Electrodeposition dynamics: electrochemical and X-ray scattering studies

Multifunctional Polypeptide EQCN Sensors: Probing the Cysteamine-Glutathione Film Permeability with Hg(II) Ions

Multifunctional films are the basis of biosensors and play an important role in the emerging field of nanobioelectronics. In this work, films of a tripeptide glutathione (GSH) immobilized on a self-assembled monolayer of cysteamine (CA-SAM) on a quartz crystal Au piezosensor have been synthesized and characterized using electrochemical quartz crystal nanogravimetry (EQCN) with a Hg(II) ion probe. It has been found that in contrast to previously studied Au/GSH films, the Au/CA-GSH films strongly hinder the formation of Hg⁰ with bulk properties while still allowing for relatively easy permeation by Hg(II) ions. This results in complete disappearance of the sharp Hg⁰ electrodissolution peak which is observed on bare Au and Au/GSH piezosensors. The multiple-peak anodic behavior of Au/CA and bare Au is replaced by a single high-field anodic peak of mercury reoxidation in the case of Au/CA-GSH sensors. The mass-to-charge plots indicate predominant ingress/egress of Hg(II) to/from the film. The strong hindrance of CA-SAM to bulk-Hg⁰ formation is attributed to film-stabilizing formation of surface (CA)₂Hg²⁺ complexes with conformation evaluated by ab initio quantum mechanical calculations of electronic structure using Hartree-Fock methods. The associates CA-GSH provide an additional functionality of the side sulfhydryl group which is free for interactions, e.g. with heavy metals. It is proposed that in the film, the CA-GSH molecules can assume open (extended) conformation or bent hydrogen-bonded conformation with up to four possible internal hydrogen bonds.

In Situ Spatial and Time-Resolved Studies of Electrochemical Reactions by Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy

The first in situ measurements with scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) of an active electrochemical cell are reported. An electrochemical wet cell, consisting of an electrodeposited polyaniline thin film on a thin Au film covered by an overlayer of 1 M HCl solution sitting between two X-ray transparent silicon nitride windows, was assembled. X-ray absorption images and spatial and time-resolved spectra of this system under potential control were examined using the beamline 5.3.2 STXM at the Advanced Light Source. The chemical state of the polyaniline film was reversibly converted between reduced (leucoemeraldine) and oxidized (emeraldine chloride) states by changing the applied potential. The electrochemical changes were monitored by spatially resolved C 1s and N 1s X-ray absorption spectroscopy and chemical-state selective imaging. Comparison of differences between images at two energies at different potentials provided electrochemical contrast with a resolution better than 50 nm, thereby monitoring that component of the polyaniline film that was electrochemically active. Kinematic studies in the subsecond regime are demonstrated.