Tony Breton

Electrochemistry for Materials and Surfaces

Involved researchers

Tony Breton, Pr.

PhD: Sara Helis, Gabrielle Ledoussal

Available Positions: none at present

Research Activities

The ElectrocheMS group is dedicated to the controlled design of organic nanomaterials for use in electrocatalysis and molecular electronics. To achieve this, the team develops protocols to functionalize electrode surfaces and explores structure–property relationships through a combination of experimental approaches and simulations.
This fundamental research theme aims to understand the mechanisms involved in the use of radical-based techniques for the modification of conductive surfaces. The objective is to precisely control the formation of nanomaterials at the nanometer scale, particularly in terms of thickness and chemical composition. The most extensively studied and developed example in recent years is the electrochemical grafting of aryl diazonium salts, which leads to robust and sustainable functional organic materials.

Related themes

Electrocatalysis and Photo-electrocatalysis

This research theme explores how controlled surface modification can enhance catalytic surfaces based on transition metal complexes. It focuses on tuning the organization and composition of molecular and mixed layers to optimize (photo)electrocatalytic performance. Adjusting layer thickness enables properties distinct from those of the original molecule.

Chiral nanomaterials

This research area focuses on preparing optically active organic nanomaterials based on helicenes. These polycyclic molecules consist of fused aromatic rings arranged in a helical structure, giving them a rigid chiral geometry. The aim is to exploit the CISS (Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity) effect to develop devices for molecular electronics and electrocatalysis.

Publications

2026

Controlling Competitive Radical Pathways: Insights from Aryl Diazonium Electrografting
S Helis, J Pinson, P Decorse, J Hamon, JM Noël, T. Breton - Chemistry–A European Journal, 2026

2025

Preparation of electrochemical aptamer-based sensors: a direct aryl diazonium grafting approach
EM Dief, W Tang, LR Carroll, T Breton, JJ Gooding - Chemical Communications, 2025

One-Step Synthesis of Poly (2-alkyl-2-oxazoline)-Coated Gold Nanospheres: A Greener Approach for Biomedical Uses
L Daoud, S Hoang, A Milin-Moguerou, J Eyer, T Breton, V. Montembault, L. Fontaine, C. Passirani, P. Saulnier, O. Krupka - Biomacromolecules, 2025

Elucidation of Switching Mechanisms in Memristive Junctions Integrating a Iron (II)‐Ter Pyridine Diazoted Complex
C. Jubert Tomasso, T. Petenzi, A. Tidu, R. Boukraa, S. Russi, G. Mattana, C. Gautier, T. Breton, I. T Lucas, H. Perrot, L. Fillaud - Advanced Electronic Materials, 2025

Plasmonic behaviour of poly (2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-coated gold nanoparticles for sensing and temperature-control applications
O., L. Daoud, P. Khort, O. Fedotov, J.-B. Zinoune, G. Boudebs, T. Breton, C. Passirani, P. Saulnier, O. Krupka - Nanoscale Advances, 2025

2024

Harnessing aryldiazonium salts reduction for tailored bifunctionalized surface engineering
J Billon, E Bou Rahhal, T Breton, C Gautier - Chemistry of Materials, 2024

Stable P3HT-PC 61 BM inverted organic solar cells based on cerium oxide as an electron transport layer
S. Abidi, A. Hossein Habibi, H. Melville, S. Dabos-Seignon, O. Segut, T. Breton, E. Levillain, C. Cabanetos, S. Touihri, P. Blanchard - New Journal of Chemistry, 2024

2023

Aryldiazonium reduction mechanism deciphered by scanning electrochemical microscopy through an EC’process
N. Kostopoulos, V. Shkirskiy, C. Combellas, F. Kanoufi, T. Breton, J.-M. Noël - Electrochimica Acta, 2023

An innovative method for controlled synthesis of bicomponent monolayer films obtained by reduction of diazonium
J., Anna Omelchuk, V. Shkirskiy, S. Dabos-Seignon, O. Alévêque, E. Levillain, T. Breton, C. Gautier - Nanoscale, 2023

2022

Highly reactive diazenyl radical species evidenced during aryldiazonium electroreduction
L. Pichereau, L. Fillaud, N. Kostopoulos, E. Maisonhaute, T. Cauchy, M. Allain, J.-M. Noël, C. Gautier, T. Breton - The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 2022

Control of the Aryl Layer Growth
T Breton, C Gautier - Aryl Diazonium Salts and Related Compounds: Surface Chemistry and Applications, 97-120, 2022

No more compromise: a facile route towards functionalized surfaces with stable monolayers
J Billon, V Shkirskiy, S Dabos-Seignon, T Breton, C. Gautier - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2022

Real-time spectroelectrochemical monitoring of the diazonium electrografting
L Pichereau, C Gautier, T Breton - Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 2022

2021

A post-functionalization toolbox for diazonium (electro)-grafted surfaces: Review of the coupling methods
C Gautier, I López, T Breton - Materials Advances, 2021