Characterization of SH+ ions implantation-modified indium tin oxide films and its application for attachment of gold nanoparticles

• Mercapto groups were introduced to the ITO surface by SH+ ions implantation.
• A series of methods revealed the key characteristics of the SH/ITO substrate.
• SH/ITO offered a good substrate for the attachment of AuNPs with higher density.
• AuNPs/SH/ITO displayed favorable electrocalalytic property towards glutathione.

A SH+ ions implantation-modified indium tin oxide (SH/ITO) electrode was fabricated and the existence of mercapto groups on the electrode was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) had been attached on the surface of SH/ITO electrode, forming the electrode AuNPs/SH/ITO. By using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we found that ion implantation approach provided a useful strategy to attach AuNPs on the SH/ITO surface with high density without using any organic binding molecules. Cyclic voltammetric results indicated that the AuNPs/SH/ITO electrode showed excellent electrochemical properties, and exhibited effective catalytic responses towards biomolecules such as glutathione (GSH). Thus this material is expected to have promising applications in electrochemical analysis and biosensors.

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