Optical and electrochemical properties of ordered macroporous gold array on the ITO surface

The electrochemical and optical properties of transparent, two-dimensional macroporous gold film were investigated. Colloidal crystal templates were assembled onto indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) glass surface through vertical depositing method. Following gold electrodeposition, they were removed by dissolution with tetrahydrofuran (THF). The highly ordered macroporous gold array was achieved. It was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and ultraviolet visible (UV–vis) spectrophotometry. The optical transparency of the gold film was near 25% and fairly constant between 300 and 900 nm. The macroporous gold film electrode was mounted into a thin-layer transmission cell. The electrochemical response was evaluated by thin-layer cyclic voltammograms (CV) of the Fe (CN)63−/Fe (CN)64− couple. Thin-layer cell exhibits good shape of waves and nearly symmetric cathodic and anodic waves. E0′ value and n of TMPD+radical dot/TMPD (TMPD is acronyms for N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine, and TMPD+radical dot is its mono-cation radical) couple were determined. Furthermore, results demonstrated electrolytic equilibrium was faster reached in macroporous gold film than ITO electrode.