Chronoamperometric Observation and Analysis of Electrocatalytic Ability of Single Pd Nanoparticle for Hydrogen Peroxide Reduction Reaction.

June Park,Seong Kwon,Hyeryeon Son,Ki Kim

doi:10.3390/nano8110879

Abstract

The current generated by the collision of a single nanoparticle (NP) of palladium (Pd) on a gold (Au) ultramicroelectrode (UME) surface was observed using an electrocatalytic amplification method. The hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction was used for the electrocatalytic reaction because the hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction has no gas-phase product, which would induce rapid signal decay. The electrocatalytic current resulting from a single Pd nanoparticle on the Au UME shows a staircase response with accompanying slow current decay. The applying potential and concentration of hydrogen peroxide were optimized for clear distinction of signal. The height of the current step and signal frequency were analyzed and compared with the theoretical expectation. The analysis of the electrocatalytic activity of single Pd NPs provides insight toward their future application.

Highlights

Advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology have given rise to the need to analyze nanomaterials at the level of a single nano-entity
We investigated the collision of a single Pd NP on an UME with chronoamperometric method using hydrogen peroxide reduction as the electrocatalytic reaction for electrocatalytic amplification (EA)
We have investigated the electrocatalytic activity of a single Pd NP for hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction by observing the collision of NP on the Au UME using EA method

Summary

Introduction

Advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology have given rise to the need to analyze nanomaterials at the level of a single nano-entity. An insulating NP [19] (or soft particle), such as a nano-emulsion [20] or biomolecule [21,22], can be detected by using an UME blocking strategy [7,19] based on hindering the electrochemical reaction of the UME by the NP Noble metals, such as Pt, are widely studied by EA methods [3,4]. We investigated the collision of a single Pd NP on an UME with chronoamperometric method using hydrogen peroxide reduction as the electrocatalytic reaction for EA. The observation and analysis of the electrocatalytic activity of a single Pd NP for hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction using EA method can provide insight toward their application

Reagent

Preparation of Pd NP

Preparation of UME

Conclusions