Web Release Date: November 13,
A New Method of Studying Ion Transfer at Liquid
Liquid Phase Boundaries Using a
Carbon Nanotube Paste Electrode with a Redox Active Binder
and
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Department, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QZ, United Kingdom, Department of Chemistry, Bath University, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Received: August 7, 2007
In Final Form: September 14, 2007
Abstract:
We report a new method for the study of voltammetric processes at liquidliquid interfaces, namely that of
using a redox active organic oil as the binder in a carbon nanotube (CNT) paste electrode. Specifically we
report voltammetry at the liquidliquid interface studied at a N,N-didodecyl-N',N'-diethylphenylenediamine
(DDPD, as binder) CNT paste electrode immersed in aqueous electrolytes containing potassium salts of various
anions (AsF6-, PF6-, ClO4-, SCN-, I-, NO3-, Br-, Cl-, F-, and SO42-). Ion transfer across the liquidliquid
interface occurs to maintain electroneutrality upon oxidation of the DDPD, the direction of which, and the
subsequent effect upon the observed voltammetric response, is found to be driven by the relative hydrophobicity
of the ions involved. This method of studying liquidliquid interfaces offers significant advantages, not least
with regard to ease of electrode fabrication and cleaning and the formation of multiple three-phase boundaries
(at which any voltammetry must occur) due to the structure of the DDPD-CNT pasteaqueous electrolyte
interface.
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