Effect of Fenton's reagent on the electrocatalytic activity of gold nanoparticles

The effect of Fenton's reagent on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is investigated using indium-tin oxide electrodes modified with electrodeposited AuNPs. The size of AuNPs and their total surface area do not change appreciably during treatment of the electrodes with Fenton's reagent, but the electrocatalytic activities of AuNPs for hydroquinone electrooxidation (and H2O2 electrooxidation) decrease with an increase of the treatment period. This decrease is much more rapid than that occurring when AuNPs age in air, but it is slower than that occurring when bulk Au electrodes are treated with Fenton's reagent. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.