A new type of low noise carbon fiber nanoelectrodes

new and facile method has been developed for the fabrication of low noise c arbon fiber nanoelectrodes. The carbon fiber was flame-fused-sealed in a ti p of the glass capillary. The carbon fiber microelectrodes were made by cut ting the protruding carbon fiber to a desired length, and the carbon fiber nanoelectrodes were achieved by etching the protruding carbon on the flame to form a nanometer scale tip. The tip of carbon fiber nanoelectrodes can b e controlled within the range from 100 to 300 nm. Thus no epoxy wax was inv olved in the carbon fiber sealed-in-glass capillary procedure. The carbon f iber nanoelectrodes were inspected by scanning electron microscopy. The res ults demonstrated that the surface of the electrodes and the glass/fiber in terface are very smooth. Thus the noise caused by the glass/fiber is much l ower than that caused by fabricates conventionally. The electrodes were cha racterized by CV and FSCV measurements of the ferricyanide and 5-Hydroxytry ptamine(5-HT) neurotransmitters. The results show that the carbon fiber nan oelectrodes have a very excellent electrochemical behaviors and high sensit ivity. This experiments offers a new and facile method for the fabrication of carbon fiber nanoelectrodes with very high sensitivity and low noise.