1 research outputs found
Electron Transfer Dynamics of Iridium Oxide Nanoparticles Attached to Electrodes by Self-Assembled Monolayers
Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of carboxylated alkanethiolates
(−SÂ(CH<sub>2</sub>)<sub><i>n</i>−1</sub>CO<sub>2</sub><sup>–</sup>) on flat gold electrode surfaces are used
to tether small (ca. 2 nm d.) iridiumÂ(IV) oxide nanoparticles (Ir<sup>IV</sup>O<sub>X</sub> NPs) to the electrode. Peak potential separations
in cyclic voltammetry (CV) of the nanoparticle Ir<sup>IV/III</sup> wave, in pH 13 aqueous base, increase with <i>n</i>, showing
that the Ir<sup>IV/III</sup> apparent electron transfer kinetics of
metal oxide sites in the nanoparticles respond to the imposed SAM
electron transfer tunneling barrier. Estimated apparent electron transfer
rate constants (<i>k</i><sub>app</sub><sup>0</sup>) for <i>n</i> = 12 and 16 are 9.8 and 0.12 s<sup>–1</sup>. Owing
to uncompensated solution resistance, <i>k</i><sub>app</sub><sup>0</sup> for <i>n</i> = 8 was too large to measure
in the potential sweep experiment. For the cathodic scans, coulometric
charges under the Ir<sup>IV/III</sup> voltammetric waves were independent
of potential scan rate, suggesting participation of all of the iridium
oxide redox sites (ca. 130 per NP) in the NPs. These experiments show
that it is possible to control and study electron transfer dynamics
of electroactive nanoparticles including, as shown by preliminary
experiments, that of the electrocatalysis of water oxidation by iridium
oxide nanoparticles