Fabrication and characterisation of nanometre-sized platinum electrodes for voltammetric analysis and imaging

A simple procedure is described for the fabrication of micrometre to nanome tre scale Pt electrodes. These electrodes are prepared by etching a fine Pt wire, which is subsequently coated with an electrophoretic paint, deposite d anodically or cathodically. The electrodes are characterised by scanning electron microscopy and steady-state linear sweep voltammetry. Voltammetric measurements of the oxidation of aqueous ferrocyanide at electrodes with e ffective radii varying from 1 mu m to 10 nm show the expected increase in i rreversibility with increasing mass transport rate. The electrodes are show n to be particularly promising as imaging probes for scanning electrochemic al microscopy. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.