Bolade O. Agboola

Nickel(II) tetra-aminophthalocyanine modified MWCNTs as potential nanocomposite materials for the development of supercapacitors†

The supercapacitive properties of nickel(II) tetraaminophthalocyanine (NiTAPc)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposite films have been interrogated for the first time and found to possess a maximum specific capacitance of 981 ± 57 F g−1 (200 ± 12 mF cm−2), a maximum power density of 700 ± 1 Wkg−1, a maximum specific energy of 134 ± 8 Wh kg−1 and excellent stability of over 1500 charge-discharge continuous cycling. Impedimetric study proves that most of the stored energy of the MWCNT-NiTAPc nanocomposite can be accessible at high frequency (720 Hz). When compared to MWCNTs modified with unsubstituted nickel(II) phthalocyanine (MWCNT-NiPc) or nickel(II) tetra-tert-butylphthalocyanine (MWCNT-tBuNiPc), MWCNT-NiTAPc exhibited superior supercapacitive behaviour, possibly due to the influence of nitrogen-containing groups on the phthalocyanine rings.

Electrochemical Characterization of Mixed Self-Assembled Films of Water-Soluble Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Poly(m-aminobenzene sulfonic acid) and Iron(II) Tetrasulfophthalocyanine

The redox activities of water-soluble iron(II) tetrasulfophthalocyanine (FeTSPc) and single-walled carbon nanotube-poly(m-aminobenzene sulfonic acid) (SWCNT-PABS) adsorbed on a gold surface precoated with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 2-dimethylaminoethanethiol (DMAET) have been described. Atomic force microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were employed to probe the buildup and formation of their thin solid films on the gold surface. The solid films exhibited excellent electrochemical stability. The electrode based on the mixed hybrids (Au-DMAET-SWCNT-PABS/FeTSPc) exhibited the fastest electron transport (k° ≈ 0.4 cm s -1 ) compared to other electrodes (~0.2 cm s -1 ), suggesting the ability of the SWCNT-PABS to act as efficient conducting species that facilitate electron transport between the integrated FeTSPc and the underlying gold substrate. Given the paucity of literature in the SAMs of water-soluble phthalocyanine complexes, the proposed fabrication strategy could potentially be extended to other water-soluble metallophthalocyanines and related organometallic complexes.

Nanostructured cobalt phthalocyanine single-walled carbon nanotube platform: electron transport and electrocatalytic activity on epinephrine

The fabrication, characterization and application of edge-plane pyrolytic graphite electrode modified with acid-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes, nanostructured cobalt phthalocyanine and a mixture of both, towards epinephrine detection and analysis are described. The morphological features of the films were evaluated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Electrochemistry of these electrodes in [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed higher peak current responses with accompanying low electron-transfer resistances in comparison to the bare electrode. The edge-plane pyrolytic graphite-single-walled carbon nanotubes-nanostructured cobalt phthalocyanine electrode exhibited good electrocatalytic activity towards epinephrine oxidation with enhanced peak currents. Analytical studies using edge-plane pyrolytic graphite-single-walled carbon nanotubes-nanostructured cobalt phthalocyanine electrode proved that the electrode is suitable for sensitivity determination of epinephrine in pH 5 conditions judging from the good sensitivity (8.71 ± 0.31 A.M−1), and limit of detection (0.04 µM) and quantification (1.31 µM) obtained. Determination of EP in the absence and presence of ascorbic acid in phosphate buffer pH 5 conditions was carried out and it was established that the presence of AA did not interfere in EP analysis. Rotating disk electrode experiments proved that the catalytic rate constant was 2.28 × 1016 mM−1.s−1.

Electrocatalytic properties of prussian blue nanoparticles supported on poly(m-aminobenzenesulphonic acid)-functionalised single-walled carbon nanotubes towards the detection of dopamine.

Edged plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (EPPGE) was modified with and without Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles and polyaminobenzene sulphonated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTPABS) using the chemical deposition method. The electrodes were characterised using microscopy, spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques. Results showed that edged plane pyrolytic graphite-single-walled carbon nanotubes-prussian blue (EPPGE-SWCNT-PB) electrode gave the best dopamine (DA) current response, which increases with increasing PB layers. The catalytic rate constant of 1.69 × 10(5)mol(-1)cm(3)s(-1), Tafel value of 112 mV dec(-1), and limit of detection of DA (2.8 nM) were obtained. Dopamine could be simultaneously detected with ascorbic acid. The electrode was found to be electrochemically stable, reusable and can be used for the analysis of DA in real drug samples.