Microelectrodes have widened the applications of electroanalytical chemistry. Ranging from a few nanometres to a few micrometres, they improve the quality of experimental data and allow measurements in situations where conventional electrodes yield distorted responses.
Our research is linked with the development of the SECM and of electrochemical sensors for environmental applications. We fabricate and characterise microelectrodes, perform electrochemical measurements in non-conventional systems, e.g. water with surfactants, develop new analytical techniques and fabricate the SECM probes. For example, in collaboration with Prof Daniele at the University of Venice, we have demonstrated that on microdisc electrodes the direct oxidation of hydroxide ions in aqueous solutions could be used for analytical purposes (Elsayed Abdelsalam et al., Voltammetry of hydroxide ion in aqueous solutions on gold microelectrodes. J. Electroanal. Chem., 449, 1998, 5-7). This opens up a range of studies and designs (e.g. sensors) previously not considered.
We have harnessed the unique properties of microelectrodes to develop a microelectrode dissolved oxygen sensor for the measurement of deep sea oxygen profiles.
For more details see the following publications:
We have reported the development of sample current voltammetry at microdisc electrodes. See details in Perry, Samuel C., Al Shandoudi, Laila M. and Denuault, Guy (2014) Sampled current voltammetry at mcirodisk electrodes: Kinetic information from pseudo steady state voltammograms, Analytical Chemistry, 86, (19), 9917-9923 (doi: 10.1021/ac502645e)
We have demonstrated that microelectrodes could sense the oxygen which is left adsorbed on the electrode after exposure to dissolved oxygen. See details in Perry, Samuel and Denuault, Guy (2015), Transient study of the oxygen reduction reaction on reduced Pt and Pt alloys microelectrodes: evidence for the reduction of pre-adsorbed oxygen species linked to dissolved oxygen. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, in press, (doi: 10.1039/C5CP04667J)