Electrochemical Sizing of Gold Surfaces

Assume that for the nanoparticles the number of gold atoms per cm is the same as that found for a macroscopic polycrystalline gold surface (1.25 x 10 atoms cm ). Describe a simple method by which the surface area of gold nanoparticles present on an electrode may be measured voltammetricaUy. Critically assess your suggestion. 

This analysis, although easy to perform, only provides an estimate of the actual surface area present. This is primarily due to the fact that the surface density of gold atoms on the nanoparticles is likely to be significantly different from that found for macroscopic polycrystalline gold. It has also been implicitly assumed that all the gold nanoparticles are electro active. 

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