Abstract
This work investigates citrate-capped, colloidal gold nanoparticle (AuNP) film assemblies of varying particle sizes (5–50 nm) adsorbed to bulk Au substrates to serve as platform electrochemical sensors to simultaneously detect and reduce TNT to 2,4,6-triaminotoluene (TAT) in solution. The high surface area-to-volume ratio of colloidal AuNPs offers advantages in electrocatalysis and enhanced signal transduction, while the facile immobilization onto a variety of substrates provides an adaptable and reproducible platform technology. In order to validate these AuNP film assemblies as platform sensors, square wave voltammetry is performed to enhance TNT sensitivity and optimize the signal transduction of TNT reduction. The highest sensitivity of TNT reduction is observed on 15 nm AuNP films (high nanomolar limits of detection). It is hypothesized that the 15 nm AuNP film assemblies store charge more efficiently because of their large dielectric constant compared to AuNP films of alternative sizes. It is also observed that upon assembly of the 5, 15, and 30 nm AuNPs, TNT reduction begins at more positive potentials compared to bulk Au and organic monolayer films, suggesting that these films exhibit electrocatalytic properties. The onset reduction potentials for 5, 15, and 30 nm AuNP assemblies were calculated and undergo 70 mV shifts to more positive potentials in comparison to bulk Au and organic monolayer control electrodes.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank NATO for providing the opportunity and funding to present this work in Antalya, Turkey and Alexis Wong for capturing TEM images on the Tecnai Osiris (NSF EPS 1004083) at Vanderbilt University using VINSE facilities.
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Gulka, C.P., Gizzie, E.A., Cliffel, D.E., Wright, D.W. (2015). Electrochemical Detection of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene at Colloidal Gold Nanoparticle Film Assemblies. In: Camesano, T. (eds) Nanotechnology to Aid Chemical and Biological Defense. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7218-1_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7218-1_10
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