X-ray photoelectron study of the interaction of H<Subscript>2</Subscript> and H<Subscript>2</Subscript>+O<Subscript>2</Subscript> mixtures on the Pt/MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript> model catalyst

The effects of H₂ and H₂ + O₂ gas mixtures of varying composition on the state of the surface of the Pt/MoO₃ model catalyst prepared by vacuum deposition of platinum on oxidized molybdenum foil were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) at room temperature and a pressure of 5–150 Torr. For samples with a large Pt/Mo ratio, the XP spectrum of large platinum particles showed that the effect of hydrogen-containing mixtures on the catalyst was accompanied by the reduction of molybdenum oxide. This effect results from the activation of molecular hydrogen due to the dissociation on platinum particles and subsequent spill-over of hydrogen atoms on the support. The effect was not observed at low platinum contents in the model catalyst (i.e., for small Pt particles). It is assumed for the catalyst that the loss of its hydrogen-activating ability is a consequence of the formation of platinum hydride. Possible participation of platinum hydride as intermediate in hydrogen oxidation to H₂O₂ is discussed.     

Study on chemisorption of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>, O<Subscript>2</Subscript>, CO and C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>4</Subscript>on Pt-Ag/SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>catalysts by microcalorimetry and FTIR

Adsorption microcalorimetry has been employed to study the interaction of ethylene with the reduced and oxidized Pt-Ag/SiO₂catalysts with different Ag contents to elucidate the modified effect of Ag towards the hydrocarbon processing on platinum catalysts. In addition, microcalorimetric adsorption of H₂, O₂, CO and FTIR of CO adsorption were conducted to investigate the influence of Ag on the surface structure of Pt catalyst. It is found from the microcalorimetric results of H₂and O₂adsorption that the addition of Ag to Pt/SiO₂leads to the enrichment of Ag on the catalyst surface which decreases the size of Pt surface ensembles of Pt-Ag/SiO₂catalysts. The microcalorimetry and FTIR of CO adsorption indicates that there still exist sites for linear and bridged CO adsorption on the surface of platinum catalysts simultaneously although Ag was incorporated into Pt/SiO₂. The ethylene microcalorimetric results show that the decrease of ensemble size of Pt surface sites suppresses the formation of dissociative species (ethylidyne) upon the chemisorption of C₂H₄on Pt-Ag/SiO₂. The differential heat vs. uptake plots for C₂H₄adsorption on the oxygen-preadsorbed Pt/SiO₂and Pt-Ag/SiO₂catalysts suggest that the incorporation of Ag to Pt/SiO₂could decrease the ability for the oxidation of C₂H₄.     

Theoretical study on the H<Subscript>2</Subscript>S activation by PtCH<Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript> in the gas phase

The reaction mechanism of the gas-phase PtCH₂ ⁺ with H₂S has been systematically investigated on the doublet and quartet potential energy surfaces at BPW91/6-311++G(2d, p)∪ SDD level. The Pt in PtCH₂ ⁺ prefers to attack S–H bond in H₂S. For PtCH₂ ⁺ + H₂S reaction, the potential energy surfaces (PESs), including three reaction pathways of hydrogen (including one and two hydrogen elimination) and methane elimination, have been explored and characterized. By contrast with hydrogen elimination, methane elimination reaction channel is energetically favorable, which is in good agreement with the experimental observation. The optimal S–H bond activation is the first step, followed by cleavage of Pt–C and Pt–S bond. About the path a and b, the lowering of activation barrier is mainly caused by the more stabilizing transition state interaction \(\varDelta E_{\text{int}}^{ \ne }\), which is the actual interaction energy between the deformed reactants in the transition state.     

Model of the catalytic reaction 2H<Subscript>2</Subscript> + O<Subscript>2</Subscript> → H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O with the participation of molecules in a precursor state

The absence of experimental evidence for the occurrence of the catalytic reaction 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O on platinum in accordance with the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism was established. It was found that the heterogeneous process can be described more adequately and its nature can be better understood with consideration for chemical transformations involving molecules in a precursor state in a model of the above reaction. The inverse kinetic problem was solved. It was found that the model in which an unambiguously specified set of rate constants for the elementary steps of the reaction was used provided an opportunity to describe experimental data obtained by various authors concerning the oxidation of hydrogen on platinum over the detonating gas pressure range 10^?3-10⁵ Pa. The signs of the occurrence of heterogeneous reactions by an adsorption mechanism were found.     

Electrochemical processes of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>S detection in air and solution

An electrochemical cell of potentiometric type Na_0.5WO₃ (reference electrode)/Na⁺-solid electrolyte/PbS (working electrode) capable of rapid and selective changing of the electromotive force value owing to H₂S concentration variations in gas surroundings has been investigated at 295±1 K and a relative humidity of 52%. The sensitivity of this cell was 130 mV/decade at a H₂S concentration within the range 13–130 ppm. Sodium-conducting solid electrolytes of Na₃Zr₂Si₂PO₁₂ and Na₅GdSi₄O₁₂ compositions were used as the Na⁺ solid electrolyte. Such a cell can be used for analysis of H₂S containing water solutions when the reference electrode and the Na⁺ solid electrolyte are thoroughly isolated from the surroundings. Electronic Publication     

Intercalation-etching of graphene on Pt(111) in H<Subscript>2</Subscript> and O<Subscript>2</Subscript> observed by <Emphasis Type="Italic">in-situ</Emphasis> low energy electron microscopy

Graphene layers are often exposed to gaseous environments in their synthesis and application processes, and interactions of graphene surfaces with molecules particularly H₂ and O₂ are of great importance in their physico-chemical properties. In this work, etching of graphene overlayers on Pt(111) in H₂ and O₂ atmospheres were investigated by in-situ low energy electron microscopy. Significant graphene etching was observed in 10^-5 Torr H₂ above 1023 K, which occurs simultaneously at graphene island edges and interiors with a determined reaction barrier at 5.7 eV. The similar etching phenomena were found in 10^-7 Torr O₂ above 973 K, while only island edges were reacted between 823 and 923 K. We suggest that etching of graphene edges is facilitated by Pt-aided hydrogenation or oxidation of edge carbon atoms while intercalation-etching is attributed to etching at the interiors at high temperatures. The different findings with etching in O₂ and H₂ depend on competitive adsorption, desorption, and diffusion processes of O and H atoms on Pt surface, as well as intercalation at the graphene/Pt interface.     

The mechanism of reduction of NO with H<Subscript>2</Subscript> in strongly oxidizing conditions (H<Subscript>2</Subscript>-SCR) on a novel Pt/MgO-CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> catalyst: Effects of reaction temperature

Steady State Isotopic Transient Kinetic Analysis (SSITKA) experiments using on-line Mass Spectrometry (MS) and in situ Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) have been performed to study essential mechanistic aspects of the Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO by H₂ under strongly oxidizing conditions (H₂-SCR) in the 120–300°C range over a novel 0.1 wt % Pt/MgO-CeO₂ catalyst. The N-path of reaction from NO to the N₂ gas product was probed by following the ¹⁴NO/H₂O₂ → ¹⁵NO/H₂/O₂ switch (SSITKA-MS and SSITKA-DRIFTS) at 1 bar total pressure. It was found that the N-pathway of reaction involves the formation of two active NO _x species different in structure, one present on MgO and the other one on the CeO₂ support surface. Inactive adsorbed NO _x species were also found on both the MgO-CeO₂ support and the Pt metal surfaces. The concentration (mol/g cat) of active NO _x leading to N₂ was found to change only slightly with reaction temperature in the 120–300°C range. This leads to the conclusion that other intrinsic kinetic reasons are responsible for the volcano-type conversion of NO versus the reaction temperature profile observed.     

Peculiarities of the Pt(Cu)/C catalyst formation by galvanic displacement of copper in H<Subscript>2</Subscript>PtCl<Subscript>4</Subscript> solutions

Specific features of the formation of a Pt(Cu) catalyst by the galvanic displacement of electroplated copper (carbon support) in a PtCl₄²⁻ solution are considered. The composition, the structure, and electrochemical properties of Pt(Cu) deposits in different stages of displacement are studied by a complex of methods (SEM, TEM, XPS, voltammetry, etc.). The gradual formation of a stable “core(Pt, Cu)-shell(Pt)” structure with the average atomic ratio Pt : Cu ≈ 3 : 1 is observed. The results for PtCl₄²⁻ are compared with the analogous results for PtCl₆²⁻ published earlier. Particularly, the reasons for the differences in the steady state potentials established on the Pt(Cu)_st/C electrode in the presence of PtCl₄²⁻ and PtCl₆²⁻ are discussed.     

Electrochemical processes on multi-component cathodic catalysts PtM and PtM<Subscript>1</Subscript>M<Subscript>2</Subscript> (M = Co,Ni, Cr): the effect of surface composition on the catalyst stability and its activity in O<Subscript>2</Subscript> reduction

The multi-component nanocatalysts based on platinum-transient metals alloys applied onto dispersed carbon material are considered as the most promising catalysts, which can be substituted for platinum in the fuel cell cathodes. The electrocatalytic activity of platinum in the PtM₁/C and PtM₁M₂/C alloys increases by several times with simultaneous increase in the stability. From the results obtained by structural and electrochemical methods, it is found that the synthesized binary and ternary catalysts are the metal alloys, whose surface is enriched in platinum as a result of surface segregation and subsequent chemical or electrochemical treatment. Under the corrosive attack, the less-noble metal, which has not entered into the alloy, dissolves, and the core-shell structures form. The properties of platinum in the shell differ from its properties in Pt/C due to the ligand effect of the core (metal alloy). As a result, the surface coverage with oxygen chemisorbed from water decreases in the binary and ternary systems. This causes an increase of the catalytic activity in the O₂ reduction reaction due to a decline in the effect of surface blocking against molecular oxygen adsorption and a decrease in the platinum dissolution rate, because the oxidation of platinum by water is the onset of corrosion process. For the catalytic systems studied, the mass activity decreases in the following order: 20% Pt in PtCoCr/C > 7.3% Pt in PtCo/C ≥ 7.3% Pt in PtCr/C and PtNi/C ≥ 40% Pt/C. The application of PtCoCr/C catalyst as the cathode in a low-temperature hydrogen-air fuel cell enabled one to reduce the platinum consumption by one half on retention of its performance.     

Study of electrochemical behavior of the Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles in aprotic media

Peculiarities of electrochemical behavior of the Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of a platinum electrode in aprotic organic media were investigated. Possible scheme of electrochemical behavior of nanoparticles depending on pre-electrolysis potential (–1.3,–2.5 V) was suggested. The effect of pre-electrolysis time, potential scan rate and nature of supporting electrolyte on the processes investigated was determined. A linear dependence of electrochemical oxidation signal versus the concentration of nanoparticles in modifying suspension in the concentration range of 0.05—0.5 g L^–1 was observed. The results of the performed research allow using magnetite nanoparticles as a direct signal-generating label in electrochemical immunoassay.     

Determination of nanomolar lead (II) using H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>-oxidized activated carbon modified electrode

The virgin activated carbon (AC) was oxidized by 30% H₂O₂ under the ultrasonic condition for 6 h (denoted as AC-6). The electrochemical response of Pb²⁺ at the AC-6 modified paste electrode was investigated, suggesting that AC-6 shows much higher accumulation efficiency to trace levels of Pb²⁺. Based on this, a sensitive and convenient electrochemical method was developed for the determination of Pb²⁺ utilizing the excellent properties of AC-6. In pH 3.6 HAc-NaAc buffer, Pb²⁺ was easily accumulate at the surface of AC-6 modified paste electrode, then reduced to Pb at −1.20 V. During the following anodic sweep, the reduced Pb was oxidized and resulted in an oxidation stripping peak at −0.58 V. The stripping peak current is proportional to the concentration of Pb²⁺ over the range from the 8.0 × 10⁻⁹ to 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol l⁻¹, and the limit of detection is as low as 2.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol l⁻¹. Finally, this newly-developed method was successfully employed to determine Pb²⁺ in water samples.     

A comparative study of Ir/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>, Pt/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>, and Ru/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts in selective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde

Catalytic performance of gallia-supported iridium catalysts in the reaction of selective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde in the gas phase was studied and compared to that of platinum and ruthenium catalysts. The best catalytic properties in terms of the selectivity to crotyl alcohol are shown by 5 wt % Pt/α-Ga₂O₃ and 5 wt % Ir/α-Ga₂O₃ catalysts prepared from nonchlorine precursors: Pt(acac)₂ and Ir(acac)₃, but for the 5 wt % Pt/α-Ga₂O₃ a very high selectivity of 75% at the high conversion (ca. 60%) is observed. A high selectivity of galia-supported iridium and platinum catalysts was explained by the surface reducibility of gallium oxide leading to covering (decoration) of platinum and iridium by gallium suboxides and the promoting effect of gallium.     

Tetranuclear Pt<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>2</Subscript> Complex with a Staircase-Shaped Chain Aggregate in the Solid State

The reaction of the tetranuclear cyanide aquo complex [{Pt(CN)₄Cu(bipy)(H₂O)}₂]· 2H₂O with aqueous ammonia produces the new tetranuclear ammino-containing product [{Pt(CN)₄Cu(bipy)(NH₃)}₂] (1), with terminal cyanide groups and with NH₃ coordinated to the Cu atom. The distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination about copper in 1 differs from the square-pyramidal coordination present in the starting material. The bipyridine ligand in 1 is nearly perpendicular to the tetranuclear core of the molecule, as opposed to its coplanar disposition in the aquo complex. The two platinum atoms of the tetranuclear core in 1 form Pt···Pt interactions of 3. 2390(8) Å with platinum atoms of neighboring molecules, producing an echelon-shaped supramolecular chain held together by staggered (CN)₄Pt···Pt(CN)₄ linkages, an aggregate structure which does not have a precedent in chemistry derived from the Pt(CN)₄ building block.     

Effect of oxygen activity and water partial pressure to degradation rate of Ni cermet electrode contacting Zr<Subscript>0.84</Subscript>Y<Subscript>0.16</Subscript>O<Subscript>1.92</Subscript> electrolyte

The time curves of full polarization resistance of Ni cermet electrode modified with CeO_{2 − δ} additive were studied by means of impedance spectroscopy in binary gas mixtures x% H₂ + (100 − x)% H₂O, 10% CO + 90% CO₂ and multicomponent gas mixtures H₂ + CO₂ + H₂O + CO + Ar of various composition at the temperature of 900°C. The Ni cermet electrode degradation rate in binary gas mixtures H₂ + H₂O was shown to increase sharply at the partial water pressure over 45%. The Ni cermet electrode degradation rate in the mixture of 10% CO + 90% CO₂ was significantly lower than that in 10% H₂ + 90% H₂O. The major changes in the electrode characteristics upon long exposure in working conditions were accounted for by changes in the high-frequency partial polarization resistance. In the course of long testing, the electrode microstructure was not significantly changed. In the presence of hydrogen-containing components (H₂ and H₂O), the carbon-containing components (CO and CO₂) were shown to make an insignificant contribution to the current generation processes in Ni cermet electrode. It was suggested that strong degradation of Ni cermet electrode was caused by poisoning its reaction sites with strongly linked adsorption forms of water (hydroxyls) at the positive charge of electrode.     

Energetic aspects in description of metal—hydrogen—boron bonds in (B<Subscript>10</Subscript>H<Subscript>14</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>Pt and (B<Subscript>8</Subscript>C<Subscript>12</Subscript>H<Subscript>14</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>Pt complexes

The energies of formation of platinum complexes with borohydrides B₁₀H₁₄ and B₁₀H ₁₄ ^2- or carboranes B₈C₂H₁₄ and B₈C₂H ₁₄ ^2- were considered in terms of the structure—thermodynamics model. The thermodynamic stability of these complexes was substantiated.Translated from Koordinatsionnaya Khimiya, Vol. 31, No. 2, 2005, pp. 149–152. Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Ionov, Kuznetsov.     

Thermodynamic properties of aqueous-alcoholic solutions of sodium chloride. H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O-2-C<Subscript>3</Subscript>H<Subscript>7</Subscript>OH-NaCl

The temperature-concentration dependences of the NaCl activity coefficient in aqueous solutions of isopropanol (propanol-2) at temperatures of 298.15 and 323.15 K (solution ionic force, 0.01 to 3m; alcohol content, 10–60 wt %) were determined through the electromotive force method with an ion-selective electrode. A Pitzer model was used to mathematically describe the thermodynamic properties. The integral Gibbs energy of the solution formation of the H₂O-2-C₃H₇OH-NaCl ternary system was performed according to Darken’s method. The dissociation degree of salt in the investigated solutions was estimated using the literature data on the association constant of NaCl in aqueous-isopropanol solution.     

Study on the non-isothermal kinetics of decomposition of 4Na<Subscript>2</Subscript>SO<Subscript>4</Subscript>·2H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>·NaCl

The non-isothermal decomposition kinetics of 4Na₂SO₄·2H₂O₂·NaCl have been investigated by simultaneous TG-DSC in nitrogen atmosphere and in air. The decomposition processes undergo a single step reaction. The multivariate nonlinear regression technique is used to distinguish kinetic model of 4Na₂SO₄·2H₂O₂·NaCl. Results indicate that the reaction type Cn can well describe the decomposition process, the decomposition mechanism is n-dimensional autocatalysis. The kinetic parameters, n, A and E are obtained via multivariate nonlinear regression. The n ^th-order with autocatalysis model is used to simulate the thermal decomposition of 4Na₂SO₄·2H₂O₂·NaCl under isothermal conditions at various temperatures. The flow rate of gas has little effect on the decomposition of 4Na₂SO₄·2H₂O₂·NaCl.     

Gas diffusion hindrances on Ni cermet anode in contact with Zr<Subscript>0.84</Subscript>Y<Subscript>0.16</Subscript>O<Subscript>1.92</Subscript> solid electrolyte

The electrochemical behavior of Ni cermet electrode with CeO_{2 ? x} additive in contact with YSZ electrode was studied by means of impedance spectroscopy in H₂, H₂O, CO₂, CO, He, and Ar gas media of various composition within the temperature range of 700 to 950°C. Near the equilibrium potential, the electrochemical impedance spectra of the studied electrodes indicate to three stages of electrode reaction. The polarization conductivity of the low-frequency stage of electrode reaction (σ_lf) is characterized with the following regularities: (a) temperature dependence of σ_lf has a positive slope in Arrhenius coordinates; (b) σ_lf increases upon replacement of gas mixture with lower mutual diffusion coefficient by mixture with higher mutual diffusion coefficient, while polarization conductivity values of other stages remain practically invariable; (c) concentration relationships of 1/σ_lfrecorded for constant activity of oxygen in the gas phase are linear in the 1/σ_lf vs. 1/P _{CO 2} (P _CO) coordinates; (d) no low-frequency stage of the electrode reaction is observed upon electrochemical inflow (outflow) of the gas reagents (reaction products) to (from) the test electrodes (current passing through closely pressed specimens and central specimen impedance measurement); and (e) no change in the gas flow rate affects σ_lf value. The observed regularities were explained by assuming the gas diffusion nature of the low-frequency stage of the electrode reaction. The gas diffusion layer thickness was estimated.     

Immobilization of hemoglobin on SBA-15 applied to the electrocatalytic reduction of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The direct electron transfer between hemoglobin (Hb) and an electrode was realized by first immobilizing the protein onto SBA-15.The results of the immobilization showed that the adsorption was pH-dependent with a maximum adsorption near the isoelectric point of the protein, and SBA-15 with a larger pore diameter showed greater adsorption capacity for Hb. UV–vis spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption analysis indicated that Hb was adsorbed within the channel of SBA-15 and no significant denaturation occurred to the protein. The Hb/SBA-15 composite obtained was used for the fabrication of a Hb biosensor to detect hydrogen peroxide. A pair of well-defined redox peaks at −0.337 and −0.370 V on the Hb/SBA-15 composite modified glassy carbon electrode was observed, and the electrode reactions showed a surface-controlled process with a single proton transfer at a scan rate range from 20 to 1,000 mV/s. The sensor showed a fast amperometric response, a low detection limit (2.3 × 10⁻⁹ M) and good stability for the detection of H₂O₂. The electrochemical results indicated that the immobilized Hb still retained its biological activity.     

Study of electrochemical processes occurring on FeS<Subscript>2</Subscript> electrode in liquid nonaqueous electrolytes of lithium battery

In this paper, the study of electrochemical processes occurring on the positive FeS₂ electrode in nonaqueous electrolyte is continued in order to optimize the characteristics of the Li-FeS₂ battery. The methods of galvanostatic cycling and X-ray phase analysis were used to study electrochemical processes occurring on a composite FeS₂ electrode in liquid nonaqueous electrolyte at discharge and further cycling. A two-stage process mechanism is observed at discharge of the FeS₂ electrode and its further cycling. It is shown that Li₂S formed in the process of FeS₂ electroreduction is oxidized under further charging.