• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2022

As the demand for wearable devices increases, many studies have been studied on the development of flexible electrode materials recently. In particular, the development of high-performance flexible electrode materials is very important for wearable sensors for healthcare because it is necessary to continuously monitor and accurately detect body information such as body temperature, heart rate, blood glucose, and oxygen concentration in real time. In this study, we fabricated the nonenzymatic glucose sensor based on polyaniline/carbon nanotube fiber (PANI/CNT fiber) electrode. PANI layer was synthesized on the flexible CNT fiber electrode through electrochemical polymerization process in order to improve the performance of a flexible CNT fiber based electrode material. Surface morphology of the PANI/CNT fiber electrode was observed by scanning electron microscopy. And its electrochemical characteristics were investigated by chronoamperometry, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Compared to bare CNT fiber electrode, this PANI/CNT fiber electrode exhibited small electron transfer resistance, low peak separation potential and large surface area, resulting in enhanced sensing properties for glucose such as wide linear range (0.024~0.39 and 1.56~50 mM), high sensitivity (52.91 and 2.24 ㎂/mM·cm²), low detection limit (2 μM) and good selectivity. Therefore, it is expected that it will be possible to develop high performance CNT fiber based flexible electrode materials using various nanomaterials.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2022

To increase biomass utilization, rice husk-based activated carbon (RHAC) followed by nitrogen plasma surface treatment was prepared and the electric double-layer capacitor performance was investigated. Through nitrogen plasma surface treatment, up to 2.17% of nitrogen was introduced to the surface of RHAC, and in particular the sample reacted for 5 min with nitrogen plasma showed dominant formation of pyrrolic/pyridine N functional groups. In addition, mesopores were formed on the RHAC material by the removal of silica, and the surface roughness of the carbon material increased by nitrogen plasma surface treatment, resulting in the formation of many micropores. As a result of cyclic voltammetry measurement, at a scan rate of 5 mV/s, the specific capacitance of the RHAC treated with nitrogen plasma increased up to 200 F/g, showing an 80.2% improvement compared to that of using untreated RHAC (111 F/g). This is attributed to the synergetic effect of the introduction of pyrrolic/pyridine-based nitrogen functional groups and the increase of the micropore volume on the surface of the carbon material. This study has a positive effect on the environment in terms of recycling waste resources and using plasma surface treatment.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.32-38
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• 2023

In this study, the electrochemical properties of dopamine coated silicon/silicon carbide/carbon(Si/SiC/C) composite materials were investigated to improve cycle stability and rate performance of silicon-based anode active material for lithium-ion batteries. After synthesizing CTAB/SiO₂ using the Stöber method, the Si/SiC composites were prepared through the magnesium thermal reduction method with NaCl as heat absorbent. Then, carbon coated Si/SiC anode materials were synthesized through polymerization of dopamine. The physical properties of the prepared Si/SiC/C anode materials were analyzed by SEM, TEM, XRD and BET. Also the electrochemical performance were investigated by cycle stability, rate performance, cyclic voltammetry and EIS test of lithium-ion batteries in 1 M LiPF₆ (EC: DEC = 1:1 vol%) electrolyte. The prepared 1-Si/SiC showed a discharge capacity of 633 mAh/g and 1-Si/SiC/C had a discharge capacity of 877 mAh/g at 0.1 C after 100 cycles. Therefore, it was confirmed that cycle stability was improved through dopamine coating. In addition, the anode materials were obtain a high capacity of 576 mAh/g at 5 C and a capacity recovery of 99.9% at 0.1 C/0.1 C.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.196-201
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• 2023

In this study, a CNT fiber flexible electrode grafted with CuO nanoparticles (CuO NPs) and polyaniline (PANI) was developed and applied to a nonenzymatic electrochemical sensor for H₂O₂ detection. CuO NPs/PANI/CNT fiber electrode was fabricated through the synthesis and deposition of PANI and CuO NPs on the CNT fiber surface using an electrochemical method. Surface morphology and elemental composition of the CuO NPs/PANI/CNT fiber electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. And its electrochemical characteristics were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and chronoamperometry (CA). Compared with a bare CNT fiber as a control group, the CuO NPs/PANI/CNT fiber electrode showed a 4.78-fold increase in effective surface area and a 8.33-fold decrease in electron transfer resistance, which leads to excellent electrochemical properties such as a good electrical conductivity and an efficient electron transfer. These improved characteristics were due to the synergistic effect through the grafting of CNT fiber, PANI and CuO NPs. As a result, this electrode enhanced the H₂O₂ sensing performance.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.407-411
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• 2023

The urease is covalently immobilized on the surface of the magnetic particles to catalyze the conversion of urea to bicarbonate anion. The conversion was confirmed qualitatively using high-pressure liquid chromatography and UV/Vis spectrometry, and analyzed quantitatively with cyclic voltammetry. The amount of conversion with respect to time was measured and analyzed by the reaction rate equation to calculate a reaction rate constant of 0.0474 min-1. In the 1 to 3 cycles, a conversion percentage of over 90% was found, and it was possible to reuse the urease 8 times up to the percentage of 50%. It was also observed that the stability evaluated for storage for 30 days was maintained. As a result of this study, it can be seen that the urease covalently immobilized on the scaffold can be used for urea removal for the purpose of producing ultrapure water.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2024

Most medical sensors are disposable products. In order to reduce inspection and diagnosis costs, it is more important to develop the inexpensive electrode materials. We fabricated the CuO NPs/PANI/E-PGE as an electrode material for disposable electrochemical sensors and applied it to a non-enzymatic glucose sensor. For surface activation of PGE, pretreatment was performed using chemical and electrochemical methods, respectively. Electrochemical properties according to the pretreatment method were analyzed through chronoamperometry (CA), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance (EIS). From these analytical results, the electrochemically pretreated PGE (E-PGE) was finally adopted. The non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on CuO NPs/PANI/E-PGE shows sensitivity of 239.18 mA/mM×cm² (in a linear range of 0.282~2.112 mM) and 36.99 mA/mM×cm² (3.75423~50 mM), detection limit of 17.6 μM and good selectivity. Based on the results of this study, it was confirmed that the modified PGE is a high-performance electrode material. Therefore, these electrodes can be applied to a variety of disposable sensors.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2024

To develop flexible electrode materials for wearable devices, we investigated the electrochemical characteristics of carbon fibers tow according to pretreatment. And an electrochemical non-enzymatic sensor was fabricated using glucose as a target. The carbon fibers tow was pretreated through desizing and activation processes, and activation was performed in two ways: chemical oxidation and electrochemical oxidation. Surface morphology of carbon fibers tow samples was observed by SEM and their electrochemical characteristics and sensing performance were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry. Carbon fibers tow samples showed improved electrochemical properties such as reduced R_et, ΔE_p, and increased I_p through pretreatment. And similar electrochemical properties were obtained with both activation methods. We selected electrochemically activated carbon fibers tow as the final electrode material for application of electrochemical sensor. The non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on this electrode has an enhanced sensitivity of 0.744 A/mM (in a linear range of 0.09899~3.75423 mM) and 0.330 mA/mM (3.75423~50 mM), respectively. Through this study, the possibility of using carbon fibers tow was confirmed as an electrode material. It is expected to be used as basic research for development of high-performance flexible electrode materials.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.233-237
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• 2024

This study is about the fabrication of a flexible electrode based on PAN-based carbon fibers tow using organic/inorganic nanocomposite and its application of non-enzymatic sensor. The organic/inorganic nanocomposite was composed of the conductive polymer polyaniline (PANI) and the metal oxide CuO. And glucose was used as the target of the electrochemical sensor. Commercialized CFTs were pretreated through heat treatment for desizing and electrochemical oxidation for activation. This nanocomposite was sequentially synthesized on the pretreated CFT surface using electrochemical polymerization and electrochemical deposition. Finally, the CFT/PANI/CuO NPs electrode was obtained. The electrochemical properties and sensing performance of the CFT/PANI/CuO NPs electrode were analyzed using chronoamperometry (CA), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The sensitivity of the CFT/PANI/CuO NPs electrode was about 8.352 mA/mM (in a linear range of 0.445~6.674 mM) and 3.369 mA/mM (in a linear range of 6.674~50 mM), respectively. So, the CFT/PANI/CuO NPs electrode exhibited the enhanced sensing performances due to unique properties such as small peak potential separation, low electron transfer resistance, and large specific surface area.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.347-352
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• 1998

A study was carried out on the elelctrochemical characteristics of chemically modified electrodes (CMEs) by cyclic voltammetry. Fabrication of CMEs was made by coating with mixed valence (mv) inorganic-metal polymeric films on the glassy carbon electrode surface by potential cycling. Anodic oxidation behavior of methanol and L-ascorbic acid was studied by using CMEs working electrode. Deposition of films such as mv ruthenium oxo/ruthenium cyanide film (mv Ru-O/CN-Ru), mv ruthenium oxo/ferrocyanide film (mv Ru-O/$Fe(CN)_6$), and mv ruthenium oxo/ruthenium cyanide/Rhodium film (mv Ru-O/CN-Ru/Rh) was obtained to coat by scan rate of 50 mV/sec within the specified potential range (-0.5V ~ +1.2V). Film thickness was controlled by the repeat of the potential cycling. Anodic oxidation behavior of methanol was as follow. Calibration graph by using mv Ru-O/CN-Ru film showed linearly from 10 mM to 80 mM MeOH with slope factor of $-7.552{\mu}A/cm^2$. Although slope factor by using mv Ru-O/$Fe(CN)_6$ film was $-5.13{\mu}A/cm^2$, yet linear range of calibration graph could be extended from 10 mM to 100 mM MeOH. Anodic oxidation behavior of L-ascorbic acid was studied by mv Ru-O/CN-Ru film on the glassy carbon electrode and the glassy carbon electrode with Rh film, Glassy carbon electrode modified with Ru polymeric film was showed better sensitivity than the Rh-glassy carbon modified electrode (mv Ru-O/CN-Ru/Rh). Calibration graph was linear from 0.1 mM to 5 mM L-ascorbic acid by using glassy carbon electrode modified with Ru polymeric film. Solpe factor and relative coefficient are $-84.78{\mu}A/mM$ and 0.998, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.78-83
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• 2014

In this research, we evaluated the performance and characteristics of carbon supported PtM (M = Ni and Y) alloy catalysts (PtM/Cs) synthesized by a modified polyol method. With the PtM/Cs employed as a catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of cathodes in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), their catalytic and ORR activities and electrical performance were investigated and compared with those of commercial Pt/C. Their particle sizes, particle distributions and electrochemically active surface areas (EAS) were measured by TEM and cyclic voltammetry (CV), while their ORR activity and electrical performance were explored using linear sweeping voltammetries with rotating disk electrodes and rotating ring-disk electrodes as well as PEMFC single cell tests. TEM and CV measurements show that PtM/Cs have the compatible particle size and EAS with Pt/C. When it comes to ORR activity, PtM/C showed the equivalent or better half-wave potential, kinetic current density, transferred electron number per oxygen molecule and $H_2O_2$ production(%) to or than commerical Pt/C. Based on results gained by the three electrode tests, when the PEMFC single cell tests were carried out, the current density measured at 0.6 V and maximum power density of PEMFC single cell adopting PtM/C catalysts were better than those adopting Pt/C catalyst. It is therefore concluded that PtM/C catalysts synthesized by modified polyol can result in the equivalent or better ORR catalytic capability and PEMFC performance to or than commercial Pt/C catalyst.