Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy and Ultramicroelectrode Studies of the Electrochemistry of Single Molecules and Nanoparticles

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Professor Allen J. Bard of the University of Texas at Austin is supported by the Chemical Measurement and Imaging program in the Chemistry Division to study electrode reactions of single nanoparticles (with dimensions down to 4 nm, or about 1/250th of the diameter of a human hair). These studies utilize very small (ultramicro) electrodes as well as the technique of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) that was developed in the Bard laboratories. The central aims of this project are to develop techniques to characterize nanoparticles and to establish a new stochastic approach to study electrochemical reactions. Such studies will be of value in understanding the electrocatalytic properties of materials, important in energy conversion devices (e.g. fuel cells and solar energy systems), and could provide the basis of analysis at the single molecule or very low concentration level. These would be useful, for example, in the detection of chemical and biological warfare (CB) agents or biological species that are present in blood at currently undetectable levels. Students and postdoctoral fellows will be trained in advanced electrochemical techniques with relevance to energy research, electrosynthesis and electroanalysis. Through the Center for Electrochemistry (CEC) at UT, a number of outreach activities are pursued, e.g. software exchange via the CEC website, an annual conference heavily attended by students and post doctoral fellows, periodic chalk talks by UT or visiting faculty, and training of visitors in SECM at the CEC electrochemical instrumentation facility.