Electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid on functional MWCNTs supported nanostructured Pd–Au catalyst

In this work, PdAu nanocatalysts with different weight ratio of Pd and Au supported on functional multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) were prepared, and their electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of formic acid was also studied. The electrocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical results showed that the 4Pd1Au/f-MWCNTs (by weight) catalyst, exhibited distinctly higher activity and better stability in formic acid electrooxidation than the Pd/f-MWCNTs catalyst. The Nano-Au improves potentially the performance of Pd-based electrocatalysts for the direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs).     

Preparation of carbon supported Pd–P catalyst with high content of element phosphorus and its electrocatalytic performance for formic acid oxidation

The carbon supported Pd–P (Pd–P/C) anodic catalyst in direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) was prepared with a novel phosphorus reduction method. The Pd–P/C catalyst obtained possesses the high content of P⁰ in the alloying state. Because alloying P⁰ could decrease the 3d electron density of Pd and the adsorption affinity of CO and H on Pd, alloying P⁰ would promote the formic acid (FA) oxidation through the direct pathway. Therefore, the electrocatalytic performance of the Pd–P/C catalyst for the FA oxidation is much better than that of the Pd/C catalyst.     

Preparation of carbon supported Pd–Pb hollow nanospheres and their electrocatalytic activities for formic acid oxidation

Pd–Pb hollow nanospheres dispersed on carbon black were developed by a galvanic replacement reaction between sacrificial cobalt nanoparticles and Pd²⁺, Pb²⁺ ions. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical measurements show that the as-prepared catalysts have excellent catalytic activity for formic acid electrooxidation, which is attributed to the large surface area caused by the hollow structure and the lead doping effect which might modify the electronic structure of the catalysts.     

Covalent bonding photosensitizer–catalyst dyads of ruthenium-based complexes designed for enhanced visible-light-driven water oxidation performance

Transition Metal Chemistry - We have successfully prepared two ruthenium-based covalent bonding photosensitizer–catalyst dyads through a simple procedure. 1H NMR spectra of both dyads show...     

Increases in reaction rates and improvement of current–potential characteristics in the electrochemical oxidation of formic acid

In current-control experiments, perturbing an aqueous solution containing 0.10 M formic acid and 0.50 M HClO₄ by including a small amount of HBF₄ causes more than a 60% increase in the value of the applied current for which low-valued stationary potentials remain stable. The current increases by more than 50% at relevant potential values in potential-control experiments. Current–potential characteristics inferior to those of the HCOOH + HClO₄ solution are obtained with other solutions made by adding small amounts of a strong acid or salt. Properties that exist among the anions present in the latter solutions are possessed by BF₄⁻. Nonlinear behavior exhibited by formic acid oxidation is changed drastically by the presence of a small amount of any one of the anions studied. These results and other arguments support the hypothesis that HBF₄ enhances current–potential characteristics by causing the formation of surface anion complexes possessing OH components at low potentials.     

Two-parameter stochastic resonance in a model of electrochemical oxidation of formic acid on Pt

Stochastic resonance (SR) is shown in a two-parameter system, a model of electrochemical oxidation of formic acid on Pt. The driving current and the saturation coverage for carbon monoxide are two control parameters in this model. Modulation of an excitable focal stable state close to a Hopf bifurcation by a weak periodic signal in one parameter and noise in the other parameter is found to give rise to SR. The results indicate that the noise can enlarge a weak periodic signal and lead the system to be ordered. The scenario and novel aspects of SR in this system are discussed.     

Polyvinyl alcohol-modified graphene oxide as a support for bimetallic Pt–Pd electrocatalysts to enhance the efficiency of formic acid oxidation

The aim of this research was to study the efficiency of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-modified graphene oxide (GO) as a supporting material for catalysts that oxidize formic acid. The active metal catalysts (e.g., Pt and Pd) were electrodeposited on PVA/GO surfaces. The morphologies of the prepared catalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, while their chemical compositions were identified by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that compared with the other catalysts on GO, the prepared active PtPd alloy catalyst nanoparticles with 11.49–20.73 nm sizes were well dispersed on the PVA/GO surfaces. Electrochemical results indicate that the activities of the catalysts with PVA provided a higher current density than that of the catalysts without PVA. The bimetallic 3Pt3Pd/PVA/GO catalyst showed the greatest catalytic activity, stability, and CO oxidation when compared to those of other catalysts. The electronic, morphological, and structural properties promote the mass-charge transfer through the interaction. These results indicate that the PVA-modified GO provides a suitable site for active bimetallic catalyst surfaces, resulting in excellent formic acid oxidation and high CO elimination. The 3Pt3Pd/PVA/GO electrocatalyst is promising for enhancing formic acid oxidation.     

Preparation of PdCo Bimetallic Hollow Nanospheres and its Electrocatalytic Activity for Oxidation of Formic Acid

The performance of the direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) is considerably higher than the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) because of some characteristics of formic acid1. For example, formic acid is non-toxic. Formic acid has two orders of magnitude smaller crossover flux through a Nafion membrane than methanol2. In DFAFC, the concentration of formic acid can be as high as 20 mol/L, while the best concentration of methanol in DMFC is only about 2 mol/L3. Thus, the power density of …     

The catalytic activity of bimetallic Pt—Pd polymer nanocomposites in formic acid oxidation

The platinum-palladium/Nafion metal—polymer nanocomposites were synthesized by chemical reduction of metal ions in water—organic reverse microemulsion solutions. The catalytic activity of the synthesized polymer composites with bimetallic Pt—Pd nanoparticles was estimated in the oxidation of hydrogen and formic acid.     

Preparation and electrochemical performance of graphene–Pt black nanocomposite for electrochemical methanol oxidation

This work reports the preparation, characterization, and electrocatalytic characteristics of a new metallic nanocatalyst. The catalyst, Pt black–graphene oxide (Pt-GO), was prepared by deposition of Pt black on the surface of graphene oxide nanosheet and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and voltammetry. The Pt-graphene (Pt-GR) composite modified glassy carbon electrode (Pt-GR/GCE) was prepared with cyclic voltammetric scanning of Pt-GO/GCE in the potential range from ?1.5 to 0.2 in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at 50 mV·s^?1 for 5 cycles. The electrocatalytic properties of the Pt-GR/GCE for methanol (CH₃OH) oxidation have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV); high electrocatalytic activity of the Pt-GR/GCE can be observed. This may be attributed to the high dispersion of Pt catalyst and the particular properties of GR support. The long-term stability of Pt-GR composite was investigated in 0.05 M CH₃OH in 0.1 M H₂SO₄ solution. It can be observed that the peak current decreases gradually with the successive scans. The loss may result from the consumption of methanol during the CV scan. It also may be due to the poisoning organic compounds. The results imply that the Pt-GR composite has good potential applications in fuel cells.     

Pentafluoroperbenzoic acid as the efficient reagent for Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclic ketones

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Highly efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid by electrospun carbon nanofiber-supported PtxAu100−x bimetallic electrocatalyst

Electrospun carbon nanofiber-supported bimetallic Pt_xAu_100?x electrocatalysts (Pt_xAu_100?x/CNF) were prepared by electrochemical codeposition method. The composition of PtAu bimetallic nanoparticles could be controlled by varying the ratio of H₂PtCl₆ and HAuCl₄. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that bimetallic nanoparticles had coarse surface morphology with high electrochemically active surface areas. X-ray diffraction analysis testified the formation of PtAu alloys. Pt_xAu_100?x/CNF electrocatalysts exhibited improved electrocatalytic activities towards formic acid oxidation by providing the selectivity of the reaction via dehydrogenation pathway and suppressing the formation/adsorption of poisoning CO intermediate, indicating that Pt_xAu_100?x/CNF is promising electrocatalyst in direct formic acid fuel cells.     

Effect of hydrothermal aging on NOx reduction performance for Sb–V–CeO2/TiO2 catalyst

Research on Chemical Intermediates - Herein, we investigated the NOx reduction performance of Sb–V–CeO2/TiO2 (SbVCT) catalyst subjected to hydrothermal aging, where 6 vol% of H2O was...     

The dissociation quotients of formic acid in sodium chloride solutions to 200°C

The dissociation quotients of formic acid were measured potentiometrically from 25 to 200°C in NaCl solutions at ionic strengths of 0.1, 0.3 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0 mol-kg^–1. The experiments were carried out in a concentration cell with hydrogen electrodes. The resulting molal acid dissociation quotients for formic acid, as well as a set of infinite dilution literature values and a calorimetrically-determined enthalpy of reaction, were fitted by an empirical equation involving an extended Debye Hückel term and seven adjustable parameters involving functions of temperature and ionic strength. This regressional analysis yielded the following thermodynamic quantities for 25°C: logK=–3.755±0.002, H^o=–0.09±0.15 kJ-mol^–1, S^o=–72.2±0.5 J-K^–1-mol^–1, and C _p ^o =–147±4 J-K^–1-mol^–1. The isocoulombic form of the equilibrium constant is recommended for extrapolation to higher temperatures.     

Preparation and electrocatalytic performance of Fe–N–C for electroreduction of H2O2

Fe–N–C catalysts were prepared through metal-assisted polymerization method. Effects of carbon treatment, Fe loading, nitrogen source, and calcination temperature on the catalytic performance of the Fe–N–C for H₂O₂ electroreduction were measured by voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The Fe–N–C catalyst shows optimal performance when prepared with pretreated active carbon, 0.2 wt.% Fe, paranitroaniline (4-NA) and one-time calcination. The Fe–N–C catalyst displayed good performance and stability for electroreduction of H₂O₂ in alkaline solution. An Al–H₂O₂ semi-fuel cell was set up with Fe–N–C catalyst as cathode and Al as anode. The cell exhibits an open-circuit voltage of 1.3 V and its power density reached 51.4 mW cm⁻² at 65 mA cm⁻².     

Kinetics of oxidation of β-picoline to nicotinic acid over vanadia-titania catalyst. 4. Kinetic model

A kinetic model for the β-picoline oxidation over vanadia-titania catalyst is presented. The model covers the reaction mechanism, temperature dependences and a system of kinetic equations. The activation energies and constants in these equations are calculated.     

Application of phosphotungstic acid–nickel composite-modified carbon paste electrode for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in alkaline solution

Phosphotungstic acid (PWA) was used for accumulation of nickel ions at the carbon paste electrode for preparation of PWA-modified CPE (PWA/CPE). The PWA was evenly mixed with graphite powder and paraffin oil. Then, for preparation of Ni/PWA/CPE, Ni ions were included onto the PWA/CPE surface through immersion method at open circuit condition. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy and electrochemical methods were used to verify the prepared electrodes. The SEM images reveal that morphology of the CPE was influenced by PWA addition. Application of the Ni/PWA/CPE for methanol oxidation was explored by various electrochemical techniques. Electrochemical response of methanol oxidation at the surface of Ni/PWA/CPE was 2.5 times higher than that Ni/CPE. The obtained results indicated that the modified electrode exhibited high electrocatalytic activity toward methanol oxidation. Then, catalytic rate constant was found to be 8.25 × 10⁴ cm³ mol ^?1 s^?1 using chronoamperometry method. Furthermore, the effects of several parameters, such as PWA loading, NiSO₄ concentration, accumulation time and methanol concentration toward methanol oxidation at the surface of this modified electrode as well as stability, have been investigated.     

Synthesis and characterization of activated carbon–ethylenediamine–cobalt(II) tetracarboxyphthalocyanine conjugate for catalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid

We report on the synthesis and characterization of activated carbon–ethylenediamine–cobalt(II) tetracarboxyphthalocyanine conjugate (AC–CONHCH₂CH₂NH₂–CoPc) and its electrocatalytic behavior for oxidation of ascorbic acid. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopies, and cyclic and square-wave voltammetry were used to characterize the electrode modifiers and modified glassy carbon electrode. The limit of detection was found to be 0.26 µm using 3δ notation. The linear dynamic range was from 1.5 × 10^?4 to 1 × 10^?2 M with electrode sensitivity of 0.01 A mol^?1 L cm^?2. A Tafel slope of 200.8 mV decade^?1 was found. The concentration of ascorbic acid in the tablet was 0.034 M. Oxalic acid showed no interference in ascorbic acid determination.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of alcohols on carbon electrodes modified by functionalized polypyrrole–RuO2 films

The electrocatalytic activity of several types of polypyrrole films bearing cationic pendant group [tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) complexes, viologen, ammonium] and containing dispersed microparticles of RuO₂ towards the oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes or ketones has been investigated. Best results are obtained with polypyrrole films substituted by a tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) complex, the latter acting as an electron relay for the electrogeneration of the strong oxidizing species RuO₄²⁻. The influence of several parameters such as base, supporting electrolyte, electrolysis potential and catalyst amount on the efficiency of the electrocatalysis has been examined. Under optimum conditions a maximum turnover of 10 900 was reached. In all cases the lifetime of these electrode materials was limited by the slow release of the RuO₄²⁻ species.