Facilitation of NADH electro-oxidation at treated carbon nanotubes

The relationship between the state of the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their electrochemical activity was investigated using the enzyme cofactor dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) as a redox probe. The boiling of CNTs in water, while nondestructive, activated them toward the oxidation of NADH, as indicated by a shift in the anodic peak potential of NADH (E(NADH)) from 0.4 V to 0.0 V. The shift in E(NADH) was due to the redox mediation of NADH oxidation by traces of quinone species that were formed on the surface of treated CNTs. The harsher treatment that was comprised of microwaving CNTs in concentrated nitric acid had a similar effect on the E(NADH), and, additionally, it increased the anodic peak current of NADH. The latter correlated with the formation of defects on the surface of acid-microwaved CNTs, as indicated by their Raman spectra. The increase in current was discussed, considering the role of surface mediators on the buckled graphene sheets of acid-microwaved CNTs. The other carbon allotropes, including the edge-plane pyrolytic graphite, graphite powder, and glassy carbon, did not display a comparable activation toward the oxidation of NADH.