Self-assembling of hybrid Prussian blue units in cinder matrix: Characterization and electrocatalysis

Industrial waste cinder (CFe*) has been utilized as a stable anchoring matrix for self-assembling of Fe(CN)(6)(3-) as hybrid Prussian blue units (PB, *(Fe3+FeII)(CN)(6)) on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPE) for efficient catalytic applications. The waste cinder was found to be a composite of calcium and iron silicates similar to glass matrix by Xray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) study. The hybrid PB formations were confirmed by both FT-IR and electrochemical methods. Most importantly, the free iron (Fe*) ion bound to the non-bridging oxygen terminals of the silicates was found to play a key role in the PB formation. The self-assembled PB hybrid on the cinder-modified screen-printed electrodes (designated as PBCFe*-SPE) improved linear detection range and sensitivity for H2O2 mediated oxidation than those obtained at a classical PB-SPE in 0.1 M, pH 2 KCl/HCl base electrolyte at 0.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) by amperometric batch analysis.