Examination of the electrochemical reactivity of screen printed carbon electrode treated by radio-frequency argon plasma

The surface of screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE) with partially blocked surface was treated by argon plasma in order to improve their electrochemical performances. The argon plasma was generated by a radio-frequency electrical discharge at low pressure. Study of the electrode surface by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) has revealed a significant change of the morphology of the SPCE surface after plasma pre-treatment. The electrochemical reactivity of the SPCEs was characterized using cyclic voltammetry. A drastic enhancement of the SPCEs electrochemical reactivity was highlighted after plasma pre-treatment. The effect of biasing the SPCE surface during the plasma treatment has been investigated and showed that depending on the nature of plasma treatment, the same electrode could show a radial or planar diffusion. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.