Self-assembled regenerated cellulose spacer film in thin film and generator-collector electrodes

Reconstituted cellulose spontaneously self-assembles at surfaces from an alkaline cellulose solution (ca. 1wt%, pH14, prepared with an enzymatic method from wood pulp) into porous films with approximately 300nm thickness per layer, for example onto immersed tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) electrodes. Sequential multi-layer deposition allows control over the thickness of the assembled films. The hydrophilic properties of the cellulose film electrodes are utilised here (i) as dip-probe with capillary force picking up sample solution and (ii) as flow-through generator-collector probe, for example for future application in in situ chromatographic separation in end-column detection with nano-molar sensitivity.