Easy to make and handle pointed carbon fiber-based nanosensors for electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy and voltammetry
หัวหน้าโครงการ
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อัลแบร์ต ชูลเทอ
ทีมวิจัย
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อัลแบร์ต ชูลเทอ
หัวหน้าโครงการ
วันที่เริ่มโครงการ
:
2 มี.ค. 2552
วัตถุประสงค์
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The major goals of this project are defined as the following:
-Knowing that etched carbon fiber tips already worked as STM tips for topography imaging in air, one of the objectives is to make the next logical step forward and approach the preparation of regioselectively-insulated carbon tips that are valuable for electrochemical STM in aqueous and organic electrolytes. The targeted sensors would look like conical carbon microelectrodes but as small as possible uninsulated regions would be aimed at to assure best signal-to-background levels. The performance of the novel graphitic EC-STM probe tips will be evaluated via in situ functionality tests on suitable electrochemical model systems (e.g. foreign metal deposition on defined noble metal, graphite or semiconductor substrates).
-Previous work was successful with processing etched carbon fiber tips into conical carbon electrodes with ?m-sized characteristic dimensions. Uninsulated and thus electroactive cone areas at the very end of etched fibers were possible with heights of about 8-9 ?m. A second major objective of this project is to develop procedures that allow reproducibly the preparation of conical carbon electrodes with as small as possible exposed carbon surfaces at their front. Sub-?m dimensions and well-shaped conical carbon nanoelectrodes are ultimate goal. Once established the new sensors will be tested with respect to their performance for an electrochemical detection in restricted space, at small objects and as scanned probes of scanning electrochemical microscopes.
-Establishment of procedures for deliberate derivatization of the top of etched and regioselectively insulated carbon fiber tips with specific functional groups and exploration of the performance of intentionally chemically modified tips for chemically selective STM/EC-STM imaging and voltammetry
