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Poly(3-octylthiophene) as solid contact for ion-selective electrodes: contradictions and possibilities

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Abstract

The hydrophobic conductive polymer, poly(3-octylthiophene) (POT), is considered as uniquely suited to be used as an ion-to-electron transducer in solid contact (SC) ion-selective electrodes (ISEs). However, the reports on the performance characteristics of POT-based SC ISEs are quite conflicting. In this study, the potential sources of the contradicting results on the ambiguous drift and poor potential reproducibility of POT-based ISEs are compiled, and different approaches to minimize the drift and the differences in the standard potentials of POT-based SC ISEs are shown. To set the potential of the POT film, it has been loaded with a 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ/TCNQ·−) redox couple. An approximately 1:1 TCNQ/TCNQ·−ratio in the POT film has been achieved through potentiostatic control of the potential of the redox couple-loaded conductive polymer. It is hypothesized that once the POT film has a stable, highly reproducible redox potential, it will provide similarly stable and reproducible interfacial potentials between the POT film and the electron-conducting substrate and result in SC ISEs with excellent reproducibility and potential stability. Towards this goal, the potentials of Au, GC, and Pt electrodes with drop-cast POT film coatings were recorded in KCl solutions as a function of time. Some of the POT films were loaded with TCNQ and coated with a K+-selective membrane. The improvement in the potential stabilities and sensor-to-sensor reproducibility as a consequence of the incorporation of TCNQ in the POT film and the potentiostatic control of the TCNQ/TCNQ·−ratio is reported.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support from Instrumentation Laboratories (IL) (Bedford, MA) and the Fedex Institute of Technology through the Sensor Institute of the University of Memphis (SENSORIUM) is gratefully acknowledged. J.J. acknowledges the support of IL to her graduate research assistantship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA

    Jennifer M. Jarvis, Marcin Guzinski, Bradford D. Pendley & Ernő Lindner

Authors
  1. Jennifer M. Jarvis
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  2. Marcin Guzinski
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  3. Bradford D. Pendley
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  4. Ernő Lindner
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Correspondence to Ernő Lindner.

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In honor of my friend Professor György Inzelt on his 70th birthday in recognition of his significant contribution to electrochemistry

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Jarvis, J.M., Guzinski, M., Pendley, B.D. et al. Poly(3-octylthiophene) as solid contact for ion-selective electrodes: contradictions and possibilities. J Solid State Electrochem 20, 3033–3041 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3340-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-016-3340-2

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