Electrodeposited styrylquinolinium dye as molecular electrocatalyst for coupled redox reactions

Abstract

Modification of carbonaceous materials with different conductive coatings is a successful approach to enhance their electrocatalytic activity and thus to increase the electrical outputs when used as electrodes in biofuel cells. In this study, a methodology for electrodeposition of styrylquinolinium dye on carbon felt was developed. The produced dye electrodeposits were characterized by means of AFM, ESI-MS/MS and NMR spectroscopy. The obtained data reveal that the dye forms overlaid layers consisting of monomer molecules most likely with an antiparallel orientation. The UV–VIS spectroscopy, CV and EIS analyses show that the dye molecules preserve their redox activity within the coating and a charge transfer between NADH/NAD+ and electrodeposit is possible as a coupled redox reaction. The fabricated nano-modified electrodes were also tested as anodes in batch-mode operating yeast-based biofuel cell. The results indicate that the electrodeposited dye acts as an immobilized exogenous mediator, contributing to enhanced extracellular electron transfer.