Electrochemical and Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence of Tris(2,2?-bipyridyl)Ruthenium(II)-Based ITO Electrodes

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is an analytical technique which molecules undergo an electrochemical reaction on an electrode surface when a certain voltage applied that allows energy transfer of electrons to occur. The light emitted can then be quantified to observe the number of molecules which underwent the ECL process therefore is applied, the ECL method provides numerous advantages as a biosensing analysis method for disease biomarkers. Our objective was to further develop the ECL analysis via functionalization of ITO electrodes allowing us to observe the chemiluminescence reaction to occur via the /TPA system. Therefore, to accomplish this, the following action items were conducted: Develop two different functionalization protocols of ITO electrodes and analyze ITO electrodes functionalization via Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to determine the most effective method toward observing photon detection with charge resistance transfer levels for ECL. Determine redox peak via cyclic, linear sweep, and square wave voltammetry to evaluate the most effective voltage range for ECL stimulation in functionalized electrodes. The redox peak allowed us to observe where a redox reaction occurs with a voltage applied is most evident from 1.2-1.9V. Utilize ECL analysis software with ITO electrodes and observe if electrochemical reaction occurs and statistically significant photon emission is observed. One of the surface functionalization approach (ITO electrode/APTES/BS³/ Ru(bpy)-streptavidin) was the most effective method for observation of photon emission due to the lower transfer resistance observed which would allow for more surface interaction to occur during the ECL experiment.