Osorio AF, Peljo P, Scanlon MD. Closed bipolar electrochemistry in a four-electrode configuration. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:9627-9640. [DOI: 10.1039/c9cp00774a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The thermodynamic theory underpinning closed bipolar electrochemistry in a 4-electrode configuration is presented; a technique applicable to spectro-electroanalysis, energy storage, electrocatalysis and electrodeposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alonso Gamero-Quijano
- The Bernal Institute and Department of Chemical Sciences
- School of Natural Sciences
- University of Limerick (UL)
- Limerick V94 T9PX
- Ireland
| | - Andrés F. Molina-Osorio
- The Bernal Institute and Department of Chemical Sciences
- School of Natural Sciences
- University of Limerick (UL)
- Limerick V94 T9PX
- Ireland
| | - Pekka Peljo
- Research Group of Physical Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Physics
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science
- Aalto University
- 00076 Aalto
- Finland
| | - Micheál D. Scanlon
- The Bernal Institute and Department of Chemical Sciences
- School of Natural Sciences
- University of Limerick (UL)
- Limerick V94 T9PX
- Ireland
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10
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Nishi N, Yajima I, Amano KI, Sakka T. Janus-Type Gold/Polythiophene Composites Formed via Redox Reaction at the Ionic Liquid|Water Interface. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2018; 34:2441-2447. [PMID: 29336574 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b03792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Janus-type Au/polythiophene (PT) composites have been prepared by utilizing the liquid/liquid interface between water (W) and a hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL) as the redox reaction site. AuCl4- is reductively deposited, and terthiophene is oxidatively polymerized spacio-selectively at the IL|W interface, leading to the formation of the Au/PT composites. The composites are Janus-type Au-attached PT plates with two surface morphologies, flat surface and flowerlike surface at the W and IL sides of the plates at the IL|W interface, respectively. Not only surface morphologies but also attached Au structures are different at the two surfaces; Au microurchins on the flat surface and dendritic Au nanofibers on the flowerlike surface. Optical and scanning electron microscopic observations have revealed that nanofibers and microurchins are formed at the early and later stage of the reaction, respectively. Electrochemistry at the IL|W interface has illustrated that electron transfer across the IL|W interface during the formation of the Janus-type Au/PT composites is coupled with ion transfer of AuCl4- to compensate for the charge unbalance in the two liquid phases. AuCl4- transferred into IL is found to be the source of the dendritic Au nanofibers formed at the IL side of the PT plates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Nishi
- Department of Energy and Hydrocarbon Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University , Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - Ikumi Yajima
- Department of Energy and Hydrocarbon Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University , Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Amano
- Department of Energy and Hydrocarbon Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University , Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Sakka
- Department of Energy and Hydrocarbon Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University , Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
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11
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A fluidic device for the controlled formation and real-time monitoring of soft membranes self-assembled at liquid interfaces. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2900. [PMID: 29440702 PMCID: PMC5811436 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20998-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane materials formed at the interface between two liquids have found applications in a large variety of technologies, from sensors to drug-delivery and catalysis. However, studying the formation of these membranes in real-time presents considerable challenges, owing to the difficulty of prescribing the location and instant of formation of the membrane, the difficulty of observing time-dependent membrane shape and thickness, and the poor reproducibility of results obtained using conventional mixing procedures. Here we report a fluidic device that facilitates characterisation of the time-dependent thickness, morphology and mass transport properties of materials self-assembled at fluid-fluid interfaces. In the proposed device the membrane forms from the controlled coalescence of two liquid menisci in a linear open channel. The linear geometry and controlled mixing of the solutions facilitate real-time visualisation, manipulation and improve reproducibility. Because of its small dimensions, the device can be used in conjunction with standard microscopy methods and reduces the required volumes of potentially expensive reagents. As an example application to tissue engineering, we use the device to characterise interfacial membranes formed by supra-molecular self-assembly of peptide-amphiphiles with either an elastin-like-protein or hyaluronic acid. The device can be adapted to study self-assembling membranes for applications that extend beyond bioengineering.
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12
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Rabiu AK, Toth PS, Rodgers ANJ, Dryfe RAW. Electrochemical Investigation of Adsorption of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes at a Liquid/Liquid Interface. ChemistryOpen 2017; 6:57-63. [PMID: 28168151 PMCID: PMC5288753 DOI: 10.1002/open.201600136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
There is much interest in understanding the interfacial properties of carbon nanotubes, particularly at water/oil interfaces. Here, the adsorption of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) at the water/1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) interface, and the subsequent investigation of the influence of the adsorbed nanotube layer on interfacial ion transfer, is studied by using the voltammetric transfer of tetramethylammonium (TMA+) and hexafluorophosphate (PF6-) as probe ions. The presence of the interfacial SWCNT layer significantly suppresses the transfer of both ions across the interface, with a greater degree of selectivity towards the PF6- ion. This effect was attributed both to the partial blocking of the interface by the SWCNTs and to the potential dependant adsorption of background electrolyte ions on the surface of the SWCNTs, as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which is caused by an electrostatic interaction between the interfacial SWCNTs and the transferring ion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aminu K. Rabiu
- School of ChemistryUniversity of ManchesterOxford RoadManchesterM13 9PLUK
| | - Peter S. Toth
- School of ChemistryUniversity of ManchesterOxford RoadManchesterM13 9PLUK
| | | | - Robert A. W. Dryfe
- School of ChemistryUniversity of ManchesterOxford RoadManchesterM13 9PLUK
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