The sedimentation behaviour of semi-dilute solutions of poly(methyl methacrylate)

Sedimentation coefficients S of poly(methyl methacrylate) for a broad range of molecular weights M and concentrations 1 · 10⁻⁴ >; c >; 2 · 10⁻¹ (c in g ml⁻¹) in the good solvent acetone at 20°C and the theta solvent acetonitrile at 35°C are reported. The results in the dilute regime are discussed in connection with those reported on poly(methyl methacrylate) and the many data available for polystyrene. Both sets of experimental results are compared with the scaling theory. The predictions of the theory are mostly fulfilled as limiting slopes for lower concentrations and high molecular weights and require in good solvents experiments with very high M >; 3 · 10⁷.     

Interfacial electrochemistry of cytochrome c at tin oxide,indium oxide,gold, and platinum electrodes

Cyclic voltammetry has been used to study the heterogeneous electron transfer kinetics of horse heart cytochrome c in pH 7 tris/cacodylate media at several electrode surfaces. Reversible voltammetric responses (formal heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant>10^?2 cm/s) were observed at bare gold electrodes and at tin-doped indium oxide semiconductor electrodes for certain experimental conditions. Quasireversible voltammetric responses were more typically observed at fluorine-doped tin oxide semiconductor electrodes, bare platinum electrodes, and at the indium oxide electrodes. Reaction rates at bare metal electrodes were strongly dependent on pretreatment procedures and experimental protocol. Reaction rates at metal oxide electrodes were strongly dependent on solution conditions, pretreatment procedures, and on the hydration state of the electrode surface. A general mechanistic scheme involving both interfacial electrostatic and chemical interactions is proposed for cytochrome c electrode reactions. The asymmetric distribution of surface charges on cytochrome c appears to play a dominant role in controlling electron transfer rates by its interaction with the electric field at the electrode surface. Electron transfer distances are also considered, and it is concluded that electron transfer between an electrode surface and the exposed heme edge of properly oriented cytochrome c molecules involves maximum distances of ca. 0.6–0.9 nm.     

Preparation and comparison of Proteus vulgaris and Proteus mirabilis bacterial electrodes for the determination of DL-phenylalanine

Bacterial electrodes for DL-phenylalanine were prepared by immobilizing the bacteria Proteus vulgaris and Proteus mirabilis on an ammonia gas-sensor. The response of the Proteus vulgaris bacterial electrode, when 10 mg of the bacteria was used, had a linear range between 3.0 × 10⁻⁴ and 1.0 × 10⁻² M DL-phenylalanine with a response slope of 43 mV/decade in pH 7.0, 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at 30°C, while the response of the Proteus mirabilis bacterial electrode, when 3 mg of the bacteria was used, had a linear range between 3.0 × 10⁻⁴ and 3.0 × 10⁻² M DL-phenylalanine with a response slope of 49 mV/decade in pH 7.2, 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at 30°C. The most important interferents were urea and l-asparagine, and inorganic salts reacted as an inhibitor. The Proteus vulgaris bacterial electrode could be used directly for the determination of DL-phenylalanine in nearly the same linear range during 3 days. On the other hand, the Proteus mirabilis bacterial electrode could be used continuously during 7 days in the above linear range.     

Electrochemical properties of violuric acid and oxidase biosensor preparation

The electrochemical properties of violuric acid (VA) have been investigated at pH 4.0–10.0 by using cyclic voltammetry on a glassy carbon electrode. The peak current was proportional to the square root of the potential scan rate. The calculated diffusion coefficient was 2.0±0.7×10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹. The formal oxidation–reduction potential of VA was 0.63 V versus SCE at pH 7.0. The kinetics of VA interaction with reduced glucose oxidase (GO) was explored in the electrocatalytical system. A typical electrocatalytical wave was generated in the presence of the VA and glucose. An apparent k_ox calculated by using the Nicholson–Shain function was 1.85×10⁶ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ at pH 7.0 and 25 °C. Glucose and l-lactate bioelectrodes were prepared by adsorbing the GO and l-lactate oxidase (LO) onto the VA-modified graphite electrode. The electrode was poised at 0.6 V versus SCE and linear response was obtained over the range of 4–20 mM glucose and 2–12 mM l-lactate, respectively.     

Electrochemically distinguishable states of ferricytochrome c and their transition with changes in temperature and pH

The biphasic behavior of the formal potential (E^o') of cytochrome c with variations of pH (2.5–9) and temperature (4–52° C) is discussed. From an analysis of the dependence of E^o' on pH and temperature it was found that the biphasic behavior of E^o' is due to ferricytochrome c and not ferrocytochrome c. Four conformational states in ferricytochrome c have been identified from the electrochemical measurements. The linear change in E^o' of the individual states with pH and temperature was explained by a simple equation of the electrode reaction with an apparent protonation number. A pH versus temperature diagram which shows the stable regions of the four states has been obtained. These four states correspond to states that have been suggested by other methods such as spectrophotometry and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Since the biphasic changes of E^o' with pH and temperature were very sharp, a conformational transition instead of a change by an equilibrium reaction was introduced to explaine this feature. The high temperature dependence of E^o' (2 mV K⁻¹) of some states has been explained partly by the concentration dependent effect of protons on the entropy change of the electrode reaction.     

Electron transfer between cytochrome c and copper enzymes

The electron transfer between cytochrome c and ascorbate oxidase or laccase from Coriolus hirsutus was investigated using both an electrochemical and a spectrophotometric method. A quasi-reversible cyclic volammogram of cytochrome c was observed on a gold electrode modified with 4,4′-dithiodipyridine. The addition of laccase resulted in the appearance of a catalytic current due to the regeneration of ferricytochrome c by laccase in the presence of oxygen. The second-order rate constant of the reaction between cytochrome c and laccase is calculated to be 9.2 × 10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ in 50 mM phosphate buffer of pH 5.8. The reaction rate with ascorbate oxidase is almost three orders of magnitude slower. The difference in the redox potential is considered to be the driving force of the reaction between cytochrome c and the copper proteins investigated.     

Direct electrochemical behavior of cytochrome c, and its determination on phytic acid modified electrode

Phytic acid (PA) with its unique structure was attached to a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to form PA/GCE modified electrode which was characterized by electrochemical impedance. The electrochemical behavior of cytochrome c (Cyt c) on the PA/GCE modified electrode was explored by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The Cyt c displayed a quasi-reversible redox process on PA modified electrode pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution with a formal potential (E ^0′) of 57 mV (versus Ag/AgCl). The peak currents were linearly related to the square root of the scan rate in the range of 20–120 mV·s^?1. The electron transfer rate constant was determined to be 12.5 s^?1. The PA/GCE modified electrode was applied to the determination of Cyt c, in the range of 5?×?10^?6 to 3?×?10^?4 M, the currents increase linearly to the Cyt c concentration with a correlation coefficient 0.9981. The detection limit was 1?×?10^?6 M (signal/noise?=?3).     

A Study on the Electrochemical and Electrochemiluminescent Behavior of Homogentisic Acid at Carbon Electrodes

The electrochemical oxidation and electrochemiluminescent behavior of homogentisic acid (HGA) has been studied in aqueous solutions over a wide pH range by linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, chronocoulometry at a glassy carbon electrode, by controlled potential electrolysis at a large area spectroscopic graphite electrode, and by spectroelectrochemistry at an optically transparent drilled holes graphite (DHG) electrode in a thin‐layer cell. The studies reveal that the electrochemical oxidation of HGA at carbon electrodes is a reversible process involving two‐electron, two‐proton transfer. In addition to the electrochemical oxidation, the chemical oxidation of HGA by dissolved oxygen was investigated by spectroscopic method combined with voltammetry. It was revealed that HGA is fairly stable in strongly acidic media but readily oxidized by dissolved oxygen in alkaline media giving rise to 1,4‐benzoquinone‐2‐acetic acid, the same product as that of electrooxidation of HGA. This oxidation product is stable in acidic, neutral and weakly alkaline media, but can further degrade in strongly alkaline media yielding oxalate as the final product. The electrochemiluminescent mechanism of HGA in the presence of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ at a glassy carbon electrode was also investigated in detail, based on which a sensitive ECL method for determination of HGA was developed, and the detection limit was 3.0×10^?8 mol L^?1.     

455 — Effect of pH on the electroactivity of horse heart cytochrome c

The effect of pH on the electroactivity of horse heart cytochrome c has been studied by differential pulse polarography, differential pulse voltammetry at the gold electrode, cyclic voltammetry and spectro-photometry; the gold electrode has been activated by 4.4′-bipyridine. The experimental results have been interpreted on the basis of the existence of a pH-dependent equilibrium between two electroactive cytochrome c forms; in agreement with the Lambeth et al.'s scheme the existence of transient species can be postulated.From spectrophotometric and differential pulse voltammetric experiments the pK_a value of 8.1±0.1 has been calculated for the equilibrium between the neutral and alkaline cytochrome c forms: state III ? state IV+H⁺.     

Graphene oxide decorated bimetal (MnNi) oxide nanoflakes used as an electrocatalyst for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media

Precious non-noble metals have been constantly attracting research attention in order to realize an inexpensive, extra active and more stable electrocatalysts in terms of various oxidation states and structures for their applications in oxidation (splitting) of water. In the present work graphene oxide incorporated, MnO₂-NiO composite metal oxide nanoflakes were synthesized on the stainless steel substrate using efficient electrodeposition route in alkaline media and drop casting method with further annealing treatment at 400 °C for 4 h. Initially MnO₂-NiO nanoflakes were deposited using different cyclic sweep rates, later graphene oxide suspension was drop casted on the MnO₂-NiO nanoflakes and subsequently subjected to annealing at 200 °C for 2 h. The prepared electrode material is denoted as GO/MnO₂-NiO/SS and used as an electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Energy dispersive electron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy were used to study the crystalline nature and morphologies of the deposited films. The electrochemical properties of the electrode material were investigated using cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry. The electrode exhibits low overpotential and small Tafel slope of 379 mV and 47.84 mVdec⁻¹ at the current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in alkaline (KOH) medium. In addition, the electrode shows a long time stability of 28800 s. Hence, the present study suggests that the GO incorporated Mn-Ni bimetal oxide modified electrode is suitable electrode material for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), owing to its facile preparation, inexpensive, easy handling and high active nature.     

Reactivation of passive titanium: the enhancement of O2 evolution after potentiodynamic cyclings

Titanium oxide films were grown potentiodynamically at 50 mV s⁻¹ from −1.1 up to 10.0 V, at room temperature (23±1 °C) in H₃PO₄/NaH₂PO₄ aqueous solutions of ionic strength 0.5 mol L⁻¹ and pH 3.0. After the oxide growth, the passive electrode was subjected to different repetitive potentiodynamic cycles at 50 mV s⁻¹ between pre-set cathodic (E_s,c) and anodic (E_s,a) switching potentials. The changes in the electrochemical behaviour of the passive electrode, specially that of the O₂ evolution reaction, were followed as a function of the number of cycles and of the limiting negative potential value used, E_s,c. The enhancement of the oxygen reaction rate occurring with the repetitive potential sweeps might be due to an increase of both the oxide conductivity and the porous-oxide surface area.     

Electrode kinetics of electroactive electropolymerized polymers deposited on graphite electrode surfaces

A kinetic examination of the charge-transport processes (i.e. (i) heterogeneous electron-transfer process of electrode/film interfaces and (ii) homogeneous charge-transport process within films) at electroactive electropolymerized film-coated electrodes was conducted by normal pulse voltammetry. The films employed were of poly(o-phenylenediamine), Poly(N-methylaniline) and poly(N-ethylaniline), which were prepared on electrodes as coating films by electrooxidative polymerization of the corresponding monomers in an acidic solution. It was found that process (i) obeys the conventional Butler-Volmer equation and that process (ii) can be treated as a Fickian diffusion process. In addition, the kinetic parameters characterizing processes (i) and (ii) (i.e. the standard rate constant (k°) and transfer coefficient (α) for process (i), and the apparent diffusion coefficient (D_app for process (ii)) were estimated: D_app = ca (1–4)×10⁻⁸ cm² s⁻¹ s⁻¹, k° = ca. (4–6)×10⁻⁴ cm s⁻¹, α_a (for anodic process) = 0.83–0.86 and α_c (for cathodic process)=0.13–0.23. The are compared with the data reported previously for other electroactive polymer films.     

Bioelectrocatalytic formate oxidation and carbon dioxide reduction at high current density and low overpotential with tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase and mediators

We show a great possibility of mediated enzymatic bioelectrocatalysis in the formate oxidation and the carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction at high current densities and low overpotentials. Tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase (FoDH1) from Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 was used as a catalyst and immobilized on a Ketjen Black-modified electrode. For the formate oxidation, a high limiting current density (j_lim) of ca. 24 mA cm^− 2 was realized with a half wave potential (E_1/2) of only 0.12 V more positive than the formal potential of the formate/CO₂ couple (E°′_CO2) at 30 °C in the presence of methyl viologen (MV^2 +) as a mediator, and j_lim reached ca. 145 mA cm^− 2 at 60 °C. Even when a viologen-functionalized polymer was co-immobilized with FoDH1 on the porous electrode, j_lim of ca. 30 mA cm^− 2 was attained at 60 °C with E_1/2 = E°′_CO2 + 0.13 V. On the other hand, the CO₂ reduction was also realized with j_lim ≈ 15 mA cm^− 2 and E_1/2 = E°′_CO2 − 0.04 V at pH 6.6 and 60 °C in the presence of MV^2 +.     

Electrooxidation Mechanism of Methanol at Pt-Ru Catalyst Modified GC Electrode in Electrolytes with Different pH Using Electrochemical and SERS Techniques

The electrochemical and in-situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy （SERS） techniques were used to investigate the electrooxidation behavior of methanol in acidic, neutral and alkaline media at a Pt-Ru nanoparticle modified glassy carbon （Pt-Ru/GC） electrode. The results showed that methanol could be dissociated spontaneously at the Pt-Ru/GC electrode to produce a strongly adsorbed intermediate, CO. It was found that CO could be oxidized more easily in the alkaline medium than in the acidic and neutral media. The peak potential of methanol oxidation was shifted from 0.663 and 0.708 V in the acidic and neutral media to -0.030 V in the alkaline medium, which is due to that the adsorption strength of CO on the Pt surface in the alkaline medium is weaker than that in the acidic and neutral media. The final product of the methanol oxidation is CO2. However, in the alkaline medium, CO2 produced would form CO3^2- and HCO3^- resulting in the decrease in the alkaline concentration and then in the decrease in the performance of DMFC. Therefore, the performance of the alkaline DMFC is not Stable.     

Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) modified electrode for NADH oxidation

A TCNQ-modified edge-plane pyrolytic graphite electrode prepared by a dip-coating procedure shows electrocatalytic activity for NADH oxidation in phosphate buffer solutions (pH 7.0). The modified electrode is stable and shows a linear relation for NADH in the concentration range 1–10 mM. The rate constant between adsorbed TCNQ and NADH in solution has been estimated to be 1.46 × 10⁶ M⁻¹s⁻¹ at 25°C. The modified electrode has the potential use as a sensor for dehydrogenase-enzyme-based substrates.     

Reactions of the HO2 radical with OH,H, Fe2+ and Cu2+ at elevated temperatures

The temperature dependence of the rate constant for the reactions of HO₂ with OH, H, Fe²⁺ and Cu²⁺ has been determined using pulse radiolysis technique. The following rate constants, k (dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) at 20°C and activation energies, E_a (kJ mol⁻¹) have been found. The reaction with OH was studied in the temperature range 20–296°C (k=7.0×10⁹, E_a=7.4) and the reaction with H in the temperature range 5–149°C (k=8.5×10⁹, E_a=17.5). The reaction with Fe²⁺ was studied in the temperature range 16–118°C (k=7.9×10⁵, E_a=36.8) and the reaction with Cu²⁺ in the temperature range 17–211°C (k=1.1×10⁸, E_a=14.9).     

Pulsed amperometric detection of sulfur compounds: Part II. Dependence of response on adsorption time

A mathematical model is developed for the response of PAD and is applied to data from the study of I_p as a function of t_ads for evaluation of the adsorption rate constants, and the maximum molar surface coverage for thiourea at a Pt electrode. The results are, respectively: k₁ = 4.1 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, k₋₁ = 1.9 s⁻¹, and Γ₀ = 1.3 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol cm⁻². The calculated adsorption equilibrium constant (k₁/k₋₁) is 2.1 × 10⁴ M⁻¹, compared to 4.9 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ calculated from the plot of 1/I_p vs. 1/c^b for c^b > 1.0 × 10⁻⁴ M and t_ads = 8500 ms. Analytical calibration procedures are examined; linear plots of 1/I_p vs 1/c^b cannot be expected for cases of mixed transport-isotherm control of detector response.     

Charge transfer complex between methylviologen and ferrocyanide

Charge transfer complex between methylviologen and ferrocyanide has been studied spectrophotometrically at different temperatures. From the thermodynamic association constants (320 ± 30 M⁻¹, 380 ± 30 M⁻¹ and 460 ± 40 M⁻¹ at 15, 25 and 30°C respectively), the enthalpy of formation, ΔH° (− 3.4 ± 1.5 kcal/mole), and the related entropy change, ΔS°(0.4 ± 5 e.u), have been calculated. The average extinction values of coefficients are 69±6 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹, 70±4 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹ and 72±5 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 15, 25 and 35°C respectively.     

Hydrogen/oxygen polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) based on alkaline-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI)

When complexed with alkaline such as potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide or lithium hydroxide, films (40 μm thick) of polybenzimidazole (PBI) show conductivity in the 5 × 10⁻⁵–10⁻¹ S/cm⁻¹ range, depending on the type of alkali, the time of immersion in the corresponding base bath and the temperature of immersion. It has been shown that PBI has a remarkable capacity to concentrate KOH, even in an alkaline bath of concentration 3 M. The highest conductivity of KOH-doped PBI (9×10⁻² S cm⁻¹) at 25°C obtained in this work is higher than the we had obtained previously as optimum values for H₂SO₄-doped PBI (5 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ at 25°C) and H₃PO₄-doped PBI ( 2 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at 25°C). PEMFCs based on an alkali-doped PBI membrane were demonstrated, and their characteristics exhibited the same performance as those of PEMFCs based on Nafion® 117. Their development is currently under active investigation.     

B,N Co-Doped Three-Dimensional Carbon Aerogels with Excellent Electrochemical Performance for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Herein, an ordinary and mass-production approach is reported to synthesize boron (B) and nitrogen (N) co-doped three-dimensional (3D) carbon aerogels (CA) by using glucose and borax as the raw materials by a simple hydrothermal method and then carbonization in NH₃ atmosphere. The porous material (BN-CA-900) possesses a large specific surface area (1032 m² g⁻¹) and high contents of doped pyridinic N and graphitic N. The onset potential (0.91 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE), half-wave potential (0.77 V vs. RHE), and current density (5.70 mA cm⁻² at 0.2 V vs. RHE) of BN-CA-900 for ORR are similar to those of commercial Pt/C, indicating that BN-CA-900 has a comparable catalytic activity with Pt/C in alkaline media. The number of electron transfer is 3.86–3.99 and the yield of hydrogen peroxide is less than 6.8 %. BN-CA-900 also presents decent catalytic performance in acidic medium. Moreover, the stability and methanol tolerance of BN-CA-900 are superior to commercial Pt/C in both alkaline and acidic media. The prepared BN-CA-900 is a promising candidate that may be applied in other areas, such as the adsorption of pollution, porous conductive electrodes, and lithium-ion batteries.