title: Generation of free radicals and electrochemiluminescence from simple aromatic molecules in aqueous solutions.
abstract: Oxide-covered aluminium electrodes were used to demonstrate that aromatic compounds, such as the simple derivatives of benzene, can be electrochemically excited at cathodically pulse-polarized conductor/insulator/electrolyte (C/I/E) tunnel junction electrodes (e.g. oxide-covered aluminium electrodes). The primary cathodic process at these electrodes was a tunnel emission of hot electrons into an aqueous electrolyte solution. Fluorescence (FL) and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) spectra were compared and the dependence of the electrochemiluminescence on the concentrations of benzene, toluene, phenol, p-cresol and aniline were measured and detailed mechanisms for the present electrochemiluminescence are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland. timo.ala-kleme@utu.fi
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ala-Kleme
authors.forename: Sakari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kulmala
authors.forename: Qinghong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000737:chemistry; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D004566:Electrodes; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000737:chemistry*; D049449:Luminescence; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D000535:Aluminum