The development of electrochemical sensor devices is currently devoted to simpler, cheaper, and more eco-friendly routes of synthesis of novel materials with enhanced analytical performance. Sonogel-Carbon electrodes (SNG-C), characterized by the application of high-energy ultrasound for sonocatalyzing the sol-gel process, stand out among handmade carbon ceramic sensors. Not only does this method of synthesis provide a highly competitive sensor through an eco-friendly and fast procedure, but a material susceptible to be modified with organic-inorganic receptors and biological recognition species to enhance its electroanalytical performance as well [1]. Whereas this modification of the naked SNG-C material can be carried out after the preparation of the sensor, by depositing the modifier in the electrode surface, it is possible to merge the modifiers with the silicon oxide network during its synthesis to obtain a completely novel bulk material. Hence, the compounds susceptible to be used as modifiers range from metal nanoparticles [2] or conducting polymers [3] to massive modifiers, providing new sensor devices with analytical applications in the sensing of diverse analytes and great results in pharmaceutical [4] or environmental [3] samples.
During the internship, the student will carry out the development of modified Sonogel-carbon materials with several bulk modifiers (nanomaterials, conducting polymers among others) in order to obtain an electrochemical device for the determination of several environmental pollutans. These processes are optimized in the hosting research group by using a high power ultrasound probe.
Training work with several electrochemical techniques.
○ Fabrication and employment of different sensor devices based on Sonogel-Carbon materials.
○ Use of high power ultrasound to synthesize the electrode materials.
○ Analysis and interpretation of the data obtained from the analysis developed.
○ Literature revision and research planning.
Compensation:
Erasmus + grant available depending on eligibility criteria of your home university
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
