Exploring the Role of Porphyrin Films in Graphite Electrode Protection

Graphite is the primary source of electrodes used in both industrial production and basic research. Under electrical stress, graphitic electrodes can undergo degradations, delaminations, and aging processes due to the intercalation of chemical species between the graphene layers. All these events cause significant loss of performance and activity. Surface protection could represent the solution to avoid degradative intercalations, for example, by means of overlaid thin films, if suitable materials and conditions are met. In this contribution, we cover the current state-of-the-art about the surface protection of a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrode with small molecules. The use of porphyrins is discussed, considering aspects related to deposition protocols, surface interactions, and protections as well as the morphological and chemical stabilities of the molecules. Finally, a short overview on the synthesis of porphyrins is presented evidencing the multifaceted potentiality of this class of compounds as protecting agents.