Applications of Diamond Thin Films in Electrochemistry

Electrochemical reactions typically involve electron transfer between an electrode and a dissolved chemical species at a solid-electrode/liquid-electrolyte interface. Three broad classes of electrochemical applications may be identified: (1) synthesis (or destruction), in which an applied potential is used to bring about a desired chemical oxidation or reduction reaction; (2) analysis, in which the current/potential characteristics of an electrode are used to determine the type and concentration of a species; and (3) power generation. These broad types of applications require stable, conductive, chemically robust, and economical electrodes. Diamond electrodes, fabricated by chemical vapor deposition, provide electrochemists with an entirely new type of carbon electrode that meets these requirements for a wide range of applications. The first reports of electrochemical studies using diamond were in the mid-1980s. During the past several years, the field has attracted increasing attention. This review summarizes the electrochemical properties of diamond that make it a unique electrode material and that distinguish it from conventional carbon electrodes.