Aqueous Electrochemistry of Anthraquinone and Its Correlation with the Dissolved States of a Cationic Surfactant

Cyclic voltammetry was employed to study the electrochemical behavior of anthraquinone (AQ) in aqueous solution at a glassy carbon electrode using the sodium salt of anthraquinone-2-sulphonic acid (AQS). The cyclic voltammograms show a reduction wave and a corresponding oxidation wave. The electrochemical reaction of AQ in aqueous solution involves a two electron transfer process followed by a coupled chemical reaction and exhibits strong pH dependence at low pH (< 4). A satellite peak is also observed at the cathodic side of the reduction wave for the reduction of the sulfonate group of AQS. The electrochemical investigation was also carried out in the presence of a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Similar redox behavior can be observed for the electrochemical reaction of AQS in the presence of CTAB solutions similar to the aqueous media. The electrochemical responses have been found to depend on the dissolved states of the surfactant. The current-potential behavior of AQS depends on the concentration of CTAB and micellization has a profound effect on the electrochemical behavior of AQ.