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Gold‐gold junction electrodes:the disconnection method
Author(s) -
Dale Sara E. C.,
Vuorema Anne,
Ashmore Ellen M. Y.,
KasprzykHorden Barbara,
Sillanpää Mika,
Denuault Guy,
Marken Frank
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the chemical record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.61
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1528-0691
pISSN - 1527-8999
DOI - 10.1002/tcr.201100008
Subject(s) - electrode , chemistry , cyanide , gold plating (software engineering) , hydroquinone , platinum , etching (microfabrication) , analytical chemistry (journal) , chloride , plating (geology) , microelectrode , gold cyanidation , inorganic chemistry , nanotechnology , materials science , chromatography , catalysis , biochemistry , management , organic chemistry , layer (electronics) , economics , geophysics , geology
The formation of gold‐gold junction electrodes for application in electroanalysis is described here based on electro‐deposition from a non‐cyanide gold plating bath. Converging growth of two hemispherical gold deposits on two adjacent platinum microelectrodes (both 100 µm diameter in glass, ca. 45 µm gap) followed by careful etching in aqueous chloride solution was employed. During growth both gold hemispheres “connect” and during etching “disconnection” is evident in a drop in current. Gold‐gold junctions with sub‐micron gaps are formed and applied for the electroanalytical detection of sub‐micromolar concentrations of hydroquinone in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7 ( E rev = 0.04 V vs. SCE) and sub‐micromolar concentration of dopamine in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7 ( E rev = 0.14 V vs. SCE). The potential future uses in analysis and limitations of gold‐gold junction electrodes are discussed. DOI 10.1002/tcr.201100008