Electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance

The quartz crystal nanobalance (QCN) can be combined with practically any electrochemical methods, such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chronocoulometry, potentiostatic, galvanostatic, rotating disc electrode [11], or potentiometric measurements. The EQCN can be further combined with other techniques, e.g., with UV-Vis spectroscopy [12], probe beam deflection (PBD) [13], radiotracer [14], atomic force microscopy (AEM) [15], and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) [16]. The concept and the instrumentation of 

Department of Physical Cheniistiy, Hotvos Lorand University, 1518 Budapest 112, Hungary e-mtiil inzeltgy chem.elte.hu 

1 Piezoelectricity, Converse Piezoelectricity, Piezoelectric Materials, and Oscillators 

Quartz crystal nanobalance is a thickness-shear-mode acoustic wave mass-sensitive detector based on the effect of an attached foreign mass on the resonant frequency of an oscillating quartz crystal. The QCN responds to any interfacial mass change. The response of QCN is also extremely sensitive to the mass (density) and viscoelastic changes at the solid-solution interface [1-8]. 

The values of the integral mass sensitivity for the most frequently used /o = 5 MHz and 10 MHz crystals are Q = 5.66 x 10 and 2.264 x 10 Hz cm g respectively. It follows that by using a crystal with A = 0.3 cm surface area 1 Hz change - which can be measured easily and accurately - corresponds to 6 ng and 1.4 ng, respectively. The uniform distribution of the mass over the active area of the quartz plate is of importance since the differential mass sensitivity (c/) varies across this area. For typically used round-shaped crystals [1, 6, 8, 19]  

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Hepel, M., Electrode-solntion interface studied with electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance, in Interfacial Electrochemistry, A. J. Wieckowski, Ed., Marcel Dekker, New York, 1999, p. 599. 

Jerkiewicz G, Vatankhah G, Lessard J, Soriaga MP, Park YS. 2004. Surface-oxide growth at platinum electrodes in aqueous H2SO4 Reexamination of its mecharusm through combined cyclic-voltammetry, electrochemical quartz-crystal nanobalance, and Auger electron spectroscopy measurements. Electrochim Acta 49 1451-1459. 

An ELCHEMA Model EQCN-700 electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance was used in combination with an ELCHEMA Model PS-205B potentiostat in special experiments. As working crystal, an ELCHEMA QC-10-AuPB laboratory quartz crystal with 14 mm of diameter (active area of 0.196 cm2) was used. 

Biosens Bioelectron 14 663 [v] HepelM (1999) Electrode-solution interface studied with electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance. In Wieczkowski A (ed) Interfacial electrochemistry. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 599-630 [vi] Hillman AR (2003) The Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance. In Bard AJ, Stratmann M, Unwin PR (eds) Instrumentation and electroanalytical chemistry. Encyclopedia of electrochemistry, vol. 3. Wiley-VHC, Weinheim, pp 230-289 [vii] Tsionsky V, Daikhin L, Urbakh M, Gileadi E (2004) Looking at the metal/solution interface with electrochemical quartz-crystal microbalance Theory and experiment. In Bard AJ, Rubinstein I (eds) Electroanalytical chemistry, vol 22. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 2-94 [viii] Vilas-Boas M, Henderson MJ, Freire C, Hillman AR, Vieil E (2000) Chem Eur / 6 1160 [ix] Inzelt G, Horanyi G (1989) / Electrochem Soc 136 1747 [x] Gollas B, Bartlett PN, Denuault (2000) Anal Chem 72 349 [xi] Gabrielli C, Ked-dam M, Perrot H, Torresi R (1994) ] Electroanal Chem 378 85... 

Hepel M (1999) Electrode solution interface studied with electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance. In Wieckowski A (ed) Interfacial electrochemistry. Dekkker, NY, p 599... 

Another instrument has been advertised recently by ELCHEMA (Potsdam, NY). The electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance system model EQCN-5(K) is capable of measuring simultaneously the voltamperometric characteristics and mass changes during an electrochemical process. The reported potential... 

The authors are pleased to present here the second edition of the book Electroanalytical Methods. Guide to Experiments and Applications. All chapters have been carefully revised and updated, and a new chapter, devoted to the use of the electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance, has been added. 

Buttiy DA (1991) Applications of the quartz crystal microbalance to electrochemistry. In Bard AJ (ed) Electroanalytical chemistry, vol 17, Marcel Dekker, New York, p 1 Ward MD (1995) Principles and applications of the eleetrochemieal quartz crystal microbalance. In Rubinstein I (ed) Physical electrochemistry. Marcel Dekker, pp 293-338 Buck RP, Lindner E, Kutner W, Inzelt G (2004) Pure AppI Chem 76 1139 Hepel M (1999) Electrode solution interlace studied with electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance. In Wieczkowski A (ed) Inter cial electrochemistry. Marcel Dekker, New York... 

The interpretation of CV data is ambiguous. However, if complemented with data from surface microscopy, x-ray absorption. Auger or photoelectron spectroscopy, and mass-sensitive techniques using electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance (EQCN),... 

However, recent studies using an electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance revealed that the platinum oxides are not hydrated (Birss et al. 1993 Harrington 1997 Jerkiewicz et al. 2004) thus, at 0.85-1.15 V a half monolayer (0.5ML) forms from chemisorbed oxygen rather than OH. Figure 1 depicts the proposed... 

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