Single-Entity Electrochemistry in the Agarose Hydrogel: Observation of Enhanced Signal Uniformity and Signal-to-Noise Ratio

For the first time, single-entity electrochemistry (SEE) was demonstrated in a hydrogel matrix. SEE involves the investigation of the electrochemical characteristics of individual nanoparticles (NPs) by observing the signal generated when a single NP, suspended in an aqueous solution, collides with...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Gels 2023-07, Vol.9 (7), p.537
Main Authors: Na, Jaedo, Park, Kyungsoon, Kwon, Seong Jung
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
agarose
Analysis
Aqueous solutions
Diffusion rate
Electric properties
Electrocatalysis
Electrochemical reactions
Electrochemistry
Electrodes
Electrolytes
Energy storage
Free convection
hydrazine oxidation
Hydrazines
hydrogel
Hydrogels
Molecular sieves
Nanomaterials
Nanoparticles
Oxidation
Polymers
Pore size
Pt nanoparticle
Signal analysis
Signal to noise ratio
singleientity electrochemistry
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Summary:For the first time, single-entity electrochemistry (SEE) was demonstrated in a hydrogel matrix. SEE involves the investigation of the electrochemical characteristics of individual nanoparticles (NPs) by observing the signal generated when a single NP, suspended in an aqueous solution, collides with an electrode and triggers catalytic reactions. Challenges associated with SEE in electrolyte-containing solutions such as signal variation due to NP aggregation and noise fluctuation caused by convection phenomena can be addressed by employing a hydrogel matrix. The polymeric hydrogel matrix acts as a molecular sieve, effectively filtering out unexpected signals generated by aggregated NPs, resulting in more uniform signal observations compared to the case in a solution. Additionally, the hydrogel environment can reduce the background current fluctuations caused by natural convection and other factors such as impurities, facilitating easier signal analysis. Specifically, we performed SEE of platinum (Pt) NPs for hydrazine oxidation within the agarose hydrogel to observe the electrocatalytic reaction at a single NP level. The consistent porous structure of the agarose hydrogel leads to differential diffusion rates between individual NPs and reactants, resulting in variations in signal magnitude, shape, and frequency. The changes in the signal were analyzed in response to gel concentration variations.
ISSN:2310-2861
2310-2861
DOI:10.3390/gels9070537