Electrochemical detection of metals can be done at polycrystalline gold ultramicroelectrodes using repetitive cyclic voltammetry (RCV), a detection method sharing some similarities with anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). Each cycle of the potential waveform for RCV involves application of a negative preconcentration potential (for 50 to 300 ms) followed by a cyclic voltammetry (CV) scan at 20 to 1000 V/s. The response due to the metals is evident at potentials negative of the region for oxide formation in the resulting CVs. Metals are deposited at the Au surface by underpotential deposition (UPD) processes. Any metal that can be analyzed by RCV could potentially be quantified using UPD-ASV at Au (rather than by ASV at Hg). The UPD kinetics of Pb and Cu at polycrystalline Au were examined by setting kinetic parameters (rate constant, symmetry factor, and electrosorption valency) within a simulation program used to generate simulated CVs. Reasonably good agreement between experimental and simulated CVs was possible using the simulation, with the same kinetic parameters used to generate simulated CVs to match experimental CVs over a range of sweep rates for each system. Using this method, the following rate constants (k) were estimated: for UPD of Cu in H2SO4 and HClO4, ks ~ 36000 s−1 and 11000 s−1, respectively, and for UPD of Pb in H2SO4, ks ~ 400000 s−1. <p> Repetitive cyclic voltammetry was applied to the detection of metals separated by capillary electrophoresis. Separation of Tl+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Co2+ and Mn2+ was demonstrated in 0.01 mol/L acetic acid and 0.01 mol/L ammonium acetate(pH ~ 4.6) using RCV. While stacking is commonly exploited for sensitivity enhancement during injection, it was shown that detection-end stacking is also useful. A novel technique named electrophoretic extraction (EE) was developed for analysis of particle-containing solutions (e.g. soil extracts or other colloidal suspensions). EE involves application of backpressure during CE to prevent particles from entering the separation capillary: the applied pressure is regulated so analyte ions enter the capillary and migrate to the detector, whereas other particles are prevented from entering the capillary. The feasibility of this approach was demonstrated.

The synthesis and characterization of Pt core/ Cu shell (Pt@Cu) dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticles (DENs) having full and partial Cu shells deposited via electrochemical underpotential deposition (UPD) is described. Pt DENs containing averages of 55, 147, and 225 Pt atoms immobilized on glassy carbon electrodes served as the substrate for the UPD of a Cu monolayer. This results in formation of Pt@Cu DENs. Evidence for this conclusion is based on results from the analysis of cyclic voltammograms (CVs) for the UPD and stripping of Cu on Pt DENs, and from experiments showing that the Pt core DENs catalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction before Cu UPD, but that after Cu UPD this reaction is inhibited. Results obtained by in-situ electrochemical X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) confirm the core@shell structure. Calculations from density functional theory (DFT) show that the first portion of the Cu shell deposits onto the (100) facets, while Cu deposits lastly onto the (111) facets. The DFT-calculated energies for Cu deposition on the individual facets are in good agreement with the peaks observed in the CVs of the Cu UPD on the Pt DENs. Finally, structural analysis of Pt DENs having just partial Cu shells by in-situ XAS is consistent with the DFT-calculated model, confirming that the Cu partial shell selectively decorates the (100) facets. These results are of considerable significance because site-selective Cu deposition has not previously been shown on nanoparticles as small as DENs. In summary, the application of UPD as a synthetic route and characterization tool for core@shell DENs having well defined structures is established. A study of the degradation mechanism and degradation products of Pd DENs is provided as well. These DENs consisted of an average of 147 atoms per dendrimer. Elemental analysis and UV-vis spectroscopy indicate that there is substantial oxidation of the Pd DENs in air-saturated solutions, less oxidation in N₂-saturated solution, and no detectable oxidation when the DENs are in contact with H₂. Additionally, the stability improves when the DEN solutions are purified by dialysis to remove Pd²⁺-complexing ligands such as chloride. For the air- and N₂-saturated solutions, most of the oxidized Pd recomplexes to the interiors of the dendrimers, and a lesser percentage escapes into the surrounding solution. The propensity of Pd DENs to oxidize so easily is a likely consequence of their small size and high surface energy. Calculations from density functional theory (DFT) show that the first portion of the Cu shell deposits onto the (100) facets, while Cu deposits lastly onto the (111) facets. The DFT-calculated energies for Cu deposition on the individual facets are in good agreement with the peaks observed in the CVs of the Cu UPD on the Pt DENs. Finally, structural analysis of Pt DENs having just partial Cu shells by in-situ XAS is consistent with the DFT-calculated model, confirming that the Cu partial shell selectively decorates the (100) facets. These results are of considerable significance because site-selective Cu deposition has not previously been shown on nanoparticles as small as DENs. In summary, the application of UPD as a synthetic route and characterization tool for core@shell DENs having well defined structures is established. A study of the degradation mechanism and degradation products of Pd DENs is provided as well. These DENs consisted of an average of 147 atoms per dendrimer. Elemental analysis and UV-vis spectroscopy indicate that there is substantial oxidation of the Pd DENs in air-saturated solutions, less oxidation in N2-saturated solution, and no detectable oxidation when the DENs are in contact with H2. Additionally, the stability improves when the DEN solutions are purified by dialysis to remove Pd2+-complexing ligands such as chloride. For the air- and N2-saturated solutions, most of the oxidized Pd recomplexes to the interiors of the dendrimers, and a lesser percentage escapes into the surrounding solution. The propensity of Pd DENs to oxidize so easily is a likely consequence of their small size and high surface energy. / text

Les propriétés inattendues des nanoparticules d'or font que le contrôle de leur taille, de leur forme et/ou de leur morphologie devient essentiel pour une application ciblée. Des formes variées de nanoparticules en solution colloïdale ont été synthétisées. L'analyse de ces solutions par spectroscopie UV-Visible montre que les nanoparticules anisotropes ont deux bandes plasmoniques. Aussi, le potentiel zêta mesuré révèle que les solutions sont stables dans les conditions d'étude. La caractérisation par la microscopie électronique en transmission a permis d'observer que leur surface présente différentes orientations cristallographiques. Le dépôt sous potentiel du plomb par voltammétrie cyclique a révélé les sites cristallographiques à la surface de ces nanomatériaux. Ces matériaux présentent des proportions de surface orientée (111), (110) et (100) et de défauts cristallins en accord avec les résultats de microscopie. L'étude électrochimique dans l'électrolyte support montre que la formation des oxydes sur ces nanomatériaux dépend de leur structure. La cinétique de croissance des couches d’oxyde sur les nanobâtonnets d’or dépend fortement du potentiel, du temps de polarisation et de la température. Des différentes formes structurales des nanomatériaux d'or synthétisés et en présence de molécules modèles telles que le glucose et l'acide formique, les nanosphères présentent l'activité la plus forte pour l'oxydation du glucose ; tous les nanomatériaux sont moins actifs pour l'oxydation de l'acide formique. Les analyses par FTIR in situ mettent en évidence la gluconolactone comme intermédiaire de cette réaction et la forte influence de la structure de surface. / Due to the unusual properties of gold nanoparticles, the control of their size, their shape and/or their morphology for a well-targeted application becomes essential. Various shape controlled particles in colloidal solutions were synthesized. The analysis of such solution by UV-visible spectroscopy shows that the anisotropic particles exhibit two surface plasmon resonance bands. In addition, the zeta potential measurements reveal that such solutions are stable in the experimental conditions. It is clearly observed by the transmission electron microscopy characterization of these nanomaterials that their surface has different crystallographic orientations. The under potential deposition (upd) of lead by cyclic voltammetry revealed the surface crystallographic sites which present different ratio of orientated surface (111), (110), (100) and defaults confirming the microscopy results. The cyclic voltammetry in supporting electrolyte shows that the oxides formation on these nanomaterials depends strongly on their structure. On gold nanorods, an extensive study of the kinetic of the oxide layers growth shows that this process is affected by the polarization potential and time as well as temperature. The nanospheres exhibited high activity toward the glucose oxidation, while all the synthesized nanomaterials presented low activity toward the formic acid oxidation. Gluconolactone appears as the main intermediate species during the oxidation of glucose which is a surface structure dependent process.

The development of multi-cellular organisms requires extensive cell-cell communication to coordinate cell functions. However, only a handful of signaling pathways have emerged to mediate all the intercellular communications; therefore, each of them is under an array of regulations to achieve signaling specificity and diversity. One such signaling pathway is the Janus Kinase/ Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway, which is the primary signaling cascade responding to a variety of cytokines and growth factors in mammals and involved in many developmental processes. This signaling pathway is highly conserved between mammals and Drosophila, but the Drosophila JAK/STAT pathway possesses only three ligands: Unpaired (Upd), Upd2 and Upd3. Co-localized expression patterns of the ligands at several developmental stages raise the possibility that they physically interact. This work was aimed at testing the protein-protein interactions between Upd-family ligands and exploring possible outcomes of ligand oligomerization. Physical interactions between Upd-family ligands were tested using a Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) assay. The data suggested that homotypic interactions of Upd2 and Upd3 were stronger than their respective heterotypic interactions with Upd, and the homotypic interaction between Upd molecules was the weakest. In addition, the homotypic interaction of Upd3 was confirmed using yeast two-hybrid interaction assays. To identify protein domains critical for Upd3/Upd3 interaction, a series of poly-alanine substitutions were made to target the 6 conserved domains of Upd3. All 6 substitutions altered the strength of Upd3/Upd3 interaction and drastically reduced Upd3-induced JAK signaling activity. In addition, poly-alanine substitutions of some domains also affected Upd3 extracellular localization or protein accumulation. Potential outcomes of interactions between Upd-family ligands were tested both in vitro and in vivo. The interaction between Upd and Upd3 did not significantly change the level of JAK signaling activity. However, loss of Upd3 restricted the distribution of Upd in egg chambers and consequently altered the follicle cell composition. Therefore, Upd/Upd3 interaction is likely to affect the range rather than the intensity of JAK signaling in egg chambers. In summary, this study suggested the possibility of ligand oligomerization as a mechanism for regulating signaling pathways in order to achieve signaling specificity and diversity during development.

A pair of studies investigating the deposition and surface chemical properties of ultrathin metal films were pursued: (i) Pt-Co alloys on Mo(110); and (ii) Pd on Pt(111). Experimental measurement was based on a combination of electron spectroscopy (low energy ion scattering spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction) and electrochemistry (voltage efficiency, voltammetry, and coulometry). Mixed-metal preparation of Pt-Co films by thermal vapor deposition (TVD) resulted in a thin-film binary alloy. Careful analysis revealed a substantial divergence between the composition at the interface and that in the interior. This outcome was observed for all compositions and allowed for the construction of a ?surface phase diagram?. The proclivities of the alloys of pre-selected compositions towards enhanced catalysis of the oxygen-reduction reaction were assessed in terms of their voltage efficiencies, as manifested by the open-circuit potential (OCP) in O2-saturated dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte. The particular alloy surface, Pt3Co (XPt=3,XCo=1), whether from the thin film or a bulk single crystal, exhibited the highest OCP, a significant improvement over pure Pt but still appreciably lower than the thermodynamic limit. Under test conditions, the degradation of thusly-prepared films was primarily due to Co corrosion. Ultrathin Pd films on well-defined Pt(111) surfaces, with coverages from 0.5 to 8 monolayers (ML), were prepared by surface-limited redox replacement reaction (galvanic exchange) of underpotentially deposited Cu. Spectroscopic data revealed that films prepared in this manner are elementally pure, pseudomorphic to the substrate, and stable, independent of the surface coverage (?) of palladium. Analysis of the voltammetric profiles in the hydrogen evolution region revealed unique properties of hydrogen adsorption unseen in bulk electrodes. Notably, at 1 ML coverage, a step-free film was produced that did not exhibit hydrogen absorption. At higher coverages, digital (layer-by-layer) deposition gave way to 3D islands in a Stranski- Krastanov growth mode; under these conditions, onset of bulk-like behavior was observed. This method makes possible the synthesis of well-ordered noble-metal films in the absence of high-temperature treatment

Ce travail de thèse s'est intéressé au dépôt électrochimique de filmsde palladium ultra-minces sur Au(111), à leur caractérisation et àl'insertion d'hydrogène dans ceux-ci. La caractérisation des nanofilmsen milieu sulfurique montre des signatures bien définies, qui évoluentavec l'épaisseur des dépôts. Nous avons pu attribuer à chaque pic uneréaction spécifique, en accord avec les mécanismes de croissancerévélés par les mesures SXRD in situ. La croissance pseudomorphede la 1ère couche se fait avec une première étape d'adsorption, suiviepar un mécanisme de nucléation et croissance. La croissance 3D de latroisième couche démarre avant la fin de la deuxième couchepseudomorphe.L'absorption d'hydrogène dans les nanofilms a été étudiée en milieusulfurique. L'isotherme d'insertion présente un élargissement dudomaine de la solution solide, un plateau avec une pente dans ledomaine bi-phasique et une diminution du taux maximal d'insertion del'hydrogène par rapport au Pd massif. Ce taux diminue avecl'épaisseur mai approche celui de Pd massif au déla delà de 15 MC.Deux éléments ont été considérés pour expliquer le comportement desisothermes: les deux premières couches pseudomorphes sontcontraintes par le support et des " tours " tridimensionnelles relaxéesse forment au delà de la 2ème couche.

Le présent travail s’intéresse à l’électro-dépôt et à la caractérisation des nanofilms Pt/Pd(hkl) ainsi que leurs propriétés en relation avec le stockage d’hydrogène. Les effets de taille nanométrique, de l’épaisseur et de l’orientation cristallographique du substrat ont été étudiés.En comparant les films Pd/Pt(111) et Pd/Pt(100), des caractéristiques distinctes ont été observées aussi bien pour les courbes d’électro-dépôt que durant les caractérisations électrochimiques et par AFM ex situ. Les dépôts Pd/Pt(100) ont montré la présence d’un dépôt en sous tension jusqu’à deux couches atomiques, ce qui est assez inhabituel. Les films plus épais montrent la présence de pyramides à base carrée alignées sur l’orientation (100) du substrat. Au contraire, seule la première couche de Pd/Pt(111) se dépose en sous-tension et le dépôt présente un caractère pseudomorphe jusqu’à 10 couches complètes.L’absorption d’hydrogène dans les nanofilms de Pd/Pt(100) a été étudiée avec une méthode « classique » dans une solution d’acide sulfurique. Nous avons développé une nouvelle méthode recourant à une électrode tournante à ménisque suspendu pour mesurer l’insertion d’hydrogène dans les films les plus minces de Pd/Pt(111), où l’insertion d’hydrogène et le dégagement de H2(g) ne sont pas bien séparés.Les isothermes d’insertion d’hydrogène présentent des points communs entre les deux systèmes, comme la réduction du taux maximal d’insertion (H/Pd)max comparé au Pd massif, valeur qui décroît avec la réduction d’épaisseur. La largeur de la région biphasique décroît aussi avec la réduction d’épaisseur de film et présent une pente. Cette pente a été attribuée à la présence de sites d’insertion non-équivalents résultant des contraintes induites par le substrat. Cependant, pour Pd/Pt(100), la pente est moins prononcée et la valeur de (H/Pd)max décroît plus rapidement avec l’épaisseur. Sa valeur pour Pd5ML/Pt(100) est à peine supérieure au taux d’insertion αmax du Pd massif. / The present work focuses on the electro-deposition and characterization of Pd/Pt(hkl) nanofilms and on their properties concerning hydrogen storage. The effects of the nanometric size, of the thickness and of the substrate’s orientation have been studied.Comparing Pd/Pt(111) and Pd/Pt(100) films, distinct features were observed either in the electrodeposition curve or in the electrochemical and ex situ AFM characterizations. Pd/Pt(100) deposits have shown the presence of an UPD process up to two layers, which is a quite uncommon phenomenon. Thicker films show the presence of square based pyramids, following the substrate’s (100) orientation. On the contrary, only the first layer is Under Potentially Deposited in Pd/Pt(111) films and the deposit presents a pseudomorphic character up to about 10 complete layers.Hydrogen absorption into the Pd/Pt(100) nanofilms was studied following a “classical” method in sulphuric acid medium. We have developed a new method using the hanging meniscus rotating disk electrode (HMRDE) to measure the hydrogen insertion into ultra-thin Pd/Pt(111) films, where H insertion and HER (Hydrogen Evolution Reaction) are not well separated. The hydrogen insertion isotherms present some common points between the two studied systems, like smaller value of the maximum hydrogen insertion rate (H/Pd)max compared to bulk Pd, value which decreases with the decrease of the thickness. The two-phase region width decreases with film thickness as well and presents a slope. Such slope has been attribtued to the presence of non-equivalent insertion sites due to substrate induced constraints. Nevertheless, for Pd/Pt(100) the slope is less pronounced and (H/Pd)max value decreases more rapidly with thickness. Its value in correspondence of Pd5ML/Pt(100) is only slightly higher than the αmax insertion rate of bulk Pd.