Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
08:31
Probing Surface Electrochemical Activity of Nanomaterials using a Hybrid Atomic Force Microscope-Scanning Electrochemical Microscope (AFM-SECM)
Published on: February 10, 2021
Chemical imaging with combined fast-scan cyclic voltammetry-scanning electrochemical microscopy
Daniel S Schrock1, John E Baur
1Department of Chemistry, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois 61790-4160, USA.
Analytical Chemistry
|August 21, 2007
Summary
Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) coupled with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) enables chemical imaging near substrates. This technique successfully mapped diffusion layers and detected cellular respiration products like oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Microscopy
Background:
- Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is a powerful tool for electrochemical analysis.
- Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) offers high temporal resolution for detecting electroactive species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the utility of combining FSCV with SECM for chemical imaging.
- To image diffusion layers and cellular respiratory activity using FSCV-SECM.
Main Methods:
- Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) was integrated with a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM).
- The FSCV-SECM probe was utilized to image diffusion layers over microelectrode and macroelectrode substrates.
- Oxygen depletion near living cells and simultaneous detection of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide were performed.
Main Results:
- FSCV-SECM successfully imaged diffusion layers around electrodes.
- Oxygen depletion correlated with cellular respiratory activity was measured.
- Simultaneous detection of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide during macrophage oxidative burst was achieved.
Conclusions:
- FSCV-SECM is a versatile technique for chemical imaging.
- The method is effective for analyzing electrochemical processes and biological systems.
- Optimal conditions minimize substrate feedback, enhancing imaging capabilities.
Related Concept Videos
01:12Voltammetric Techniques: Linear-Scan (E vs Time)
Polarography is a classical voltammetric technique used to analyze electrochemical reactions. This method applies a linear potential sweep to a dropping mercury electrode (DME), and the resulting current is measured. A dropping mercury electrode is commonly used as the working electrode in polarography. It consists of a capillary tube filled with mercury, where the tiny droplet forms at the tip. This droplet continuously drops from the capillary, creating a new electrode surface for each...
01:07Scanning Electron Microscopy
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
01:10Voltammetric Techniques: Cyclic Voltammetry
Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is an electrochemical technique used to investigate the redox properties of a chemical species. It involves measuring the current response of an electrochemical cell as a function of the applied potential. The setup for cyclic voltammetry typically consists of a working electrode, a reference electrode, and a counter electrode—all immersed in an electrolyte solution. The working electrode is where the redox reaction of interest occurs, while the reference electrode...
01:22Overview of Microscopy Techniques
The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...