Prussian blue nanoparticles encapsulated within ormosil film

Abstract

Prussian blue (PB) analogues are representatives of the coordination materials and have shown important contributions in the field of Electrocatalysis and molecular magnets. These materials exhibit unique electrochemical and magnetic behaviors depending on their constituents and ratios of transition metal ions in specific geometrical orientation. In-situ generated Prussian blue nanoparticles reported in this communication were prepared by using a mixture of 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and potassium ferricyanide that was allowed to react with three different moieties; (a) tetrahydrofuran (THF), (b) cyclohexanone, and (c) ferrous sulphate, resulting in the formation of soluble Prussian blue. The whole content is then allowed to trigger the ormosil film formation in the presence of (3,4-epoxy cyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane and HCl. An excellent transparent ormosil films encapsulating Prussian blue nanoparticles were formed in each cases. The particles have been examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and have shown excellent varying electrochemical properties. The novel finding on these materials on the electrocatalysis of dopamine and hydrogen peroxide based on electrochemical measurements is reported in this communication. The encapsulation of a well known electrocatalyst palladium within the ormosil film has also been made and presented herein.