Fabrication of high-surface nanoporous gold microelectrode

Junhua Jiang, Xinying Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A nanoporous gold (NP-Au) microelectrode is successfully prepared by applying potential cycling to a conventional microdisk electrode in nonaqueous electrolyte of ZnCl 2 in benzyl alcohol at 120 °C. During the cathodic process, Zn is electrodeposited and alloyed with the Au microdisk substrate to form AuZn alloy phase. During the anodic process, Zn is selectively dissolved from the alloy phase, leading to the formation of the NP-Au microelectrode. Continuous potential cycling enriches the nanostructures of the microelectrode. Scanning-electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microscope measurements show that the NP-Au microelectrode possesses nanoporous structures whose pore sizes are ranging from around 100 to 500 nm, and chemically contains a certain amount of Zn. The NP-Au microelectrode exhibits highly improved electrochemical responses compared to the polycrystalline Au microdisk electrode, largely due to its high surface area. The electrochemical oxygen reduction study provides an example for indicating that the NP-Au microelectrode is a promising technique for electrocatalysis and electroanalysis investigations. Therefore, the potential cycling tuned electrochemical alloying/dealloying will be an effective and convenient technique for the preparation of nanoporous microelectrodes with high surface areas.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)157-159
Number of pages3
JournalElectrochemistry Communications
Volume20
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2012

Keywords

  • ISTC
  • Nanoporous gold
  • Gold-zinc alloy
  • Microelectrode
  • Potential cycling
  • Electrochemical alloying/dealloying
  • Nanostructured electrode

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electrochemistry

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