Composites Electrodes Based on Castor Oil Derivatives and Graphite: Synthesis, Properties and Electroanalytical...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Developing sustainable materials for electrochemical applications is crucial.
• Castor oil-based polymers offer a renewable alternative to traditional materials.
• Graphite incorporation can enhance electrode properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize novel solid composite electrodes using epoxidized and maleinized castor oil polymer (ECO-MECO) and graphite.
• To evaluate the thermal, morphological, and electrochemical properties of these composites.
• To assess the potential of these composites for electrochemical sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Composite preparation with varying graphite content (50-85 wt %).
• Characterization using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and contact angle measurements.
• Electrochemical evaluation via Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), including surface activation studies.

Main Results:

• Composites showed good homogeneity and tunable graphite content.
• Increased graphite content improved dispersion, wettability, and interfacial interaction.
• Composites with 70-80% graphite exhibited superior or comparable electrochemical performance to glassy carbon electrodes (GCE).
• Surface activation enhanced redox responses and capacitive behavior, attributed to oxygenated functional groups.

Conclusions:

• Biopolymer-graphite composites are promising sustainable materials for electrochemical sensing.
• Surface modification strategies can further improve electrode performance.
• The developed electrodes show potential for detecting Pb²⁺ and dopamine.