Boron doped diamond electrode in analytical chemistry: methods of electrode surface activation (а short review)

Abstract

The review is presents to the feature of the use of a boron doped diamond electrode (BDDE) in analytical chemistry. BDDE –one of the most modern material, which is widely used in analytical chemistry and bioanalytical chemistry, as well as for organic synthesis, cleaning of the environment from pollution, medicine, etc. BDDE is becoming increasingly popular for voltammetric determination of residual amounts organic substances in complex objects (medicines, biological fluids, food). Nowadays use rod (disk) and film BDDE. The advantage of film electrodes is their portability and compactness, which, in turn, allows them to be used for rapid analysis of biological fluids, when one drop of sample is enough for analysis. BDDE require surface cleaning and activation, as do other stationary electrodes. In this paper, the main attention is focused on the features of BDDE activation surface for use in the analysis. Activate the electrode surface potentiostatically, galvanostatically and under dynamic conditions. Аlso use different background electrolytes. BDDE is usually electrochemically treated in aqueous solutions, mostly the surface of the electrode is cleaned and activated at the same time. Proper pre-electrochemical treatment can be a valuable way to achieve improved analytical properties of the methods of voltammetric determination. In this case, оbtain a more intense analytical signal, a narrower, clearer peak and/or a useful shift of the peak potential, which increases the sensitivity and selectivity of the determination. For the most part, activation in a medium of sulfuric acid with a sufficiently high concentration of 0.5–1.0 M is chosen as the optimal one. The electrode is polarized alternately anode and cathode (regardless of the chemical structure of the analyte or the nature of the electrode process). However, the method of activation must always be chosen experimentally. The review contains more than 80 references on the features of BDDE surface activation, including monographs, reviews, articles and original works. Keywords: voltammetry, boron doped diamond electrode, activation surface polarization.