The Use of Cyclic Voltammetry To Probe the Passivation of Electrode Surfaces by Well-Ordered Self-Assembly and Langmuir–Blodgett Films. An Advanced Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment in Surface Science and Nanomaterials Chemistry

An advanced undergraduate laboratory experiment is described in which the students use cyclic voltammetry (CV) as an electrochemical tool to probe the passivation of electrode surfaces covered by well-ordered self-assembly and Langmuir–Blodgett films. This set of experiments is intended to (i) serve as an introduction to the bottom-up strategies for the fabrication of well-ordered thin solid films; (ii) illustrate the passivation effect of well-ordered films deposited on electrodes; (iii) analyze the blocking behavior of the films using a redox probe and CV; and (iv) allow the students to perform a comparison study of physically and chemically attached films on electrodes.