Date of Graduation
5-2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Advisor/Mentor
Fritsch, Ingrid
Committee Member/Reader
Greathouse, Denise
Committee Member/Second Reader
Willson, John D
Committee Member/Third Reader
Caldwell, Stephen E
Abstract
The goal of this project is to develop a more efficient biofuel cell with the use of mediators and modification of electrode surfaces. This project focuses on a mediator, ferroceneaceticc acid (FcAA), which is expected to assist the transfer of electrons between the electrode surface and enzyme, resulting in a more efficient cell. This project is aimed toward the electropolymerization of monomer, coupling of mediator to monomer, and electropolymerization of mediator- monomer product. The monomer, hydroxymethyl 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (HMEDOT), was successfully polymerized onto the surface of a gold electrode using a solution of 0.01 M HMEDOT, 0.001 M β-CDSS, and ultrapure 18.2 MΩ*cm water from 0.0 V to 1.2 V at a scan rate of 5 mV/s. Coupling of the mediator, ferroceneacetic acid (FcAA), to the monomer, HMEDOT, using an esterification procedure was attempted. Future work is needed in order to optimize the coupling of FcAA to HMEDOT and to verify the product of the esterification. The product can then be electropolymerized onto a gold electrode using the parameters established above for HMEDOT.
Citation
Bare, P. (2015). Immobilization of electrochemical mediators to derivatives of a conducting polymer: toward the development of biofuel cells. Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/chbcuht/7