The effect of ferric ions on the conductivity of various types of polymer cation exchange membranes

Recently, rejuvenated interest to fuel cells has posed a number of problems regarding the polymer electrolyte membrane properties and their behaviour in different electrolyte solutions. This work was dedicated to study the conductivity of H⁺-, Fe³⁺- and mixed H⁺/Fe³⁺-forms of cation exchange membranes Neosepta CMS, Nafion 112, 115 and 117 and Selemion HSF under conditions similar to these in the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺–H₂/H⁺ fuel cell in the range of current densities 0–90 mA/cm². It was found that the conductivities of these membranes in 1.09 M H₂SO₄ solution decrease in the following order: Selemion HSF › Nafion 117 ≈ Nafion 115 ≈ Neosepta CMS › Nafion 112. Conductivities of perfluorinated membranes were discussed in terms of Hsu and Gierke percolation theory [20]. The Fe³⁺-forms of Nafion membranes studied displayed a monotonous decline in the resistance when current increased, which is a manifestation of gradual conversion of the Fe³⁺-form into H⁺-form of these membranes. Unlike the Nafion membranes, the Fe³⁺-forms of Neosepta CMS and Selemion HSF membranes exhibited a sharp jump of resistance at relatively high current densities (more than 70 mA/cm²) that is most probably a result of concentration polarization.     

Removal of pesticide chlorobenzene by anodic degradation: Variable effects and mechanism

The oxidation of chlorobenzene (CB) was studied by electrochemical electrolysis using boron-doped diamond (BDD), PbO₂ or platine (Pt) as anode and graphite bar as cathode. The effect of applied current density, supporting electrolyte and initial pH value were also studied. The results demonstrated that BDD anode had the best effectiveness and accomplishment of electrochemical degradation of CB compared to PbO₂ and Pt anodes. For a current density of 20 mA/cm² and at pH = 3, the elimination of COD and TOC were about 97% and 98%, respectively, after 360 min of electrolysis with the BDD anode. Pseudo-first order kinetics appears to be the most appropriate to describe the degradation of chlorobenzene. The electrochemical mechanism of chlorobenzene on BDD was proposed based on the identified intermediates.     

Determination of As in tobacco by using electrochemical hydride generation at a Nafion® solid polymer electrolyte cell hyphenated with atomic fluorescence spectrometry

In the present work, a novel solid polymer electrolyte hydride generation (SPE-HG) cell was developed. The home-made SPE-HG cell, mainly composed of three components (Nafion®117 membrane for separating and H⁺ exchanging, a soft graphite felt cathode and a Ti mesh modified by Ir anode), was employed for detecting As by coupling to atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS). The H⁺ generated by electrolysis of pure water in anode chamber transferred to cathode chamber through SPE, and immediately reacted with As^3 + to generate AsH₃. The relative mechanisms and operation conditions for hydride generation of As were investigated in detail. The developed cell employed water as an alternative of acid anolyte, with virtues of low-cost, more than 6 months lifetime and environment friendly compared with the conventional cell. Under the optimized conditions, the limit of determination of As^3 + for sample blank solution was 0.12 μg L^? 1, the RSD was 2.9% for 10 consecutive measurements of 5 μg L^? 1 As^3 + standard solution. The accuracy of the method was verified by the determination of As in the reference Tea (GBW07605) and the developed method was successfully applied to determine trace amounts of As in tobacco samples with recovery from 97% to 103%.     

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-modified nafion membrane for direct methanol fuel cells

Membranes Nafion 117 are modified with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDT) by chemical polymerization of EDT with H₂O₂ or FeCl₃ as the oxidants in a two-compartment cell. Depending on the oxidant and polymerization conditions, PEDT is deposited either as a thin film on the membrane surface or inside the Nafion membrane depending on whether FeCl₃ or H₂O₂ is used as the oxidant. The decrease in the ionic conductivity and methanol permeability is studied as a function of the polymerization time. A linear dependence is found with H₂O₂ and a t ^−1/2 dependence, with FeCl₃. The contributions of PEDT and Nafion to the overall conductivity of the composite membranes are separated by impedance measurements. The modified membranes (FeCl₃) are also tested in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The methanol permeation through the membranes is measured by operating the fuel cell in an electrolysis mode. The influence of the modified membranes on the DMFC current-voltage characteristics is studied with 2 M CH₃OH and O₂ at 1.2 bar_abs and 80°C. Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) are prepared by hot pressing the modified membrane between two commercial gas diffusion electrodes with 1 mg cm⁻² of Pt loading. A decrease of the methanol permeation of 25% is observed at MEA with the modified membrane (1 h polymerization time), compared with that of MEA with a Nafion membrane. However, the overall DMFC performance decreases in the same relation: a maximal power density of 36 W cm⁻² is measured at MEA with a PEDT-modified membrane compared with 45 W cm⁻² for MEA with a Nafion membrane. Published in Russian in Elektrokhimiya, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 11, pp. 1330–1339. Based on the report delivered at the 8th International Frumkin Symposium “Kinetics of the Electrode Processes,” October 18–22, 2005, Moscow. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Producing metallic titanium through electro-refining of titanium nitride anode

Titanium nitride (TiN) was used as consumable anode to produce metallic titanium in molten salts. The electrochemical dissolution of TiN was investigated. It was found that nitrogen (N₂) was monitored at the anode during electrolysis. The titanium ion species was changed between Ti^2 + and Ti^3 + depending on the electrochemically dissolving potentials of TiN. Furthermore, the product on the cathode was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that pure titanium powders can be prepared by the TiN electro-refining in a molten salt bath.     

Direct Synthesis of H2O2 by a H2/O2 Fuel Cell

Direct synthesis of H₂O₂ solutions by a fuel cell method was reviewed. The fuel cell reactor of [O₂, gas-diffusion cathode electrolyte solutions Nafion membrane electrolyte solutions gas-diffusion anode, H₂] is very effective for formation of H₂O₂. The three-phase boundary (O₂(g)–electrode(s)–electrolyte(l)) in the gas-diffusion cathode is essential for efficient formation of H₂O₂. Fast diffusion processes of O₂ to the active surface and of H₂O₂ to the bulk electrolyte solutions are essential for H₂O₂ accumulation. The maxima H₂O₂ concentrations of 1.2 M (3.5 wt%) and 2.4 M (7.0 wt%) were accomplished by the heat-treated Mn-OEP/AC electrocatalyst with H₂SO₄ electrolyte and by the VGCF electrocatalyst with NaOH electrolyte, respectively, under short circuit conditions.     

Catalytic formation of hydrogen in electrolysis of chromium(II) chloride

It was determined that in the electrolysis of chromium(II) chloride the electrodeposits containing chromium and chromium(II) oxide which are formed on the cathode surface accelerate catalytically the reaction Cr²⁺+H⁺ Cr³⁺+1/2 H₂. As a result of superposition of the chemical reaction on the electrochemical process the absolute hydrogen yield in the electrolysis reaches 3500–4500%.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 111–113, January–February, 1987.     

High performance cathode-supported SOFC with perovskite anode operating in weakly humidified hydrogen and methane

A high performance cathode-supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), suitable for operating in weakly humidified hydrogen and methane, has been developed. The SOFC is essentially made up by a YSZ/LSM composite supporting cathode, a thin YSZ film electrolyte, and a GDC-impregnated La_0.75Sr_0.25Cr_0.5Mn_0.5O₃ (LSCM) anode. A gas tight thin YSZ film (∼27 μm) was formed during the co-sintering of cathode/electrolyte bi-layer at 1200 °C. The cathode-supported SOFC developed in this study showed encouraging performance with maximum power density of 0.182, 0.419, 0.628 and 0.818 W cm⁻² in air/3% H₂O–97% H₂ (and 0.06, 0.158, 0.221 and 0.352 W cm⁻² in air/3% H₂O–97% CH₄) at 750, 800, 850 and 900 °C, respectively. Such performance is close to that of the cathode-supported cell (0.42 W cm⁻² vs. 0.455 W cm⁻² in humidified H₂ at 800 °C) developed by Yamahara et al. [Solid State Ionics 176 (2005) 451–456] with a Co-infiltrated supporting LSM-YSZ cathode, a (Sc₂O₃)_0.1(Y₂O₃)_0.01(ZrO₂)_0.89 (SYSZ) electrolyte of 15 μm in thickness and a SYSZ/Ni anode, indicating that the performance of the GDC-impregnated LSCM anode is comparable to that made of Ni cermet while stable in weakly humidified methane fuel.     

Increased power from a two-chamber microbial fuel cell with a low-pH air-cathode compartment

Pt-supported air-cathodes still need improvement if their application in MFC technology is to be sustainable. In this context, the efficiency of an air-cathode was studied with respect to the pH of the solution it was exposed to. Voltammetry showed that oxygen reduction was no longer limited by H⁺ availability for pH lower than 3.0. A new MFC was designed with a catholyte compartment setup between the anode compartment and the air-cathode. With a catholyte compartment at pH 1.0, the MFC provided up to 5 W/m², i.e., 2.5-fold the power density obtained with the same anode and cathode in a single-chamber MFC working at pH 7.5. Current density exceeded 20 A/m². The benefit of low-pH in the catholyte chamber largely counterbalanced the mass transfer hindrance due the membrane that separated the two compartments. The MFC kept 66% its performance during nine days of continuous operation.     

Kinetics for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction and Application of the Ti/SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> + RuO<Subscript>2</Subscript> + MnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Electrode

A Ti/SnO₂ + RuO₂ + MnO₂ electrode was prepared by thermal decomposition of their salts. Results from SEM and XPS analyses, respectively, indicate that the coating layer exhibits a compact structure and the oxidation state of Mn in the coating layer is +IV. The experimental activation energy for the oxygen evolution reaction, which increased linearly with increasing overpotential, is about 8 kJ⋅mol⁻¹ at the equilibrium potential (η=0). The electrocatalytic characteristics of the anode are discussed in terms of ligand substitution reaction mechanisms (Sn1 and Sn2). It was found that the transition state for oxygen evolution at the anode in acidic solution follows a dissociative mechanism (Sn1 reaction). The Ti/SnO₂ + RuO₂ + MnO₂ anode in conjunction with UV illumination was used to degrade phenol solutions, where the concentration of phenol remaining was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results indicate that the degradation efficiency of phenol on the anode can reach 96.3% after photoelectrocatalytic oxidation for 3 h.     

A novel approach for highly proton conductive electrolyte membranes with improved methanol barrier properties: Layer-by-Layer assembly of salt containing polyelectrolytes

A series of highly proton conductive electrolyte membranes with improved methanol barrier properties are prepared from polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) and polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSS) including salt by Layer-by-Layer (LbL) method. The effects of added salt type (NaCl, MgCl₂) and salt concentration (1.0 M, 0.1 M) on proton conductivity (σ) and methanol barrier properties of the LbL self-assembled composite membranes are discussed in terms of controlled layer thickness and charge density. Furthermore, the influences of ion type in the multilayered composite membranes are studied in conjunction with physicochemical and thermal properties.The deposition of the self-assembly of PAH/PSS film on Nafion is followed by UV–Vis spectroscopy and it is observed that the polyelectrolyte layers growth on both sides of Nafion membrane regularly. (PAH/PSS)₅–Na⁺ and (PAH/PSS)₅–H⁺ with 1.0 M NaCl exhibits 49.6 and 27.8% reduction in lower methanol permittivity in comparison with the pristine Nafion^®117, respectively, while the proton conductivities are 12.97 and 74.69 mS cm⁻¹. Promisingly, it is found that the membrane selectivity values (Φ) of all multilayered membranes in H⁺ form are much higher than that of salt form (Na⁺ and Mg²⁺) and perfluorosulfonated ionomers reported in the literature. Also, we find out that the use of polyelectrolytes with high charge density causes a further improvement in proton conductivity and methanol barrier properties simultaneously. These encouraging results indicate that upon a suitable choice of LbL deposition conditions, composite membranes exhibiting both high proton conductivity and improved methanol barrier properties can be tailored for fuel cells.     

电解液对全铅单液流电池电极性能的影响

研究Pb(II)和H+离子浓度对全铅单液流电池正、负电极在复合石墨基体上电化学行为的影响.结果表明,PbO2正极和Pb负极的电极过程受电化学和扩散混合控制.Pb(II)氧化沉积成PbO2时出现成核环,铅负极成核过电位小,充放电电压差远小于PbO2正极,电池极化主要来自PbO2正极.增加H+浓度有利于降低PbO2正极和Pb负极的极化,但析氧、析氢副反应和腐蚀加重.增大Pb(II)浓度有利于抑制析氧,但PbO2正极充电电压升高,充放电电压差增大.Pb(II)浓度较低时,充放电过程中PbO2沉积层少许脱落,充电电压进一步降低且更趋平稳.为此,电解液中HBF4浓度以2 mol L-1为宜,Pb(II)浓度应在0.9 mol L-1以上.     

Preparation and hydrogen permeation of SrCe0.95Y0.05O3−δ asymmetrical membranes

Asymmetrical thin membranes of SrCe_0.95Y_0.05O_3−δ (SCY) were prepared by a conventional and cost-effective dry pressing method. The substrate consisted of SCY, NiO and soluble starch (SS), and the top layer was the SCY. NiO was used as a pore former and soluble starch was used to control the shrinkage of the substrate to match that of the top layer. Crack-free asymmetrical thin membranes with thicknesses of about 50 μm and grain sizes of 5–10 μm were successfully pressed on to the substrates. Hydrogen permeation fluxes (J_H2) of these thin membranes were measured under different operating conditions. At 950 °C, J_H2 of the 50 μm SCY asymmetrical membrane towards a mixture of 80% H₂/He was as high as 7.6 × 10⁻⁸ mol/cm² s, which was about 7 times higher than that of the symmetrical membranes with a thickness of about 620 μm. The hydrogen permeation properties of SCY asymmetrical membranes were investigated and activation energies for hydrogen permeation fluxes were calculated. The slope of the relationship between the hydrogen permeation fluxes and the thickness of the membranes was −0.72, indicating that permeation in SCY asymmetric membranes was controlled by both bulk diffusion and surface reaction in the range investigated.     

Formation characteristics of calcium phosphate deposits on a metal surface by H2O2-electrolysis reaction under various conditions

The cathodic electrolysis of H₂O₂ (H₂O₂ + e⁻ → OH⁻ + OH) on a metal surface in the presence of calcium and phosphate ions results in the formation of calcium phosphate deposits on the metal surface. In this study, the deposits formed under various treatment conditions (pHs, concentrations and ratios of calcium/phosphate ions, and so on) were characterized by scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffractometry. The exclusive formation of hydroxyapatite, HAP, was observed under comparatively narrow conditions (pH 3–4, [Ca+]/[PO₄³⁻] = 25 mM/15 mM), which is clearly different from the reported conditions for the deposition of HAP on titanium substrates. HAP was deposited in the form of a layer, comprised of morphologically amorphous HAP flakes that were less than 20 nm thick. SEM and FTIR analyses of the deposit at different stages of H₂O₂-electrolysis revealed that a few dozen nanometer-sized spheres of amorphous calcium phosphate were formed in the first step and then fused with each other to form ribbon-like flakes of HAP or broken glass-like brushite, depending on the pH. The pH for HAP formation on a stainless steel surface was markedly lower than that used for titanium, and the observed process by which amorphous calcium phosphate is converted to HAP was markedly different from that for the electrochemical deposition (electrolysis of water) of HAP on a titanium substrate.     

Electrochemical deposition of platinum nanoparticles in multiwalled carbon nanotube–Nafion composite for methanol electrooxidation

Platinum nanoparticles were successfully deposited within a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)–Nafion matrix by a cyclic voltammetry method. A Pt(IV) complex was reduced to platinum nanoparticles on the surface of MWCNTs. The resulting Pt nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The Pt–MWCNT–Nafion nanocomposite film-modified glassy carbon electrode had a sharp hydrogen desorption peak at about −0.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl (3 M) in a solution of 0.5 M H₂SO₄, which is directly related to the electrochemical activity of the Pt nanoparticles presented on the surface of MWCNTs. The electrocatalytic properties of the Pt–MWCNT–Nafion nanocomposite-modified glassy carbon electrode for methanol electrooxidation were investigated by cyclic voltammetry in a 2 M CH₃OH + 1 M H₂SO₄ solution. In comparison with the Pt-coated glassy carbon electrode and the Pt–Nafion modified glassy carbon electrode, the Pt–MWCNT–Nafion-modified electrode had excellent electrocatalytic activity toward methanol electrooxidation. The stability of the Pt–MWCNT–Nafion nanocomposite-modified electrode had also been evaluated.     

A Comparative Study on Electrochemical Oxidation of Phenol in Two Types of Cells

Electrochemical oxidation of phenol was studied using Ti/IrO₂/RuO₂ anode and a carbon/polytetrafluoroethylene (C/PTFE) O₂-fed cathode which generated hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) by the reduction of oxygen in the undivided cell and the divided cell with a cotton diaphragm. For degradation mechanism of phenol on the cathode and anode, two kinds of cells are similar. However, the basic condition of the cathodic compartment in the divided cell was prone to H₂O₂ changed to and HO ₂ ⁻ and HO^·. So, the mineralization of phenol in the divided cell was better than that in the undivided cell.__________From Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 7, 2005, pp. 810–816.Original English Text Copyright © 2005 by Wang Hui, Yu Xiujuan, Wu Lan, Wang Qiang, Sun Dezhi.The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

TNT determination based on its degradation by immobilized HRP with electrochemical sensor

Based on the mechanism of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT) degradation, an amperometric hydrogen peroxide biosensor was constructed for the determination of trace amounts of TNT by immobilization of MWCNTs, HRP and Nafion onto the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The Nafion/MWCNTs/HRP biosensor was capable of degrading TNT with the consumption of H₂O₂ and HRP in 0.2 mol/L PBS (pH 7.0). Trace TNT was quantitative analyzed by the current decrease of H₂O₂ at the reductive potential of −0.35 V using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Effect of the ratio of MWCNTs/HRP, initial concentration of H₂O₂ and electrolyte’s pH were also optimized by CV. Under the optimal conditions, the current decrease of H₂O₂ that was consumed by TNT degradation was proportional to TNT ranging from 8.8 × 10⁻⁹ mol/L to 2.64 × 10⁻⁷ mol/L with a detection limit of 3.0 × 10⁻⁹ mol/L (S/N = 3). It developed a new way for simple, rapid and sensitive measurement of trace TNT.     

High capacity and excellent cyclability of vanadium (IV) oxide in lithium battery applications

A VO₂ · 0.43H₂O powder with a flaky particle morphology was synthesized via a hydrothermal reduction method. It was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. As an electrode material for rechargeable lithium batteries, it was used both as a cathode versus lithium anode and as an anode versus LiCoO₂, LiFePO₄ or LiNi_0.5Mn_1.5O₄ cathode. The VO₂ · 0.43H₂O electrode exhibits an extraordinary superiority with high capacity (160 mAh g^?1), high energy efficiency (95%), excellent cyclability (142.5 mAh g^?1 after 500 cycles) and rate capability (100 mAh g^?1 at 10 C-rate).     

Synthesis,characterization and the electrocatalytic application of prussian blue/titanate nanotubes nanocomposite

A novel kind of nanocomposite, titanate nanotubes (TNTs) decorated by electroactive Prussian blue (PB), was fabricated by a simple chemical method. The as-prepared nanocomposite was characterized by XRD, XPS, TEM, FT-IR and Cyclic voltammetry (CV). Experimental results revealed that PB was adsorbed on the surface of TNTs, and the adsorption capacity of TNTs was stronger than that of anatase-type TiO₂ powder (TNP). The PB-TNTs nanocomposite was modified onto a glassy carbon electrode and the electrode showed excellent electroactivity. The modified electrode also exhibited outstanding electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide and can serve as an amperometric sensor for H₂O₂ detection. The sensor fabricated by casting Nafion (NF) above the PB-TNTs composite film (NF/PB-TNTs/GCE) showed two linear ranges of 2 × 10^?5–5 × 10^?4 M and 2 × 10^?3–7 × 10^?3 M, with a detection limit of 1 × 10^?6 M. Furthermore, PB-TNTs modified electrode with Nafion (NF/PB-TNTs/GCE) showed wider linear range and better stability compared with PB-TNTs modified electrode without Nafion (PB-TNTs/GCE) and PB modified electrode with Nafion (NF/PB/GCE).     

Removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol using ionic liquid [BMIM]+[PF6]- encapsulated PVDF membrane

2,4-Dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) is one of the toxic chlorophenol compounds found in aquatic environments. Chlorophenols are priority pollutants, due to their high toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. In this study, experiments were carried out for the removal of 2,4-Dichlorophenol (Cl₂C₆H₃OH) from aqueous solution using commercial grade PVDF membrane immobilised with 1-Butyl-3-methyl imidazolium hexafluorophosphate [BMIM]⁺[PF6]^- ionic liquid. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) used to identify and to confirm the surface morphology, functional groups and operational stability of Ionic Liquid [BMIM]⁺[PF₆]^- encapsulated PVDF membrane. The effect of various factors such as feed phase pH, initial 2,4-DCP concentration, operation time and stirring speed along with different stripping agents such as NaOH, KOH and NH₄OH on the removal of chlorophenols has been investigated. The maximum permeation rate of 85.52% was achieved over an experimental run of 24 at pH 4 with a strip flux of 8.18323 × 10^?09 mol m^?2s^?1 in 0.1 M NaOH strip phase.