Multi-wall carbon nanotubes-based composite electrodes for electroanalysis applications

Abstract

Chapter 1 is a general introduction in nanotechnology and carbon nanotubes. The enormous potential impact of nanomaterials for new technologies has been highlighted. Chapter 2 presents a general overview of the history of nanotubes, their structures, properties, synthesis techniques, and applications with a primary focus on advances in electrochemical sensors and biosensors based on carbon nanotubes. The challenges related to the use of carbon nanotubes to enhance the performance of electrochemical sensors and biosensors are discussed. This chapter also highlights the importance of selecting and developing suitable routes for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes, in order to effectively exploit their properties for electrochemical sensors and biosensors. Chapter 3 deals with the use of voltammetric techniques in analytical chemistry. These methods are highly appealing to the analytical chemist owing to their high sensitivity, low cost, simplicity of instrumentation, and ease of implementation. Furthermore, voltammetric techniques offer the possibility to determine the analyte concentration directly in the sample without pretreatment or chemical separation, as well as to analyze colored materials and samples with dispersed solid particles. Chapter 4 introduces the scope and objectives that have motivated this work. Chapter 5 presents details related to the experimental part of the thesis including protocols and devices used. Firstly, a list of materials and reagents is described. Secondly, the importance of the processing conditions and the characteristics of the composite electrodes are presented in detail, starting from the dispersion of CNTs in the polymer matrix, and finishing with the electrical measurements. Finally, the aim of this chapter is to supply a complete protocol that can be reproduced and therefore be used in practice for future research. Chapter 6 focuses on the applications and integrations of modified/unmodified MWCNT-Epoxy composite electrodes as chemical sensors. The electrochemical detection of pentachlorophenol (PCP), salicylic acid (SA), acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), and glucose are described. Finally, chapter 7 presents the main conclusions related to this thesis giving at the same time some recommendations for future research in the field of CNTs-based composite electrodes for electroanalysis applications.