Electroanalysis with pure, chemically modified, and sol-gel-derived silica-based materials

An overview is presented dealing with the use of pure, chemically modified and sol-gel-derived silicates for designing electrode materials that are th en exploited in various electroanalytical applications. The exploration of the potential consequences of such inorganic solids when used in electroche mical environments has intensified since 1995. This review focuses on recen t advances achieved with silica-modified electrodes (SiO2-MEs) in the field s of electroanalysis. After a description of the attractive properties of s ilica-based materials for the electrochemical community, an outline of the preparation methods for SiO2-MEs is given, and their relevance to various a reas of electroanalysis is discussed.