Migration and Precipitation of Platinum in Anion-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Despite the recent progress in increasing the power generation of Anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), their durability is still far lower than that of Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Using the complementary techniques of X-ray micro-computed tomography (CT), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, we have identified Pt ion migration as an important factor to explain the decay in performance of AEMFCs. In alkaline media Pt⁺² ions are easily formed which then either undergo dissolution into the carbon support or migrate to the membrane. In contrast to PEMFCs, where hydrogen cross over reduces the ions forming a vertical “Pt line” within the membrane, the ions in the AEM are trapped by charged groups within the membrane, leading to disintegration of the membrane and failure. Diffusion of the metal components is still observed when the Pt/C of the cathode is substituted with a FeCo−N−C catalyst, but in this case the Fe and Co ions are not trapped within the membrane, but rather migrate into the anode, thereby increasing the stability of the membrane.     

Rodlike Cellulose Microcrystals: Structure,Properties, and Applications

Summary: In this article we present some interesting properties of rodlike cellulose microcrystals (so‐called “whiskers”). These microcrystals can be obtained from different cellulose sources such as wood, cotton, or animal origin. When submitted to acid hydrolysis, the cellulose fibers yield stable aqueous suspensions because of the presence of negative charges on the surface of the microcrystallites during the hydrolysis process. The obtained microcrystals are rod‐shaped particles, the dimensions of which depend on the cellulose origin. For instance, the cotton whiskers have typical dimensions varying from 100 to 300 nm in length, L, and 8 to 10 nm in diameter, d, while those of the tunicate whiskers range from 100 nm to few micrometers in length and 10 to 20 nm in diameter. At very low concentrations, these whiskers are randomly suspended in water and form an isotropic phase. When the concentration reaches a critical value, the whiskers spontaneously display ordered phases showing interesting liquid crystal properties (nematic and chiral nematic). The chiral nematic orders can be retained after evaporation of the solvent (generally water), leaving iridescent films. The reflected color can be controlled by changing either the ionic strength or by applying an electric field. These colloidal particles have been investigated using several techniques including small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS), small angle X‐ray scattering, rheology, and more recently dynamic and static light scattering techniques (DLS and SLS) to highlight their static and dynamic behavior. Because of their geometry, important axis ratio (L/d), and high crystallinity, these rods have been also extensively used to process nanocomposites based on polymer matrices, to reinforce their mechanical properties. All these properties are discussed in this contribution.

Rodlike nanocrystals in aqueous suspension (left, Tunicate, 1 wt.‐%) and film (right), observed between cross‐polarizers.     

Optimisation of the ethylene glycol reduction method for the synthesis of platinum-ceria-carbon materials as catalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Novel platinum-ceria-Ketjenblack carbon bifunctional electrocatalysts with flower-shaped ceria crystals were synthesised for conducting the methanol...     

Polarization‐resolved high‐resolution Raman spectroscopy with a light‐emitting diode

We demonstrate the use of a light‐emitting diode (LED) based experimental setup for collecting polarization‐resolved Raman spectra with good spectral resolution. The combination of a commercial red LED (630 nm), a 1‐nm bandwidth laser‐line filter, and a polarizing prism is used as a light source. Polarization‐resolved spectra in dimethyl sulfoxide are recorded and compared with the corresponding laser‐Raman spectra. The LED‐excited spectra exhibit a resolution slightly lower than those in the laser case but still close to the resolution of the spectrometer. All relevant spectral features of dimethyl sulfoxide including the symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes of the CSC moiety are resolved with the experimental setup providing a spectral resolution of approximately 20 cm⁻¹. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sortase‐Catalyzed Initiator Attachment Enables High Yield Growth of a Stealth Polymer from the C Terminus of a Protein

Conventional methods for synthesizing protein/peptide–polymer conjugates, as a means to improve the pharmacological properties of therapeutic biomolecules, typically have drawbacks including low yield, non‐trivial separation of conjugates from reactants, and lack of site‐ specificity, which results in heterogeneous products with significantly compromised bioactivity. To address these limitations, the use of sortase A from Staphylococcus aureus is demonstrated to site‐specifically attach an initiator solely at the C‐terminus of green fluorescent protein (GFP), followed by in situ growth of a stealth polymer, poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Sortase‐catalyzed initiator attachment proceeds with high specificity and near‐complete (≈95%) product conversion. Subsequent in situ ATRP in aqueous buffer produces 1:1 stoichiometric conjugates with >90% yield, low dispersity, and no denaturation of the protein. This approach introduces a simple and useful method for high yield synthesis of protein/peptide–polymer conjugates.