Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Vol.496, No.1-2, 110-117, 2001
Some factors in the voltammetric measurement of ion transfer at the micro aqueous vertical bar organic solution interface
In order to expand the application of voltammetry to ion transfer at the micro aqueous \ organic (W \ O) solution interface, factors essential for the measurement of voltammograms were investigated systematically by cyclic voltammetry. The effects of the dimension of the microhole, concentrations of supporting electrolytes in W and/or O and kinds of O on the characteristics of the voltammograms were investigated using micro interfaces formed in microholes made through thin polyester films set between O and W. When chloroform was used as O and the ratio of the radius to depth of the microhole was large, a well defined voltammogram for the transfer of an ion such as the tetraethylammonium ion from W to O could be observed even when the supporting electrolytes in W were as dilute as 5 x 10(-5) M. Organic solvents of low relative dielectric constant, epsilon, and alcohols were found to be applicable to voltammetry at the micro W \ O interface as O in addition to those used in voltammetry with a conventional interface. Formal potentials for transfers of various ions at interfaces between W and O of low epsilon and alcohols were determined.