Electro-oxidative nanopatterning of silane monolayers on boron-doped diamond electrodes.
Oxidized boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes were coated with a monolayer of n-octadecyltrichlorosilane as well as of other silanes. Scanning force microscopy was applied to pattern these monolayers, utilizing doped diamond-coated conductive probes. Patterns were generated on the nanometer scale, and conditions for the patterning process were quantified with regard to humidity and potential bias. It was observed that a sample bias of 3-3.5 V and a relative humidity >70% are necessary to generate reproducible and stable patterns. At potentials and relative humidities below these values, no or incomplete removal of the monolayer occurred. The results show that electro-oxidative patterning is an expedient way for the generation of nanostructures on chemically modified BDD.
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Center of Interface Science, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
Sascha E
SE
Pust
Sabine
S
Szunerits
Rabah
R
Boukherroub
Gunther
G
Wittstock