Reversible Multichannel Detection of Cu2+ Using an Electropolymerized Film

The reductive co-electropolymerization of vinyl-substituted ruthenium complexes 2(PF6) and 3(PF6)2 at ITO glass electrodes have afforded adherent metallopolymeric films, where complex 2(PF6) contains a dipicolylamine (DPA) unit as the ion recognition site and 3(PF6)2 is a ruthenium monomer without DPA. The resulting thin films can selectively detect Cu2+ at the solid-liquid interface on the basis of color, absorption, and electrochemical changes. By using EDTA to remove the incorporated Cu2+, the polymeric film can repeatedly detect Cu2+ with good reversibility and film stability, as supported by XPS and TEM analyses.

Graphical abstractAn electropolymerized film of a dipicolylamine-containing ruthenium complex has been developed to reversibly detect Cu2+ on the basis of color, absorption, and electrochemical changes.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide