A Highly Sensitive Miniaturized Impedimetric Perchlorate Chemical Sensor

Abstract

In this paper, we have developed a miniaturized a chemical sensor based on a new nanostructured Co-phthalocyanine (Co(II)Pc-PAA) derivative functionalized Au microelectrodes for perchlorate ClO ^- 4 detection. The morphological properties of the sensitive layer have been characterized by contact angle measurement. The response of the obtained sensor-based CoPc/Au microelectrodes has been investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The experimental impedance data of the sensor device were analyzed by an equivalent electrical circuit using a modified Randles model for better understanding the phenomena present at the sensing membrane/electrolyte interface. Therefore, under optimized working conditions in terms of polarization and frequency, best performances have been achieved when compared with those obtained in the literature for Au electrodes-based devices functionalized with the same molecule. The present chemical sensor has provided a lower detection limit (17.3 pM), the lowest achieved until now to our knowledge, with a larger linear range from 1.73 10 ^-11 to 10 ^-1 M. The selectivity of the sensor has been also studied by evaluating the response towards ClO ^- 4 with other interfering anions. The measurement were stable after ten days of the chemical sensor storage at room temperature. This is very promising for environmental application using rapid analyses and low-cost chemical sensors. Perspectives for a potentiometric sensor at higher concentrations were also assessed.