Exploring Electrochemistry: A Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor Based on a Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode Modified with...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Growing demand for electrochemical technologies in energy and diagnostics.
• Current undergraduate electrochemistry education often fragments key concepts across disparate experiments.
• Need for cohesive, hands-on learning experiences in electroanalytical methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated undergraduate laboratory experiment for teaching core electrochemistry principles.
• To introduce students to cyclic voltammetry, electrocatalysis, and amperometry within a single practical session.
• To demonstrate the construction and application of a hydrogen peroxide sensor based on Prussian blue.

Main Methods:

• Cyclic voltammetry to analyze faradaic and capacitive currents and their dependence on scan rate.
• Electrochemical deposition of Prussian blue thin films to modify sensor surfaces.
• Amperometric measurements combined with standard addition for quantitative analysis of hydrogen peroxide.

Main Results:

• Successful construction of a hydrogen peroxide sensor using Prussian blue electrochemistry.
• Demonstration of fundamental concepts including cyclic voltammetry, electrocatalysis, and quantitative analysis.
• Validation of the experiment's effectiveness over multiple undergraduate semesters.

Conclusions:

• The developed experiment provides a cohesive and resource-efficient approach to teaching essential electroanalytical concepts.
• This hands-on approach enhances student understanding of electrochemistry's practical applications.
• The experiment integrates diverse electroanalytical techniques into a single, manageable laboratory session.