Voltammetric behavior of microparticles and thin films of neo-pentyl-ferrocene-based polyester (PmFB): Manipulation of anion uptake at the ionic liquid/aqueous electrolyte interface

Voltammetric oxidation of electrodes modified with microparticles and thin films of polymethylferrocene-4,4′-biphenyl dicarboxylate (PmFB) polyester has been undertaken in various room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs), aqueous media, and at the ionic liquid/aqueous electrolyte interface. In all cases only one redox process, corresponding to the reversible one-electron oxidation of the ferrocenyl (Fc0/+) sites in the PmFB polyester, is observed. The findings of this study reveal that careful manipulation of the solvent/electrolyte composition is essential to tune the voltammetric behavior of the PmFB polymer and to probe anion exchange at the triple phase (electrode(s)/PmFB(s)0/+/IL/aqueous electrolyte) junction. Importantly, the remarkable stability, sensitivity, and selectivity of PmFB-modified electrodes to different anions in various media, along with the wide variety of RTILs offer an excellent opportunity to explore new applications of the ferrocene-based polyesters in sensors and electrocatalysis.