Abstract:
The vast majority of reports of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on metals focus on the use of gold. However,
other metals, such as palladium, platinum, and silver offer advantages over gold as a substrate. In this work, palladium
is electrochemically deposited from PdCl2 solutions on glassy carbon electrodes to form a substrate for alkanethiol
SAMs. The conditions for deposition are optimized with respect to the electrolyte, pH, and electrochemical parameters.
The palladium surfaces have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the surface roughness
has been estimated by chronocoulometry. SAMs of alkane thiols have been formed on the palladium surfaces, and
their ability to suppress a Faradaic process is used as an indication for palladium coverage on the glassy carbon. The
morphology of the Pd deposit as characterized by SEM and the blocking behavior of the SAM formed on deposited
Pd delivers a consistent picture of the Pd surface. It has been clearly demonstrated that, via selection of experimental
conditions for the electrochemical deposition, the morphology of the palladium surface and its ability to support SAMs
can be controlled. The work will be applied to create a mixed monolayer of metals, which can subsequently be used
to create a mixed SAM of a biocomponent and an alkanethiol for biosensing applications
