Thermo-switchable charge transport and electrocatalysis using metal-ion-modified pNIPAM-functionalized electrodes

Michael Riskin, Ran Tel-Vered, Itamar Willner*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

Metal ions (Ag+, Cu2+, Hg2+) are incorporated into an electropolymerized, poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide), pNIPAM, thermosensitive polymer associated with an electrode using the "breathing-in" method. The ion-functionalized pNIPAM matrices reveal ion-dependent gel-to-solid phase-transition temperatures (28 ± 1 °C, 25 ± 1 °C, 40 ± 1 °C for the Ag+, Cu2+, and Hg2+modified pNIPAM, respectively). Furthermore, the ion-functionalized polymers exhibit quasi-reversible redox properties, and the ions are reduced to the respective Ag°, Cu°, and Hg° nanocluster-modified polymers. The metal-nanoeluster-functionalized pNIPAM matrices enhance the electron transfer (they exhibit lower electron-transfer resistances) in the compacted states. The electron-transfer resistances of the metal-nanocluster-modified pNIPAM can be cycled between low and high values by temperature-induced switching of the polymer between its contracted solid and expanded gel states, respectively. The enhanced electron-transfer properties of the metal nanocluster-functional ized polymer are attributed to the contacting of the metal nanoclusters in the contracted state of the polymers. This temperatureswitchable electron transfer across a Ag°-modified pNIPAM was implemented to design a thermo-switchable electrocatalytic process (the temperature-switchable electrocatalyzed reduction Of H2O2 by Ag°-pNIPAM).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2474-2480
Number of pages7
JournalAdvanced Functional Materials
Volume19
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - 10 Aug 2009

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