Rapid Prototyped Optically Transparent Thin-Layer Electrode Holder for Spectroelectrochemistry in Bench-Top Spectrophotometers

A new optically transparent thin layer electrode (OTTLE) cell and holder have been designed to facilitate spectroelectrochemical measurements in standard bench-top absorbance and fluorescence spectrophotometers. The use of rapid prototyping for the OTTLE cell holder combined with the selection of inexpensive OTE materials results in a practical, low-cost spectroelectrochemical cell. The cell was characterized by thin-layer cyclic voltammetry and coulometry of ferricyanide/ferrocyanide. Spectroelectrochemistry of tris-(2,2'-bipyridine) ruthenium(II) chloride (Ru(bpy)(3)Cl-2) and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-pyOH) was done with commercially available bench-top absorbance and fluorescence spectrophotometers. The good correlation between the results obtained and the known properties of each compound demonstrate that the OTTLE cell and holder provide an effective means for making spectroelectrochemical measurements in bench-top absorbance and fluorescence spectrophotometers.