The electrochemical reactivity of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films, assembled at a polarisable
organic/water interface, has been probed using model redox species. Electrons generated by the oxidation
of organic 1,10-dimethylferrocene (DMFc) to DMFc+ can be transferred through the assembled SWCNT layer
and reduce aqueous ferricyanide (Fe(CN)6
3 ) to ferrocyanide (Fe(CN)6
4 ), with a doping interaction
observed. Several electrochemical techniques, including cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical
impedance spectroscopy (EIS), were employed to confirm that the model redox couples dope/charge
the SWCNTs. In situ Raman spectro-electrochemistry was also applied to verify the charge transfer
processes occurring at the assembled SWCNT films and confirm that the doping effect of the carbon
nanotubes is initiated by electrochemical reactions. This doping interaction indicated that the adsorbed
SWCNT films can act as a pseudo-capacitor, showing a high area-normalised capacitance. The deeper
understanding of the electrochemical properties of SWCNTs, gained from this study, will help determine
the performance of this material for practical applications.
