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The Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Ferrofluids: Towards Membrane‐less and Spill‐less Gas Sensors
Author(s) -
Panchompoo Janjira,
Ge Mengchen,
Zhao Chuan,
Lim May,
Aldous Leigh
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chempluschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.801
H-Index - 61
ISSN - 2192-6506
DOI - 10.1002/cplu.201402105
Subject(s) - ferrofluid , electrolyte , oxygen , polymer , membrane , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , chemical engineering , nanoparticle , aqueous solution , electrocatalyst , iron oxide nanoparticles , electrochemistry , materials science , electrode , nanotechnology , magnetic field , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , engineering , biochemistry , physics
In this study, a “membrane‐less and spill‐less” gas‐sensing device has been evaluated for the electrochemical detection of oxygen. Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by chemical co‐precipitation and used to prepare an aqueous ferrofluid. The iron oxide nanoparticles were subsequently stabilised and passivated with a cationic polymer, namely, poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride). The resulting ferrofluid was evaluated as an electrolyte for the analytical quantification of oxygen on screen‐printed carbon electrodes. An applied magnetic field immobilised the ferrofluid electrolyte in place to result in a “membrane‐less and spill‐less” ferrofluid‐based gas sensor. The polymer poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) was found to result in an apparent enhancement in the electrocatalysis of the system towards the oxygen reduction reaction. Furthermore, as the strength of the applied magnetic field was increased, the oxygen reduction current also increased owing to the response of the polymer‐coated nanoparticles. The oxygen reduction current was linear from 0 to 100 % oxygen content.