Development of a Novel Bidimensional Spectroelectrochemistry Cell Using Transfer Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Films as Optically Transparent Electrodes

Abstract

A really easy method to transfer commercial single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) to different substrates is proposed. In this paper, a homogeneous transference of SWCNTs films to nonconductor and transparent supports, such as polyethylene terephthalate, glass, and quartz, and to conductor supports, such as indium tin oxide, aluminum, highly ordered pyrolytic graphite, and glassy carbon, was achieved using a very fast, reproducible, and clean methodology. In order to test these transferences, SWCNTs films transferred on quartz were used as working optically UV–vis transparent electrodes due to their optimal electrical and optical properties. A new easy-to-use, homemade optical fiber based cell for bidimensional spectroelectrochemistry was developed, offering the possibility to measure in normal and parallel configuration. The cell was tested with ferrocenemethanol, a compound widely used in electrochemistry but scarcely studied by spectroelectrochemistry, covering the UV–vis spectral region.