Tetrabutylammonium-modified clay film electrodes: characterization and application to the detection of metal ions

This work describes the preparation and characterization of smectite clay partially exchanged with tetrabutylammonium ions (TBA(+)) and its subsequent deposition onto glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for application to the preconcentration electroanalysis of metal ions (Cd, Pb, and Cu). Such partial exchange of TBA(+) induces the expansion of the interlayer region between the clay sheets (as ascertained by XRD) while maintaining its ion exchange capacity, which resulted in enhanced mass transport rates (as pointed out by electrochemical monitoring of permeability properties of these thin (organo)clay films on GCE). This principle was applied here to the anodic stripping square wave voltammetric analysis of metal ions after accumulation at open circuit. Among others, detection limits as low as 3.6×10(-8)M for copper and 7.2×10(-8)M for cadmium have been achieved.

Cyclic Voltammetric Investigations of Thiazine Dyes on Modified Electrodes

Electrochemical behavior of five progressively alkylated thiazine dyes has been investigated at glassy carbon/montmorillonite and glassy carbon/zeolite electrodes. Quantitative characteristics, associated with the positions of peak potentials (Ea and Ec) and current ratios (ia/ic), are measured with scan rates. The peak current observed in the modified electrodes is dependent on both the porosity and nature and number of sites involved in partitioning the complex into film. The values of diffusion coefficient for different dyes have been calculated from electrochemical data. It is suggested that in clay-modified electrode along with physical diffusion the process of electron hopping seems to be most likely.