Flexible Nanoporous Gold Electrodes for Electroanalysis in Complex Matrices

Abstract

AbstractFlexible, three‐dimensional nanoporous gold (NPG) electrodes were fabricated on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces without any functionalization, and their electrochemical properties examined in the absence and presence of common biofouling agents using cyclic voltammetry and redox potentiometry. In this work, potassium ferricyanide and fibrinogen were used as a model redox probe and denaturing agent, respectively, to demonstrate that flexible NPG electrodes behave ideally and can make electrochemical measurements in biofouling solutions. Using cyclic voltammetry, the non‐faradaic capacitive current was shown to be directly proportional to the scan rate, while the redox chemistry of potassium ferricyanide in the presence and absence of fibrinogen demonstrated reversible voltammetry. Using redox potentiometry, Nernst plots for the potassium ferri‐/ferrocyanide redox system gave rise to an expected Nernstian slope of 60 mV. These flexible electrodes could be particularly beneficial in electrochemical sensing in complex environments. Proof of concept was demonstrated through the measurement of uric acid in red blood cell packets using cyclic voltammetry.