Fundamental Research

Fundamental Research

Volume 2, Issue 2, March 2022, Pages 193-197
Fundamental Research

Article
Highly spatial imaging of electrochemical activity on the wrinkles of graphene using all-solid scanning electrochemical cell microscopy

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fmre.2021.08.001Get rights and content
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Abstract

Here, all-solid scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) is first established by filling polyacrylamide (PAM) into nanocapillaries as a solid electrolyte. A solid PAM nanoball at the tip of a nanocapillary contacts graphene and behaves as an electrochemical cell for simultaneously measuring the morphology and electrochemical activity. Compared with liquid droplet-based SECCM, this solid nanoball is stable and does not leave any electrolyte at the contact regions, which permits accurate and continuous scanning of the surface without any intervals. Accordingly, the resolutions in the lateral (x-y) and vertical (z) directions are improved to ∼10 nm. The complete scanning of the wrinkles on graphene records low currents at the two sidewalls of the wrinkles and a relatively high current at the center of the wrinkles. The heterogeneity in the electrochemical activity of the wrinkle illustrates different electron transfer features on surfaces with varied curvatures, which is hardly observed by the current electrochemical or optical methods. The successful establishment of this high spatial electrochemical microscopy overcomes the current challenges in investigating the electrochemical activity of materials at the nanoscale, which is significant for a better understanding of electron transfer in materials.

Keywords

Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy
Solid electrolyte
High spatial resolution
Electrochemical activity
Wrinkle

Cited by (0)

Rong Jin is currently a Ph.D. student in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University. He received the B.E. degree from Nanjing University of Science and technology. His research interests focus on the application of scanning probe microscope (SPM) in electrochemistry.

Dechen Jiang is currently a professor in State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Nanjing University. He obtained his B.S. M.S and Ph.D. degrees from Nanjing University, Fudan University and Case Western Reserve University. After postdoctoral training at UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Jiang joined Nanjing University to start his independent research. His research focuses on the development of electrochemical methodology and instrumental for the characterization of cellular activity and material features. Dr. Jiang has authored and coauthored over 80 research publications such as PNAS, JACS, Angew Chem and Anal. Chem.