A comparison of diffusion-limited currents at microelectrodes of various geometries for EC′ reactions

Watching single nanoparticles grow in real time through supercontinuum spectroscopy

A fast dark-field scattering technique capturing full broadband spectra with millisecond time-resolution enables us to monitor the growth or assembly of single nano-objects in situ and in real time. Applying this technique to study the growth of single gold nanorods, together with scanning electron microscopy and finite-difference time-domain simulations, reveals precise quantitative information about gold nanorod growth kinetics.

A compact analytical formalism for current transients in electrochemical systems

Micro- and nanostructured electrodes form an integral part of a wide variety of electrochemical systems for biomolecular detection, batteries, solar cells, scanning electrochemical microscopy, etc. Given the complexity of the electrode structures, the Butler-Volmer formalism of redox reactions, and the diffusion transport of redox species, it is hardly surprising that only a few problems are amenable to closed-form, compact analytical solutions. While numerical solutions are widely used, it is often difficult to integrate the insights gained into the design and optimization of electrochemical systems. In this article, we develop a comprehensive analytical formalism for current transients that not only anticipate the responses of complex electrode structures to complicated voltammetry measurements, but also intuitively interpret diverse experiments such as redox detection of molecules at nanogap electrodes, scanning electrochemical microscopy, etc. The results from the analytical model, well supported through detailed numerical simulations and experimental data from the literature, have broad implications in the design and optimization of nanostructured electrodes for healthcare and energy storage applications.