Chemical and Spatial Design of Polymer Films on Electrodes

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This project is in the general area of analytical and surface chemistry and in the subfield of electrochemistry. Within the broad area of chemically modified electrodes, three research themes are being pursued: (1) fundamental investigations of electrochemical reactions of and in polymeric media; (2) development of microstructured electrode systems and their applications to polymer studies; and (3) basic and applied studies of electron transfer chemistry, electroanalysis, electrocatalysis, and transport processes in polymer phases. Specifically, electron self exchange reactions that are driven by intense electrical potential gradients applied to non-ionically conductive, mixed valent electroactive polymers are being studied, electrochemical techniques to study transport processes in polymer phases are being developed, the effects of polymer viscosity and elevated temperatures on the rates of heterogeneous reactions at polymer/electrode interfaces are being probed, new electrocatalytic routes for the activation of dioxygen as a useful synthetic reagent are being devised, and new electrochemical processes for the formation of thin polymeric films are being explored. This research should yield new insights into the fundamental physical chemistry of polymers that will enable their effective utilization in novel electrochemical sensor technology. Additionally, new electrosynthetic processes that lead to useful materials are expected to be identified.