Carbon black nanoparticles film electrode prepared by using substrate-induced deposition approach

A new type of carbon film electrode, composed of a thin layer of tightly packed carbon black (CB) nanoparticles deposited onto a gelatin-covered indium tin oxide/glass support using the surface-induced deposition (SID) approach, is presented. Some parameters of the novel SID method were optimized and the surface image and functionalization of the investigated carbon black film electrode (CBFE) was inspected by employing scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. A cyclic voltammetry (CV) study was conducted in which the electron-transfer kinetics and CBFE interfacial characteristics were evaluated employing several selected reference redox systems, such as [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+, [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− and Fe3+/2+ in aqueous, and ferrocene/ferrocenium in acetonitrile media. CV recordings were also performed in order to compare the electrochemical behavior of the CBFE with that of some well-known and established bare carbon-based electrodes. In order to confirm the validity of the CB film preparation method, the electroanalytical performance of the proposed CBFE was examined by carrying out linear sweep voltammetry of ascorbic acid (AA), anodic stripping square-wave voltammetry of Cu(II) in acidic medium, and amperometric measurements of hydrogen peroxide under flow injection conditions. The sensing characteristics of the novel carbon film electrode, demonstrated in this preliminary study, comprise: (i) a wide working potential window ranging from +1.0 to −1.3 V (depending on the solution pH), (ii) a wide applicable pH range (at least from 2 to 12), (iii) low voltammetric background (<5 μA cm−2), (iv) a satisfactory linear voltammetric and amperometric response (r2 > 0.99) to various analytes, (v) good reproducibility (for example, r.s.d. of 2% in amperometric detection of H2O2 and r.s.d. of 8.5% for electrode-to-electrode CV runs), and (vi) stable and fast current response (at least 100 CV runs with negligible change in CV response). The main advantages of the proposed CBFE originate from the unique CB film formation procedure that enables fast, simple, inexpensive and non-toxic CBFE preparation, which can find application in advanced electrochemical devices and is suitable for mass production.