Surface Modification of Halogenated Polymers. 7. Local Reduction of Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and Poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) by a Scanning Electrochemical Microscope in the Feedback Mode

Scanning electrochemical microscopy of Li-ion batteries

Li-ion batteries (LIBs) are receiving increasing attention over the past decade due to their high energy density. This energy storage technology is expected to continue improving the performance, especially for its large-scale deployment in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and full electric vehicles (EVs). Such improvement requires having a large variety of analytical techniques at scientists' disposal in order to understand and address the multiple mechanisms and processes occurring simultaneously in this complex system. This perspective article aims to highlight the strength and potential of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in this field. After a brief description of a LIB system and the most commonly used techniques in this field, the unique information provided by SECM is illustrated by discussing several recent examples from the literature.

Electrochemically assisted micro localized grafting of aptamers in a microchannel engraved in fluorinated thermoplastic polymer Dyneon THV

Electrochemically assisted localized grafting of an aptamer in a microchannel engraved in fluorinated thermoplastic polymer Dyneon THV.

Immobilization of magnetic nanoparticles onto conductive surfaces modified by diazonium chemistry

Core-shell γ-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2) nanoparticles (NPs) substituted by PEG and NH(2) groups may be immobilized on metal surfaces (glassy carbon or gold) substituted by 4-carboxyphenyl groups through electrostatic interactions. Such immobilization is evidenced by (i) IRRAS owing to the Si-O band, (ii) SEM images, which show that the surface coverage by the NPs is nearly 100%, and (iii) the NPs film thickness measured by ellipsometry or AFM, which corresponds to about one NPs monolayer. Such NPs film is permeable to redox probes, which allows us to propose electrochemical methods based on direct or local measurements as a way to inspect the NPs assembly steps through their ability to alter mass and charge transfer. This process also applies to patterned polystyrene surfaces, and selective immobilization of NPs substituted by amino groups was carried out onto submillimeter patterns obtained by local oxidation. Biological applications are then expected for hyperthermia activation of the NPs to trigger cellular death. Finally, some tests were performed to further derivatize the immobilized NPs onto surfaces through either a covalent bond or electrostatic interactions. Future work will be dedicated to the recovery of such Janus NPs from the substrate surface.

Patterning of polystyrene by scanning electrochemical microscopy. Biological applications to cell adhesion

Polystyrene surfaces may be patterned by Ag(II), NO(3)(•), and OH(•) electrogenerated at the tip of a scanning electrochemical microscope. These electrogenerated reagents lead to local surface oxidation of the polymer. The most efficient surface treatment is obtained with Ag(II). The patterns are evidenced by XPS and IR and also by the surface wettability contrast between the hydrophobic virgin surface and the hydrophilic pattern. Such Ag(II) treatment of a polystyrene Petri dish generates discriminative surfaces able to promote or disfavor the adhesion of proteins and also the adhesion and growth of adherent cells. The process is also successfully applied to a cyclo-olefin copolymer and should be suitable to pattern any hydrogenated polymer.

Review: Recent applications of scanning electrochemical microscopy to the study of charge transfer kinetics

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) has been proven to be a valuable technique for the quantitative investigation and surface analysis of a wide range of processes that occur at interfaces. In particular, there is a great deal of interest in studying the kinetics of charge transfer characteristics at the solid/liquid and liquid/liquid interface. This overview outlines recent advances and applications of SECM to the investigation of charge transfer reactions at the solid/liquid interface and liquid/liquid interface.

Scanning electrochemical microscopy for direct imaging of reaction rates

Not only in electrochemistry but also in biology and in membrane transport, localized processes at solid-liquid or liquid-liquid interfaces play an important role at defect sites, pores, or individual cells, but are difficult to characterize by integral investigation. Scanning electrochemical microscopy is suitable for such investigations. After two decades of development, this method is based on a solid theoretical foundation and a large number of demonstrated applications. It offers the possibility of directly imaging heterogeneous reaction rates and locally modifying substrates by electrochemically generated reagents. The applications range from classical electrochemical problems, such as the investigation of localized corrosion and electrocatalytic reactions in fuel cells, sensor surfaces, biochips, and microstructured analysis systems, to mass transport through synthetic membranes, skin and tissue, as well as intercellular communication processes. Moreover, processes can be studied that occur at liquid surfaces and liquid-liquid interfaces.

Photoelectrochemical Kinetics of Eosin Y-Sensitized Zinc Oxide Films Investigated by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

Eosin Y is used as a sensitizer for nanoporous zinc oxide films for prospective applications in photoelectrochemical solar cells. The kinetics of the reduction of the intermittently formed photo-oxidized dye molecules by iodide ions in the electrolyte phase was investigated by using the feedback mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The bulk solution phase contained triiodide as electron transfer mediator, from which the ultramicroelectrode-generated iodide ions acted as electron donors for photo-oxidized Eosin Y molecules (D(+) (ads)) at the zinc oxide sample. Effective rate constants for the dye regeneration could be extracted from the SECM approach curves. The effective rate constants at different triiodide concentrations could be related to the rate constant for the reaction of the dissolved donor with photo-oxidized Eosin Y bound to ZnO, as well as to the overall rate of the photosensitization process. For the reaction D(+) (ads) + 1.5 I(-)-->D(ads) + 0.5 I(3) (-) a rate constant of k(ox) = (1.4+/-0.8)x10(8) cm(9/2) mol(-3/2) s(-1) was determined.