Determining Electron Transfer Kinetics at Porous Electrodes

Proton conductive 2D MXene-derived potassium titanate nanoribbons fabricated electrochemical platform for trace detection of enrofloxacin

In recent years, due to exceptional properties like broad interlayered spacing and low working potential, MXene-derived titanate nanoribbons have been established as promising electrode materials. Herein, the electrocatalytic activity of MXene-derived potassium titanate nanoribbon was employed to develop a voltammetric sensor for the detection of enrofloxacin. The sensor's significance is to provide a sustainable solution to quantify the presence of enrofloxacin regarding food safety and environmental monitoring. Moreover, to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals by preventing antimicrobial resistance to accomplish the One Health approach. Potassium titanate nanoribbons were synthesized using 2D Ti3C2 MXene as an active precursor material, while X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction pattern, elemental mapping, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the crystallinity, surface and layered morphology of synthesized nanoribbons. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique was applied to calculate the specific surface area of the synthesized materials. The materials underwent electrochemical characterization using cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Later on, the nanoribbons were fabricated on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode, and the electro-oxidative behaviour of enrofloxacin was studied by CV, DPV, square wave voltammetry (SWV) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (optimized pH 8). The developed sensor depicts a significantly lower limit of quantification of 0.007 μM (≈2.5 μg/L), and an upper limit of quantification of 18 μM (≈6.5 mg/L) along with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.00279, 0.00803, 0.00881 μM obtained from CV, DPV, and SWV respectively. Furthermore, the developed electrodes show a reliable selectivity to be examined in real complex matrices, i.e. marine water, river water, agricultural soil, organic fertilizer, milk, honey, and poultry egg.

Tailoring Defects in B, N-Codoped Carbon Nanowalls for Direct Electrochemical Oxidation of Glyphosate and its Metabolites

Tailoring the defects in graphene and its related carbon allotropes has great potential to exploit their enhanced electrochemical properties for energy applications, environmental remediation, and sensing. Vertical graphene, also known as carbon nanowalls (CNWs), exhibits a large surface area, enhanced charge transfer capability, and high defect density, making it suitable for a wide range of emerging applications. However, precise control and tuning of the defect size, position, and density remain challenging; moreover, due to their characteristic labyrinthine morphology, conventional characterization techniques and widely accepted quality indicators fail or need to be reformulated. This study primarily focuses on examining the impact of boron heterodoping and argon plasma treatment on CNW structures, uncovering complex interplays between specific defect-induced three-dimensional nanostructures and electrochemical performance. Moreover, the study introduces the use of defect-rich CNWs as a label-free electrode for directly oxidizing glyphosate (GLY), a common herbicide, and its metabolites (sarcosine and aminomethylphosphonic acid) for the first time. Crucially, we discovered that the presence of specific boron bonds (BC and BN), coupled with the absence of Lewis-base functional groups such as pyridinic-N, is essential for the oxidation of these analytes. Notably, the D+D* second-order combinational Raman modes at ≈2570 cm-1 emerged as a reliable indicator of the analytes' affinity. Contrary to expectations, the electrochemically active surface area and the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups played a secondary role. Argon-plasma post-treatment was found to adversely affect both the morphology and surface chemistry of CNWs, leading to an increase in sp3-hybridized carbon, the introduction of oxygen, and alterations in the types of nitrogen functional groups. Simulations support that certain defects are functional for GLY rather than AMPA. Sarcosine oxidation is the least affected by defect type.

Comparison of the Influence of Oxygen Groups Introduced by Graphene Oxide on the Activity of Carbon Felt in Vanadium and Anthraquinone Flow Batteries

An increasing number of studies focus on organic flow batteries (OFBs) as possible substitutes for the vanadium flow battery (VFB), featuring anthraquinone derivatives, such as anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonic acid (2,7-AQDS). VFBs have been postulated as a promising energy storage technology. However, the fluctuating cost of vanadium minerals and risky supply chains have hampered their implementation, while OFBs could be prepared from renewable raw materials. A critical component of flow batteries is the electrode material, which can determine the power density and energy efficiency. Yet, and in contrast to VFBs, studies on electrodes tailored for OFBs are scarce. Hence, in this work, we propose the modification of commercial carbon felts with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and poly(ethylene glycol) for the 2,7-AQDS redox couple and to preliminarily assess its effects on the efficiency of a 2,7-AQDS/ferrocyanide flow battery. Results are compared to those of a VFB to evaluate if the benefits of the modification are transferable to OFBs. The modification of carbon felts with surface oxygen groups introduced by the presence of rGO enhanced both its hydrophilicity and surface area, favoring the catalytic activity toward VFB and OFB reactions. The results are promising, given the improved behavior of the modified electrodes. Parallels are established between the electrodes of both FB technologies.

Sensitive and rapid detection of influenza A virus for disease surveillance using dual-probe electrochemical biosensor

Influenza A virus (IAV) can cause influenza, a highly infectious zoonotic respiratory disease, and early detection is essential to prevent and control its rapid spread in the population. Given the limitations of traditional detection methods in clinical laboratories, we report a large surface TPB-DVA COFs (TPB: 1,3,5-Tris(4-aminophenyl) benzene, DVA: 1,4-Benzenedicarboxaldehyd, COFs: Covalent organic frameworks) nanomaterial modified electrochemical DNA biosensor, which has dual-probe specific recognition and signal amplification. The biosensor enables quantitative detection of influenza A viruses' complementary DNA (cDNA) from 10 fM to 1 × 10³ nM (LOD = 5.42 fM) with good specificity and high selectivity. The reliability of the biosensor and portable device was verified by comparing the virus concentrations in animal tissues with those measured by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) (P > 0.05). Moreover, the potential for influenza surveillance in this work was demonstrated by detecting the tissue samples from mice at different stages of infection. In summary, the good performance of this electrochemical DNA biosensor we proposed suggested it has the potential to be a rapid detection device for the influenza A virus, which could assist doctors or other professionals in obtaining rapid and accurate results for outbreak investigation and disease diagnosis.

Bayesian-Optimization-Assisted Laser Reduction of Poly(acrylonitrile) for Electrochemical Applications

Laser reduction of polymers has recently been explored to rapidly and inexpensively synthesize high-quality graphitic and carbonaceous materials. However, in past work, laser-induced graphene has been restricted to semiaromatic polymers and graphene oxide; in particular, poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) is claimed to be a polymer that cannot be laser-reduced successfully to form electrochemically active material. In this work, three strategies to surmount this barrier are employed: (1) thermal stabilization of PAN to increase its sp² content for improved laser processability, (2) prelaser treatment microstructuring to reduce the effects of thermal stresses, and (3) Bayesian optimization to search the parameter space of laser processing to improve performance and discover morphologies. Based on these approaches, we successfully synthesize laser-reduced PAN with a low sheet resistance (6.5 Ω sq^-1) in a single lasing step. The resulting materials are tested electrochemically, and their applicability as membrane electrodes for vanadium redox flow batteries is demonstrated. This work demonstrates electrodes that are processed in air, below 300 °C, which are cycled stably over 2 weeks at 40 mA cm^-2, motivating further development of laser reduction of porous polymers for membrane electrode applications such as RFBs.

Synthesis and Characterization of Dense Carbon Films as Model Surfaces to Estimate Electron Transfer Kinetics on Redox Flow Battery Electrodes

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are a promising electrochemical technology for the efficient and reliable delivery of electricity, providing opportunities to integrate intermittent renewable resources and to support unreliable and/or aging grid infrastructure. Within the RFB, porous carbonaceous electrodes facilitate the electrochemical reactions, distribute the flowing electrolyte, and conduct electrons. Understanding electrode reaction kinetics is crucial for improving RFB performance and lowering costs. However, assessing reaction kinetics on porous electrodes is challenging as their complex structure frustrates canonical electroanalytical techniques used to quantify performance descriptors. Here, we outline a strategy to estimate electron transfer kinetics on planar electrode materials of similar surface chemistry to those used in RFBs. First, we describe a bottom-up synthetic process to produce flat, dense carbon films to enable the evaluation of electron transfer kinetics using traditional electrochemical approaches. Next, we characterize the physicochemical properties of the films using a suite of spectroscopic methods, confirming that their surface characteristics align with those of widely used porous electrodes. Last, we study the electrochemical performance of the films in a custom-designed cell architecture, extracting intrinsic heterogeneous kinetic rate constants for two iron-based redox couples in aqueous electrolytes using standard electrochemical methods (i.e., cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance, and spectroscopy). We anticipate that the synthetic methods and experimental protocols described here are applicable to a range of electrocatalysts and redox couples.

The impact of overpotential on the enthalpy of activation and pre-exponential factor of electrochemical redox reactions

The kinetics of the V⁵⁺/V⁴⁺ redox reaction is investigated in a three-electrode configuration on a Vulcan XC-72 modified glassy carbon rotating disk electrode at four different temperatures (25 to 40 °C, with 5 °C interval). The values of enthalpy of activation (ΔH^#) and pre-exponential factor (A_f) estimated using the Eyring equation are in the range of 0.25-0.53 eV (24-51 kJ mol^-1) and -1.3 to 5, respectively. The Eyring plots tend to diverge with overpotential, causing an increase in the values of the estimated ΔH^# and A_f. This is perhaps due to the retarding effect of the precipitates/adsorbates on the electrode surface. The investigation of the kinetics suggests that the V⁵⁺/V⁴⁺ redox reaction is electrocatalysed through an increase in the entropy of activation (ΔS^#).

Direct growth of two-dimensional phthalocyanine-based COF on Cu-MOF to construct a photoelectrochemical-electrochemical dual-mode biosensing platform for high-efficiency determination of Cr(III)

A photoelectrochemical (PEC)-electrochemical (EC) dual-mode biosensing strategy based on COF@MOF heterostructure was developed for efficiently analyzing Cr(III) ions. A two-dimensional phthalocyanine-based COF (CoPc-PT-COF) was in situ grown on a Cu-based MOF (Cu-MOF) substrate via covalent binding between carboxyl groups in Cu-MOF and amino groups in CoPc-PT-COF (denoted as CoPc-PT-COF@Cu-MOF). The coexistence of both phthalocyanine and bipyridine in CoPc-PT-COF@Cu-MOF affords the outperformed electro- and photo-activities, thus serving as a photoelectric beacon with favorable energy-band configuration and amplified electrochemical response. Due to the high porosity and rich functionality of the obtained heterostructure, the DNA strands can be tightly anchored over CoPc-PT-COF@Cu-MOF via diverse interactions. Thanks to the specific recognition between DNA strands and Cr³⁺ ions, the CoPc-PT-COF@Cu-MOF-based biosensor can be used to determine Cr³⁺ ions in an aqueous environment by PEC-EC mode. The gained biosensor shows an extremely low limit of detection (LOD) of 14.5 fM (for PEC) and 22.9 fM (for EC) within the Cr³⁺ concentration range from 0.1 pM to 100 nM, along with high selectivity, good reproducibility and stability. Moreover, this novel biosensor exhibits acceptable applicability for analyzing the trace Cr³⁺ from diverse samples (e.g., river and tap water). As a result, this work provides new insights into the construction of a high-efficiency PEC-EC dual-mode biosensor for detecting heavy metal ions from complex environments.

2021: A Surface Odyssey. Role of Oxygen Functional Groups on Activated Carbon-Based Electrodes in Vanadium Flow Batteries

The market breakthrough of vanadium flow batteries is hampered by their low power density, which depends heavily on the catalytic activity of the graphite‐based electrodes used. Researchers try to increase their performance by thermal, chemical, or electrochemical treatments but find no common activity descriptors. No consistent results exist for the so‐called oxygen functional groups, which seem to catalyze mainly the V^III/V^II but rarely the V^VO₂⁺/V^IVO²⁺ redox reaction. Some studies suggest that the activity is related to graphitic lattice defects which often contain oxygen and are therefore held responsible for inconsistent conclusions. Activation of electrodes does not change one property at a time, but rather surface chemistry and microstructure simultaneously, and the choice of starting material is crucial for subsequent observations. In this contribution, the literature on the catalytic and physicochemical properties of activated carbon‐based electrodes is analyzed and evaluated. In addition, an outlook on possible future investigations is given to avoid the propagation of contradictions.

Edge-Rich Interconnected Graphene Mesh Electrode with High Electrochemical Reactivity Applicable for Glucose Detection

The development of graphene structures with controlled edges is greatly desired for understanding heterogeneous electrochemical (EC) transfer and boosting EC applications of graphene-based electrodes. We herein report a facile, scalable, and robust method to produce graphene mesh (GM) electrodes with tailorable edge lengths. Specifically, the GMs were fabricated at 850 °C under a vacuum level of 0.6 Pa using catalytic nickel templates obtained based on a crack lithography. As the edge lengths of the GM electrodes increased from 5.48 to 24.04 m, their electron transfer rates linearly increased from 0.08 to 0.16 cm∙s⁻¹, which are considerably greater than that (0.056 ± 0.007 cm∙s⁻¹) of basal graphene structures (defined as zero edge length electrodes). To illustrate the EC sensing potentiality of the GM, a high-sensitivity glucose detection was conducted on the graphene/Ni hybrid mesh with the longest edge length. At a detection potential of 0.6 V, the edge-rich graphene/Ni hybrid mesh sensor exhibited a wide linear response range from 10.0 μM to 2.5 mM with a limit of detection of 1.8 μM and a high sensitivity of 1118.9 μA∙mM⁻¹∙cm⁻². Our findings suggest that edge-rich GMs can be valuable platforms in various graphene applications such as graphene-based EC sensors with controlled and improved performance.

Universal Algorithm for Simulating and Evaluating Cyclic Voltammetry at Macroporous Electrodes by Considering Random Arrays of Microelectrodes

An algorithm for the simulation and evaluation of cyclic voltammetry (CV) at macroporous electrodes such as felts, foams, and layered structures is presented. By considering 1D, 2D, and 3D arrays of electrode sheets, cylindrical microelectrodes, hollow-cylindrical microelectrodes, and hollow-spherical microelectrodes the internal diffusion domains of the macroporous structures are approximated. A universal algorithm providing the time-dependent surface concentrations of the electrochemically active species, required for simulating cyclic voltammetry responses of the individual planar, cylindrical, and spherical microelectrodes, is presented as well. An essential ingredient of the algorithm, which is based on Laplace integral transformation techniques, is the use of a modified Talbot contour for the inverse Laplace transformation. It is demonstrated that first-order homogeneous chemical kinetics preceding and/or following the electrochemical reaction and electrochemically active species with non-equal diffusion coefficients can be included in all diffusion models as well. The proposed theory is supported by experimental data acquired for a reference reaction, the oxidation of [Fe(CN)6 ]4- at platinum electrodes as well as for a technically relevant reaction, the oxidation of VO2+ at carbon felt electrodes. Based on our calculation strategy, we provide a powerful open source tool for simulating and evaluating CV data implemented into a Python graphical user interface (GUI).

The Vanadium Redox Reactions - Electrocatalysis versus Non-Electrocatalysis

Catalytic effects of surface groups on porous carbon electrodes are claimed in literature for the redox reactions V(II)/V(III) and V(IV)/V(V). The literature is critically analysed also in relation to work of this group. A method how to overcome the problem of assessing the electrochemically active surface area on porous electrodes is presented. Applying this method, no catalytic effects for above reactions can be substantiated. It is further pointed out that the parameters electrochemical potential and temperature need to be used to assess electrocatalysis.

Degradation Phenomena of Bismuth-Modified Felt Electrodes in VRFB Studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

The performance of all-V redox flow batteries (VRFB) will decrease when they are exposed to dynamic electrochemical cycling, but also when they are in prolonged contact with the acidic electrolyte. These phenomena are especially severe at the negative side, where the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) will be increasingly favored over the reduction of V(III) with ongoing degradation of the carbon felt electrode. Bismuth, either added to the electrolyte or deposited onto the felt, has been reported to suppress the HER and therefore to enhance the kinetics of the V(II)/V(III) redox reaction. This study is the first to investigate degradation effects on bismuth-modified electrodes in the negative half-cell of a VRFB. By means of a simple impregnation method, a commercially available carbon felt was decorated with Bi 2 O 3 , which is supposedly present as Bi(0) under the working conditions at the negative side. Modified and unmodified felts were characterized electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a three-electrode setup. Surface morphology of the electrodes and composition of the negative half-cell electrolyte were probed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (TXRF), respectively. This was done before and after the electrodes were subjected to 50 charge-discharge cycles in a battery test bench. Our results suggest that not only the bismuth catalyst is dissolved from the electrode during battery operation, but also that the presence of bismuth in the system has a strong accelerating effect on electrode degradation.

Electrochemical estimation of active site density on a metal-free carbon-based catalyst

Nitrogen-doped carbon is synthesized by the heat-treatment of carbon in an ammoniacal atmosphere at different temperatures. The active site density and electrochemically active surface area (ESA) of carbon and nitrogen-doped carbon catalysts are estimated from the charge due to oxidation of the adsorbed anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) probe molecule. In the potential window of interest and over a range of concentrations, there is no unwanted side reaction or polymerization of the probe molecule that interferes with the electrochemical estimation of active site density. Most importantly, the adsorbed AQS can easily be removed from the electrode surface by potential cycling. The ORR activity and active site density of the catalysts derived from AQS-adsorption have similar trends. The active site density and turnover frequency towards ORR estimated using the AQS-adsorption method are in line with those reported in the literature by other methods. On the other hand, the results show that the wetted surface area estimated from the double layer capacitance does not always correlate with catalytic activity.

Effect of Operating Temperature on Individual Half-Cell Reactions in All-Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries

Systematic steady-state measurements were performed in order to investigate the effect of operating temperature on the individual half-cell reactions in all vanadium redox flow cells. Results confirm that the kinetic losses are dominated by the negative half-cell reaction. Steady-state polarization and AC impedance measurements allowed for extraction of kinetic parameters (exchange current densities, activation energy) of the corresponding half-cell reaction.

Electrochemical estimation of the active site density on metal-free nitrogen-doped carbon using catechol as an adsorbate

An electrochemical method to estimate the active site density of metal-free electrocatalysts using catechol adsorption.