Insights into the Electrochemical Behavior of Mercury on Graphene/SiC Electrodes

Abstract

Fast and real time detection of Mercury (Hg) in aqueous solutions is a great challenge due to its bio-accumulative character and the detrimental effect on human health of this toxic element. Therefore, development of reliable sensing platforms is highly desirable. Current research is aiming at deep understanding of the electrochemical response of epitaxial graphene to Mercury exposure. By performing cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry measurements as well as density functional theory calculations, we elucidate the nature of Hg-involved oxidation-reduction reactions at the graphene electrode and shed light on the early stages of Hg electrodeposition. The obtained critical information of Hg behavior will be helpful for the design and processing of novel graphene-based sensors.

Keywords

• graphene
• SiC
• mercury
• voltammetry
• chronoamperometry