Functionalization of glassy carbon surface by means of aliphatic and aromatic amino acids. An experimental and theoretical integrated approach

Glassy carbon (GC) electrode surfaces are functionalized through electrochemical assisted grafting, in oxidation regime, of six amino acids (AA): β-alanine (β-Ala), l-aspartic acid (Asp), 11-aminoundecanoic acid (UA), 4-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), 4-(4-amino-phenyl)-butyric acid (PFB), 3-(4-amino-phenyl)-propionic acid (PFP). Thus, a GC/AA interface is produced featuring carboxylic groups facing the solution. Electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) and XPS techniques are used to experimentally characterize the grafting process and the surface state. The theoretical results are compared with the experimental evidence to determine, at a molecular level, the overall grafting mechanism. Ionization potentials, standard oxidation potentials, HOMO and electron spin distributions are calculated at the CCD/6-31G* level of the theory. The comparison of experimental and theoretical data suggests that the main electroactive species is the “zwitterionic” form for the three aliphatic amino acids, while the amino acids featuring the amino group bound to the phenyl aromatic moiety show a different behaviour. The comparison between experimental and theoretical results suggests that both the neutral and the zwitterionic forms are present in the acetonitrile solution in the case of 4-(4-amino-phenyl)-butyric acid (PFB) and 3-(4-amino-phenyl)-propionic acid.

► Glassy carbon is functionalized via electrochemical assisted grafting of amino acids.
► The grafting mechanism is suggested to involve the “zwitterionic” species.
► DFT calculations allowed to determine the electroactive species.
► An original grafting mechanism is proposed.