Electro-oxidation of methanol catalysed by porous nanostructured Fe/Pd-Fe electrode in alkaline medium

Nanostructured Fe/Pd-Fe catalysts are prepared first by the deposition of Fe-Zn onto the Fe electrode surface, followed by replacement of the Zn by Pd at open circuit potential in a Pd-containing alkaline solution. The surface morphology and composition of coatings are determined by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray techniques. The results show that the Fe/Pd-Fe coatings are porous structure and the average particle size of Pd-Fe is low, in the range of 30–80 nm. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of Fe/Pd-Fe electrodes for oxidation of methanol are examined by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. The new Fe/Pd-Fe catalyst has higher electrocatalytic activity and better stability for the electro-oxidation of methanol in an alkaline media than flat Pd and smooth Fe catalysts. The onset potential and peak potential on Fe/Pd-Fe catalysts are more negative than that on flat Pd and smooth Fe electrodes for methanol electro-oxidation. All results show that the nanostructured Fe/Pd-Fe electrode is a promising catalyst towards methanol oxidation in alkaline media for fuel cell applications.     

Inhibition of LaNi5 electrode decay in alkaline medium by electroless encapsulation of active powder particles

Surface of powdered LaNi₅ intermetallic compound has been modified by active particle coverage with electroless nickel (Ni-P). The electrode degradation process in 6 M KOH solution has been tested across 70 charge/discharge cycles at −0.5 C/+0.5 C rates. It has been established that after approx. 25–35 initial cycles, the electrode degradation process fulfills first order chemical reaction kinetics law: logarithm of discharge capacity linearly decreases with cycle number. The rate constant for the Ni-P protected material is over 20 % lower than that of as received one. The surface modification also improves the alloy hydrogenation kinetics: exchange current densities of H₂O/H₂ system are generally greater for modified material and, contrary to uncovered material, do not practically decrease with long-lasting cycling.

     

A novel composite electrode for oxygen evolution reaction

FeOOH nanowires were prepared and characterized with X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. A composite electrode consisting of FeOOH and Ni foam (FeOOH/Ni-foam) was fabricated, and its catalytic performance for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was evaluated and compared with nanowire NiCo₂O₄/Ni-foam electrode. The mass current density of OER on FeOOH/Ni-foam is around three times of that on NiCo₂O₄/Ni-foam. Ni foam played a key role for the high activity of the FeOOH/Ni-foam. A synergistic mechanism of FeOOH and Ni was proposed to account for the superior catalytic performance of the FeOOH/Ni-foam electrode. Considering the low cost, abundant resource and environment-benign property of FeOOH, the FeOOH/Ni-foam electrode would be a promising anode for OER.     

Cobalt and nitrogen codoped porous carbon as superior bifunctional electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline medium

Metal (cobalt)/nitrogen codoped carbon was first fabricated by pyrolysis of coordinated “noncarbonizable” polymer as bifunctional catalyst for ORR and HER, which showed better electrocatalytic performances than most bifunctional doped carbon catalysts in alkaline electrolyte.     

Direct electrochemistry of myoglobin on TiO2 and alginate composite modified carbon ionic liquid electrode via the electrodeposition method

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - In this work, electrodeposition of the mixture of myoglobin (Mb), sodium alginate (SA), and TiO2 nanoparticles on the carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE)...     

Electrocatalytic activity of porous nanostructured Fe/Pt-Fe electrode for methanol electrooxidation in alkaline media

An electrochemical approach to fabricate a nanostructured Fe/Pt-Fe catalyst through electrodepo-sition followed by galvanic replacement is presented. An Fe/Pt-Fe nanostructured electrode was prepared by deposition of Fe-Zn onto a Fe electrode surface, followed by replacement of the Zn by Pt at open-circuit potential in a Pt-containing alkaline solution. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray techniques reveal that the Fe/Pt-Fe electrode is porous and contains Pt. The electrocatalytic activity of the Fe/Pt-Fe electrode for oxidation of methanol was examined by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The electrooxidation current on the Fe/Pt-Fe catalyst is much higher than that on flat Pt and smooth Fe catalysts. The onset potential and peak potential on the Fe/Pt-Fe catalyst are more negative than those on flat Pt and smooth Fe electrodes for methanol electrooxidation. All results show that this nanostructured Fe/Pt-Fe electrode is very attractive for integrated fuel cell applications in alkaline media.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on Ni modified polyaniline electrode in alkaline medium

Electrolytically deposited Ni on polyaniline film covered carbon paste electrode (Ni/PANI/CPE) was used as anode for the electrooxidation of methanol in alkaline medium. The electrochemical behavior and electrocatalytic activity of the electrode were studied using cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, chronomethods, and polarization studies. The morphology and composition of the modified film were obtained using scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray analysis techniques. The electrooxidation of methanol in NaOH was found to be more efficient on Ni/PANI/CPE than on bare Ni, electrodeposited Ni on Pt, Ni on glassy carbon, and Ni on CPE substrates. Partial chemical displacement of dispersed Ni on PANI with Pt or Pd further improved its performance towards methanol oxidation.     

Electrocatalytically active graphene-porphyrin MOF composite for oxygen reduction reaction

Pyridine-functionalized graphene (reduced graphene oxide) can be used as a building block in the assembly of metal organic framework (MOF). By reacting the pyridine-functionalized graphene with iron-porphyrin, a graphene-metalloporphyrin MOF with enhanced catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) is synthesized. The structure and electrochemical property of the hybrid MOF are investigated as a function of the weight percentage of the functionalized graphene added to the iron-porphyrin framework. The results show that the addition of pyridine-functionalized graphene changes the crystallization process of iron-porphyrin in the MOF, increases its porosity, and enhances the electrochemical charge transfer rate of iron-porphyrin. The graphene-metalloporphyrin hybrid shows facile 4-electron ORR and can be used as a promising Pt-free cathode in alkaline Direct Methanol Fuel Cell.     

碱性溶液中电聚酪胺-铜草酸盐纳米复合物修饰铜电极电催化甲醇氧化(英文)

A polytyramine-copper oxalate nanocomposite modified copper(PTCOxNMC) electrode prepared by electropolymerization was examined for electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of methanol in alkaline solution using cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. The prepared PTCOxNMC electrode showed a significantly high response for adsorbed methanol oxidation. The effects of various parameters such as potential scan rate and methanol concentration on the electrocatalytic oxidation at the surface of the PTCOxNMC electrode were investigated. Spectrometry techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine the surface physical characteristics of the modified electrode and revealed that the polytyramine-copper oxalate nanocomposite particles were highly dispersed on the surface of the copper electrode with a narrow size up to 40 nm. The very high current density obtained for the catalytic oxidation may have resulted from the high electrode surface area caused by modification with the poly-tyramine-copper oxalate nanocomposite.     

Highly enantioselective organocatalytic direct aldol reaction in an aqueous medium

We have demonstrated that small organic molecules 1 and 2 catalyzed the direct aldol reaction of both acyclic and cyclic ketones with different aldehydes in an excess of water/brine. Excellent enantioselectivities up to >99% and diastereoselectivities up to 99% with very good yields were obtained by using much lower catalyst loadings (0.5 mol %).     

碱性介质中多孔纳米结构镍/钯-镍电极上甲醇电氧化反应(英文)

A nanostructured Ni/Pd-Ni catalyst with high activity for methanol oxidation in alkaline solution was prepared by electrodeposition followed by galvanic replacement, that is, electrodeposition of Ni-Zn on a Ni coating with subsequent replacement of the Zn by Pd at the open circuit potential in a Pd-containing alkaline solution. The surface morphology and composition of the coatings were examined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The Ni/Pd-Ni coatings were porous and were composed of discrete Pd nanoparticles of about 58 nm. The electrocatalytic activity of the Ni/Pd-Ni electrodes for the oxidation of methanol was examined by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The onset potentials for methanol oxidation on Ni/Pd-Ni were 0.077 V and 0.884 V, which were lower than those for flat Pd and smooth Ni electrodes, respectively. The anodic peak current densities of these electrodes were 4.33 and 8.34 times higher than those of flat Pd (58.4 mA/cm2 vs 13.47 mA/cm2) and smooth Ni (58.4 mA/cm2 vs 7 mA/cm2). The nanostructured Ni/Pd-Ni electrode is a promising catalyst for methanol oxidation in alkaline media for fuel cell application.     

Peculiarities of metal electrodeposition inside a flow-through porous electrode with low initial conductivity in oxidant containing solution

The earlier developed dynamic model of a flow-through electrode is used for studying how the variations in initial conductivity of a porous matrix κ_s,ini and a metal deposit affect the rate of metal deposition from an oxidant-containing solution for the direct-flow operation mode of the porous electrode. It is found that in contrast to an oxidant-free solution in which the decrease of κ_s,ini improves the uniformity of deposit distribution inside the porous cathode and increases the deposit final mass m _f, the opposite situation is observed in the presence of an oxidant, namely, a decrease in κ_s,ini, under otherwise similar conditions reduces the deposit mass and leads to its specific spatial distribution. The final metal deposit is divided into two separate fragments (rear and front) with a region of low conductivity of the initial porous matrix in between. Dynamics of the current and metal redistribution within the porous electrode, the reasons for the formation and stabilization of the rear fragment of coating, the correlation between the metal deposition rate and changes in the anodic zone position and intensity are discussed. It is shown that with the appearance of a specific profile of deposit distribution, the dependence of m _f on the metal conductivity develops a limit that differs considerably from the deposit final mass for an equipotential porous electrode.     

Mathematical modeling of prolonged cycling of a porous cadmium electrode in alkaline power sources

An analysis of a computer model of a porous cadmium electrode is presented. The model describes prolonged cycling of the electrode under the alkaline battery conditions. It allows the evaluation of the dependence of the cathodic and anodic polarization on the concentration of the alkaline electrolyte, the charge and discharge current density, and the thickness and porosity of the electrode. The effect of the mass transfer of the active substance along the electrode thickness on the electrode capacity during the battery cycling can also be predicted. The calculations took into account that the cathodic and anodic processes on the cadmium electrode occurred by the liquid- and solid-state mechanisms. The diffusion, migration, and convective transport of the electrolyte components were also taken into account. An analysis of data using this model showed that it can be used in studies of the capacity of sintered cadmium electrodes under different operating conditions of nickel-cadmium batteries.     

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol by ZSM-5 nanozeolite-modified carbon paste electrode in alkaline medium

Development of a novel modified electrode for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in order to decrease overvoltage is importance. In this paper, carbon paste electrode (CPE) was modified by ZSM-5 nanozeolite. The average diameter of used nanozeolite was 97 nm. Ni²⁺ ions were incorporated to the nanozeolite by immersion of the modified electrode in a 0.1 M nickel chloride solution. Then, electrochemical studies of this electrode were performed by using cyclic voltammetry(CV) in alkaline medium. This modified electrode was used as an anode for the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in 0.1 M of NaOH solution. The obtained data demonstrated that ZSM-5 nanozeolite at the surface of CPE improves catalytic efficiency of the dispersed nickel ions toward methanol oxidation. The values of electron transfer coefficient, charge-transfer rate constant, and the electrode surface coverage are obtained 0.61, 0.2342 s^?1, and 4.33 × 10^?8 mol cm^?2, respectively. Also, the mean value of catalytic rate constant between the methanol and redox sites of electrode and diffusion coefficient were found to be 2.54 × 10⁴ cm³ mol^?1 s^?1 and 1.85 × 10^?8 cm² s^?1, respectively. Obtained results from both CV and chronoamperometric techniques indicated that the electrode reaction is a diffusion-controlled process.     

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes as a cathode catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium

A new approach to synthesize nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) as catalysts for oxygen reduction by treating oxidized CNTs with ammonia is presented. The surface properties and oxygen reduction activities were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, rotating disk electrode and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. NCNTs treated at 800 °C show improved electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction as compared with commercially available Pt/C catalysts.     

Use of a copper electrode in alkaline medium as an amperometric sensor for sulphite in a flow-through configuration

A flow injection analysis (FIA) method has been developed for the determination of sulphite in beverages. The method is based on the amperometric detection (0.60 V vs Ag/AgCl (sat. NaCl)) of the analyte at a copper surface in an alkaline medium (1 M NaOH solution) with a manifold that incorporates flow extraction of sulphite as SO2 through a PTFE membrane. Under optimal experimental conditions the peak current response increases linearly with sulphite concentration over the range from 1.0 to 5.0 mM. The repeatability of the electrode response in the FIA configuration was evaluated as 4% ( n =20), the limit of detection of the method was 0.04 mM (S/N =3) and the analytical frequency was 50 h(-1). Since ethanol is also electroactive and permeates through the PTFE membrane, a strategy involving in a first step measurements of only ethanol by manipulating the pH of the donor stream was employed for wine samples. Then, both ethanol and sulphite were measured at the copper electrode at 0.40 V vs Ag/AgCl (sat. NaCl) and the sulphite concentration was determined by difference. Results for 3 different beverage samples (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) showed excellent agreement with the ones obtained by using a recommended procedure for sulphite analysis.     

Carbon nanotube/polystyrene composite electrode for microchip electrophoretic determination of rutin and quercetin in Flos Sophorae Immaturus

In this report, carbon nanotube/polystyrene (CNT/PS) composite electrodes have been fabricated as sensitive amperometric detectors of microchip capillary electrophoresis (CE) for the determination of rutin and quercetin in Flos Sophorae Immaturus. The composite electrode was fabricated on the basis of the in situ polymerization of a mixture of CNT and styrene in the microchannel of a piece of fused silica capillary under heat. The surface morphologies of the composite in the electrodes were observed by using a scanning electron microscope. The performance of this unique system has been demonstrated by separating and detecting rutin and quercetin. The new CNT-based CE detector offered significantly lower detection potentials, yielded substantially enhanced signal-to-noise characteristics, and exhibited resistance to surface fouling and hence enhanced stability. It demonstrated long-term stability and reproducibility with a relative standard deviation of less than 5% for the peak current (n = 20) and should also find a wide range of applications in conventional CE, flowing injection analysis, and other microfluidic analysis systems.