Nano-Electrochemistry and Nano-Electrografting with an Original Combined AFM-SECM

Achraf Ghorbal (1) , Federico Grisotto (2) , Julienne Charlier (2) , Serge Palacin (2) , Cédric Goyer (3) , Christophe Demaille (4) , Ammar Ben Brahim (5)

1 ATRU - Applied Thermodynamics Research Unit
2 LCSI - Laboratoire de Chimie des Surfaces et Interfaces
3 DCM - Département de Chimie Moléculaire
4 LEM (UMR_7591) - Laboratoire d'Electrochimie Moléculaire
5 ENIG - Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Gabès

This study demonstrates the advantages of the combination between atomic force microscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy. The combined technique can perform nano-electrochemical measurements onto agarose surface and nano-electrografting of non-conducting polymers onto conducting surfaces. This work was achieved by manufacturing an original Atomic Force Microscopy-Scanning ElectroChemical Microscopy (AFM-SECM) electrode. The capabilities of the AFM-SECM-electrode were tested with the nano-electrografting of vinylic monomers initiated by aryl diazonium salts. Nano-electrochemical and technical processes were thoroughly described, so as to allow experiments reproducing. A plausible explanation of chemical and electrochemical mechanisms, leading to the nano-grafting process, was reported. This combined technique represents the first step towards improved nano-processes for the nano-electrografting

Domains: Chemical Sciences; Material chemistry

Achraf Ghorbal, Federico Grisotto, Julienne Charlier, Serge Palacin, Cédric Goyer, et al.. Nano-Electrochemistry and Nano-Electrografting with an Original Combined AFM-SECM. Nanomaterials, 2013, 3, pp.303-316. ⟨10.3390/nano3020303⟩. ⟨cea-00959279⟩