Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence from Ru(Bpy)32+ Ion-Exchanged in Carbon Nanotube/Perfluorosulfonated Ionomer Composite Films

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Abstract
The electrochemistry and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridine) (Ru(bpy)32+) ion-exchanged in carbon nanotube (CNT)/Nafion composite films were investigated with tripropylamine (TPA) as a coreactant at a glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The major goal of this work was to investigate and develop new materials and immobilization approaches for the fabrication of ECL-based sensors with improved sensitivity, reactivity, and long-term stability. Ru(bpy)32+ could be strongly incorporated into Nafion film, but the rate of charge transfer was relative slow and its stability was also problematic. The interfusion of CNT in Nafion resulted in a high peak current of Ru(bpy)32+ and high ECL intensity. The results indicated that the composite film had more open structures and a larger surface area allowing faster diffusion of Ru(bpy)32+ and that the CNT could adsorb Ru(bpy)32+ and also acted as conducting pathways to connect Ru(bpy)32+ sites to the electrode. In the present work, the sensitivity of the ECL system at the CNT/Nafion film-modified electrodes was more than 2 orders of magnitude higher than that observed at a silica/Nafion composite film-modified electrode and 3 orders of magnitude higher than that at pure Nafion films. The CNT/Nafion composite film-modified GC electrodes also exhibited long-term stability.