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.

The enzyme Trametes hirsuta laccase undergoes direct electron transfer at unmodified nanoporous gold electrodes, displaying a current density of 28 A/cm 2 . The response indicates that ThLc was immobilised at the surface of the nanopores in a manner which promoted direct electron transfer, in contrast to the absence of a response at unmodified polycrystalline gold electrodes. The bioelectrocatalytic activity of ThLc modified nanoporous gold electrodes was strongly dependent on the presence of halide ions. Fluoride completely inhibited the enzymatic response, whereas in the presence of 150 mM Cl -, the current was reduced to 50% of the response in the absence of Cl -. The current increased by 40% when the temperature was increased from 20°C to 37°C. The response is limited by enzymatic and/or enzyme electrode kinetics and is 30% of that observed for ThLc co-immobilised with an osmium redox polymer. Keywords: Laccase, direct electron transfer, nanoporous gold 2 IntroductionElectron transfer (ET) reactions are ubiquitous in nature. Controlling the rate of these reactions can be of significant benefit in developing biochemical systems that utilise redox proteins and enzymes and in particular, in applications that provide power for implanted or portable electronic devices. ET can be achieved directly (direct electron transfer, DET) or by the use of mediators (mediated electron transfer, MET) to shuttle electrons between the redox centre of the enzyme and the electrode. However, mediators are unselective and can also give rise to interfering effects [1][2][3]. DET-based devices offer high selectivity and sensitivity due to the absence of mediators. In addition, devices based on DET operate at potentials close to the redox potential of the enzyme, maximising the potential difference between the cathode and anode for biofuel cell applications [2]. Moreover, DET can be used to provide detailed information on the kinetics and thermodynamics of the ET process. However, the low stability of the enzyme layer together with the long distances over which ET occurs, represent major obstacles for DET based devices. In addition, the shielding mechanism of the enzymatic redox centre by the protein shell can disrupt DET [2,4]. One approach in optimizing and enabling rapid DET is to design the electrode surface with an architecture which promotes efficient rates of ET. In this way the electrode morphology ensures the most efficient orientation of the enzymatic redox centre and facilitates communication with the electroactive surface. Porous electrodes can be used to encapsulate the enzyme within a network of cavities, shortening the distance for electron transfer to the redox active site, which will promote more efficient and rapid rates of electron transfer [5]. However, the number of redox enzymes capable of interacting directly with the electrode while catalyzing the enzymatic reaction is limited, with estimates of approximately 5% of all enzymes exhibiting such a response [6].DET in enzymes was first described in 1978 fo...

Well defined mediatorless bioelectrocatalytic reduction of oxygen with high current densities of 0.8 mA cm -2 were obtained on nanoporous gold electrodes modified with Myrothecium verrucaria bilirubin oxidase. A stable faradaic response was observed when the enzyme modified electrode was coated with a specifically designed electrodeposition polymer layer.The response of the enzyme electrode was only slightly inhibited by the addition of F -.