ABSTRACT. The high surface areas of nanostructured electrodes can provide for significantly enhanced surface loadings of electroactive materials. The fabrication and characterisation of nanoporous gold (np-Au) substrates as electrodes for bioelectrochemical applications is described.Robust np-Au electrodes were prepared by sputtering a gold-silver alloy onto a glass support and subsequent de-alloying of the silver component. Alloy layers were prepared with either a uniform or non-uniform distribution of silver and, post de-alloying, showed clear differences in morphology on characterisation with scanning electron microscopy. Redox reactions under kinetic control, in particular measurement of the charge required to strip a gold oxide layer, provided the most accurate measurements of the total electrochemically addressable electrode surface area, A real .Values of A real up to 28 times that of the geometric electrode surface area, A geo , were obtained. For diffusion controlled reactions overlapping diffusion zones between adjacent nanopores established limiting semi-infinite linear diffusion fields where the maximum current density was dependent on A geo . The importance of measuring the surface area available for the immobilisation was determined 2 using the redox protein, cyt c. The area accessible to modification by a biological macromolecule, A macro , such as cyt c was reduced by up to 40 % compared to A real , demonstrating that the confines of some nanopores were inaccessible to large macromolecules due to steric hindrances. Preliminary studies on the preparation of np-Au electrodes modified with osmium redox polymer hydrogels and Myrothecium verrucaria bilirubin oxidase (MvBOD) as a biocathode were performed; current densities of 500 A cm -2 were obtained in unstirred solutions.

Co-immobilisation approaches for preparation of glucose-oxidising films of [Os(2,2'-bipyridine)(2)(poly-vinylimidazole)(10)Cl] and glucose oxidase on glassy carbon electrodes are compared. Electrodes prepared by crosslinking using glutaraldehyde vapour, without and with a NaBH(4) reduction, provide higher glucose oxidation current than those prepared using a well-established diepoxide method. Addition of multi walled carbon nanotubes to the film deposition solutions produces an enhanced glucose oxidation current density of 5 mA cm(-2) at 0.35 V vs. Ag/AgCl, whilst improving the operational stability of the current signal. Carbon nanotube, glutaraldehyde vapour crosslinked, films on electrodes, reduced by NaBH(4), retain 77% of initial catalytic current over 24 hours of continuous amperometric testing in a 37 °C, 50 mM phosphate buffer solution containing 150 mM NaCl and 100 mM glucose. Potential application of this approach to implantable enzymatic biofuel cells is demonstrated by production of glucose oxidation currents, under pseudo-physiological conditions, using mediating films with lower redox potentials.

The sugar oxidising enzymes glucose oxidase, glucose dehydrogenases (GDH) and cellobiose dehydrogenases (CDH) were co‐immobilised, in the presence of multiwalled carbon nanotubes, with osmium redox polymers. Under pseudo‐physiological conditions of 5 mM glucose, 150 mM NaCl, 37 °C, glucose oxidation current densities above 800 µA cm−2 are obtained from films containing an [Os(4,4′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine)2(poly‐vinylimidazole)10Cl]+ redox polymer, redox potential 0.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl, and either glucose oxidase or FAD‐dependant GDH. Current produced by, and stability of, glucose‐oxidising half‐cells is compared in 100 mM glucose, with films containing CDHs proving most stable. Such results show promise for development of glucose‐oxidising enzymatic fuel cells.

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Here, we report on a novel, versatile approach for the preparation of mediated enzyme electrodes, demonstrated using cross-linked films of glucose oxidase and a range of functionalised osmium complexes on graphite electrodes. Response of enzyme electrodes are optimised by evaluation of glucose response as a function of variation in ratios of [Os(2,2'-bipyridine)2(4-aminomethyl pyridine)Cl](+) redox mediator, polyallylamine support and glucose oxidase enzyme cross-linked using a di-epoxide reagent in films on graphite. Lowering of the redox potential required to mediate glucose oxidation is achieved by synthesis of complexes using (4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine) or (4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine) as a ligand instead of (2,2'-bipyridine). Enzyme electrodes prepared using the complexes based on dimethoxy- or dimethyl-substituted bipyridines provide glucose oxidation current densities of 30 and 70 μA cm(-2) at 0.2 and 0.35 V applied potential compared to 120 μA cm(-2) at 0.45 V for the initial enzyme electrode, under pseudo-physiological conditions in 5 mM glucose, with stability of signals proving inadequate for long-term operation. Current output and stability may be improved by selection of alternate anchoring and cross-linking methodology, to provide enzyme electrodes capable for application to long-term glucose biosensors and anodes in enzymatic fuel cells.