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The EChemPen: A Guiding Hand To Learn Electrochemical Surface Modifications

2015

Article

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The Electrochemical Pen (EChemPen) was developed as an attractive tool for learning electrochemistry. The fabrication, principle, and operation of the EChemPen are simple and can be easily performed by students in practical classes. It is based on a regular fountain pen principle, where the electrolytic solution is dispensed at a tip to locally modify a conductive surface by triggering a localized electrochemical reaction. Three simple model reactions were chosen to demonstrate the versatility of the EChemPen for teaching various electrochemical processes. We describe first the reversible writing/erasing of metal letters, then the electrodeposition of a black conducting polymer "ink", and finally the colorful writings that can be generated by titanium anodization and that can be controlled by the applied potential. These entertaining and didactic experiments are adapted for teaching undergraduate students that start to study electrochemistry by means of surface modification reactions.

Author(s): Valetaud, Mathieu and Loget, Gabriel and Roche, Jerome and Hueken, Nina and Fattah, Zahra and Badets, Vasilica and Fontaine, Olivier and Zigah, Dodzi
Journal: J. of Chem. Ed.
Volume: 92
Number (issue): 10
Pages: 1700-1704
Year: 2015
Month: September

Department(s): Micro, Nano, and Molecular Systems
Bibtex Type: Article (article)

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00149
State: Published

BibTex

@article{2015valetaud,
  title = {The EChemPen: A Guiding Hand To Learn Electrochemical Surface Modifications},
  author = {Valetaud, Mathieu and Loget, Gabriel and Roche, Jerome and Hueken, Nina and Fattah, Zahra and Badets, Vasilica and Fontaine, Olivier and Zigah, Dodzi},
  journal = {J. of Chem. Ed.},
  volume = {92},
  number = {10},
  pages = {1700-1704},
  month = sep,
  year = {2015},
  doi = {10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00149},
  month_numeric = {9}
}