Preparation and cyclic Voltammetric characterization of three-dimensional macroporous carbon electrodes

Abstract

Three-Dimensionally Ordered Macroporous (3DOM) carbon surfaces were prepared from a template synthesis involving polymethyl methacrylate. These surfaces were mounted as electrodes and studied using cyclic voltammetry to understand their electrochemical properties for potential use as platforms in electrochemical sensors. The prepared 3DOM carbon electrodes have a large surface area that allows more charge-transfer reactions to take place. Potassium hexacyanoferrate and potassium nitrate served as the electroactive species and supporting electrolyte, respectively to study the 3DOM electrodes. Based on the Randles-Sevcik equation, the current produced by the potassium hexacyanoferrate electroactive species, is controlled by diffusion. The electrodes were subsequently chemically modified with 13 nm gold nanoparticles that produced a significant increase in the faradaic current.