L. Coche-guerente et al., Characterization of organosilasesquioxane-intercalated-laponite-clay modified electrodes and (bio)electrochemical applications, J ELEC CHEM, 458(1-2), 1998, pp. 73-86
Electrode surface modification by organo-inorganic layered coatings can be
achieved readily by drying a completely delaminated laponite clay sol mixed
with polycationic silasesquioxane oligomers. Oligosilsesquioxanes were syn
thesized by hydrolytic polycondensation of trialkoxysilanes bearing an alky
lamino or alkyltrimethylammonium function. Films of excellent quality with
exceptional adhesion and mechanical properties can be obtained. The interca
lation of organosiloxane oligomers is accompanied by the expansion of the h
im and by the existence of a mesoporosity as shown by XRD measurements and
N-2 adsorption experiments. The ion-exchange properties of the resulting co
atings as well as permeation of neutral molecules were studied in aqueous a
nd non-aqueous electrolytes as a function of the oligomer loading. For olig
omer loadings higher than the cation-exchange capacity (cec) of laponite, t
he coatings behave as anion-exchangers which allows the binding a wide rang
e of redox anions. Incorporated anions remain electroactive not only in aqu
eous but also in non aqueous electrolytes as a consequence of a fixed pore
size and permanent interlayer spacing of oligomer-expanded laponite. On the
other hand intercalation of oligomers allows us to modulate the permeabili
ty of the coating as shown by permeation experiments using neutral electroa
ctive probes in non aqueous electrolytes. In the held of electroanalysis, a
mperometric biosensors made by the entrapment of glucose oxidase inside the
hybrid material have been investigated successfully. Such enzymatic films
exhibit enhanced analytical performances as compared with those obtained us
ing native sodic laponite. The potential applications of this new hybrid ma
terial in the field of electrocatalysis have been exemplified by the electr
oprecipitation of catalytic nanoparticles such as Pt(0) obtained from the i
ncorporation of the anionic precursor PtCl42-. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.
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