Analytical Applications of Electrochemically Pretreated Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrodes

Abstract

The several outstanding properties of boron‐doped diamond electrodes (BDDEs) have allowed their application for various purposes, among them electrochemical sensing. However, the electrochemical response of many redox species on BDDEs can be strongly dependent on whether their surfaces are predominantly hydrogen‐ (HT) or oxygen‐terminated (OT). Fortuitously, electrochemical pretreatments themselves can be used to enrich in situ the BDEE surface in one or the other type of termination. The surface of a cathodically pretreated BBDE (CPT‐BDDE) becomes enriched in HTs, whereas that of an anodically pretreated BDDE (APT‐BDEE) becomes enriched in OTs. Thus, when suitable, the electrochemical activity of a BDDE for a given analyte may be tuned by electrochemical pretreatments, yielding enhanced sensing properties. The main purpose of this review is the compilation and discussion of papers published after 2009 reporting on electroanalytical applications based on a CPT‐BDDE or an APT‐BDDE. Procedures to perform proper electrochemical pretreatments are also discussed.

Simple Flow Injection Analysis System Coupled to Multiple‐Pulse Amperometry and a Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode for the Simultaneous Determination of Sunset Yellow and Aspartame

“…As already noted above, it is well known that the electrochemical behavior of BDDEs toward specific analytes may be affected by the BDD surface termination (hydrogen or oxygen) . In fact, the detection of different analytes can be strongly influenced by the predominant type of BDDE surface termination . Those different terminations can be easily obtained using proper electrochemical pretreatments; a cathodic pretreatment leads to a BDD surface enriched in hydrogen terminations, whereas an anodic pretreatment leads to enrichment in oxygenated groups (such as carbonyl, carboxyl, and hydroxyl) .…”

“…As already noted above, it is well known that the electrochemical behavior of BDDEs toward specific analytes may be affected by the BDD surface termination (hydrogen or oxygen) . In fact, the detection of different analytes can be strongly influenced by the predominant type of BDDE surface termination .…”

“…In fact, the detection of different analytes can be strongly influenced by the predominant type of BDDE surface termination . Those different terminations can be easily obtained using proper electrochemical pretreatments; a cathodic pretreatment leads to a BDD surface enriched in hydrogen terminations, whereas an anodic pretreatment leads to enrichment in oxygenated groups (such as carbonyl, carboxyl, and hydroxyl) . Hence, the effect of the electrochemical activation (pretreatment) of the BDDE surface on its electrochemical activity towards the oxidation of the analytes was next evaluated using square‐wave voltammetry (SWV).…”

“…FIA‐MPA associated to the use of boron‐doped diamond as the working electrode (BDDE) can be very advantageous, as discussed in the review by Freitas et al ., since the BDDE has several interesting properties, such as a high resistance to surface passivation processes and a wide potential window (the latter property allows the determination of AS, which presents a quite positive oxidation peak potential). Furthermore, surface terminations on BDDEs might strongly affect their electrochemical response for different analytes, and these terminations can be modified and tuned by proper electrochemical treatments …”

Electrochemical Determination of the Steroid Tibolone and Its Metabolites in Saliva Samples

“…[13,[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] Boron-doped diamond (BDD) has become an important material applied in electrochemistry and electroanalysis. [33][34][35] In fact, its properties are different from other commonly used carbonaceous electrodes, such as favorable electron-transfer kinetics, a wide potential range in aqueous solution (oxygen evolution at~2.0 V), low and stable background current, high corrosion resistance, good resistance to adsorption of molecules and stability in successive measurements. [33,[35][36][37][38] A single unmodified BDD electrode can be used for multiple analytical determinations for long periods of time (good robustness).…”