Carbonized polydopamine layer-protected silicon substrates for light-addressable electrochemical sensing and imaging

Mingrui Jiang; Fangming Chen; Yao Meng; Qiaoyu Yang; Jian Wang; De-Wen Zhang; Yaqiong Wang

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2022.124124

Carbonized polydopamine layer-protected silicon substrates for light-addressable electrochemical sensing and imaging

Talanta. 2023 Mar 1:254:124124. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.124124. Epub 2022 Nov 24.

Authors

Mingrui Jiang¹, Fangming Chen¹, Yao Meng¹, Qiaoyu Yang¹, Jian Wang², De-Wen Zhang³, Yaqiong Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Medical Engineering, Department of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China.
² Institute of Medical Engineering, Department of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an, 710061, China.
³ Institute of Medical Engineering, Department of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an, 710061, China. Electronic address: zhangdewen@xjtu.edu.cn.
⁴ Institute of Medical Engineering, Department of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an, 710061, China. Electronic address: yaqiong.wang@xjtu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36459873
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2022.124124

Abstract

The application of silicon (Si) substrate as photoelectrode in light-addressable electrochemistry (LAE) is severely limited due to its ease of surface oxidation. The resulted silicon oxide (SiO_x) layer is electronically insulating and blocks charge transfer between the electrode and electrolyte. Keeping the Si from being oxidized is a key challenge for its practical use as a semiconductor electrode. In this work, we find that by developing a thin layer of polydopamine film on the surface of Si substrate, followed by carbonization at 550 °C, the natural oxidation of Si substrate can be successfully forestalled. When applied as an electrode, it is further found that the carbonized polydopamine (cPDA) layer can also prevent anodic oxidation of Si. The cPDA layer-modified Si substrate exhibits good photoelectrochemical performance and great stability, with no obvious signal decrease under ambient environment over 32 h. Our work here provides a new modification strategy for anti-oxidation of Si substrate and it is promising in the application of light-addressable electrochemical sensing and imaging.

Keywords: Carbonized polydopamine (cPDA); Light addressable electrochemistry (LAE); Oxidation; Photocurrent; Silicon electrode.

MeSH terms

Electrodes
Indoles*
Oxidation-Reduction
Silicon Dioxide*

Substances

polydopamine
Indoles
Silicon Dioxide