The oxidation and reduction behavior of nitrite at carbon nanotube powder microelectrodes

Abstract

Carbon nanotube electrodes were fabricated using powder microelectrode method, and the carbon nanotube powder microelectrodes (CNTPMEs) were characterized by the electro-oxidation and electro-reduction of nitrite. It was found that the kinetics of oxidation and reduction were greatly improved at CNTs compared with that at conventional graphite, indicating that CNTs could catalyze the electrochemical process of nitrite. The kinetic parameters of these process at CNTs were calculated, i.e. k was 0.593 cm s-1, and (1-α)nα was 0.501±0.018 for the nitrite oxidation. This CNTPME was also used as a nitrite carbon nanotube sensor, and the results showed that the detection limit was 8 μM. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.