Silver – Copper bimetallic flexible electrodes prepared using a galvanic replacement reaction and their applications

Abstract

In this work we have demonstrated a simple method for the preparation of bimetallic silver – copper (Ag/Cu) coated strips using a flexible, transparent, light weight and non-conductive polymer based overhead projector (OHP) sheet. This is carried out by using a simple two-step process viz., (i) electroless deposition of copper onto chemically modified polyaniline (PANI) coated OHP strips (Cu/PANI/APTMS/OHP) and (ii) galvanic replacement reaction of silver on Cu/PANI/APTMS/OHP strip (Ag/Cu/PANI/APTMS/OHP). Structure, morphology, composition and chemical properties of these strips are analyzed by using spectroscopic, microscopic and electrochemical techniques. These bimetallic flexible strips exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at lower onset potential value when compared to pure Cu coated strips due to the strong synergetic effect of Ag/Cu bimetallic heterostructures. Further the antibacterial activity studies carried out using these flexible strips against Escherichia coli suggest that Ag/Cu bimetallic strip possesses a higher antibacterial activity in comparison to pure Cu strips.