Experimental and artificial intelligence for modeling the cyclic voltammogram behavior of Pt/reduced graphene oxide nanocatalyst synthesized using gamma irradiation at different experimental conditions of graphene oxide

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Cyclic voltammogram (CV) curves of Pt/graphene on different synthesis conditions of graphene oxide (GO) such as ratio of sulfuric to phosphoric acid and...     

Structure, phase formation, and wetting behavior of BaO–SiO2–B2O3 based glass–ceramics as sealants for solid oxide fuel cells

In the present study, glasses from the three different compositional triangles in the BaO–B₂O₃–SiO₂ system with fixed B₂O₃/SiO₂ ratio and different BaO/SiO₂ molar ratios (designated as Ba32, Ba37, and Ba42) were prepared, and suitability of them as sealant in solid oxide fuel cells were investigated. Structure of the glasses was characterized with Raman spectroscopy. According to the results, the structure of the glass with 32 % molar BaO (Ba32) predominantly consisted of Q² structural species. In glasses with 37 and 42 % molar BaO (Ba37 and Ba42), with the substitution of SiO₂ by BaO, distribution of Qⁿ units widened, silicate glass network depolymerized, and concentration of Q¹ structural units increased at the expense of Q² units. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that in samples Ba32 and Ba37, initially, Ba₃Si₅O₁₃ and Ba₅Si₈O₂₁ phases were crystallized, respectively, and it seemed they acted as the sites for the subsequent growth of BaSi₂O₅ phase. In contrast, the dominant phase in sample Ba42 was Ba₂Si₃O₈. Sintering, wetting, and crystallization behavior of the glasses were studied using hot-stage microscopy and differential thermal analysis, respectively. Delay in the crystallization accompanied by depolymerization of the structure led into deformation at lower temperatures and greater wettability on the steel for Ba37 glass. All the glasses wetted AISI430 alloy at temperatures higher than 1,000 °C.     

Electroreduction of Oxygen and Electrooxidation of Methanol at Carbon and Single Wall Carbon Nanotube Supported Platinum Electrodes

The present research aimed at investigating the electrocatalytic properties and the electrochemical deposition of Pt nanoparticles on carbon powder, carbon nanotube and preparation of carbon and single wall carbon nanotube supported platinum electrodes. The Pt nanoparticles were synthesized by electroreduction of hexachloroplatinic acid in aqueous solution at ?200 mV. Electrocatalytic properties of the modified electrodes for oxygen reduction were investigated by cyclic voltammetry in O₂ saturated solution containing 0.1 M HClO₄. Methanol electrooxidation at the modified surfaces in 0.5 M HCLO₄ was studied by cyclic voltammetry. The corresponding results showed that the Pt/SWCNT/GC electrode exhibits more improved catalytical activity than the Pt/C/GC electrode.     

Effect of diode size and series resistance on barrier height and ideality factor in nearly ideal Au/n type-GaAs micro Schottky contact diodes

Small high-quality Au/n type-GaAs Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with low reverse leakage current are produced using lithography. Their effective barrier heights (BHs) and ideality factors from current-voltage (I-V) characteristics are measured by a Pico ampere meter and home-built I-V instrument. In spite of the identical preparation of the diodes there is a diode-to-diode variation in ideality factor and barrier height parameters. Measurement of topology of a surface of a thin metal film with atomic force microscope (AFM) shows that Au-n type-GaAS SD consists of a set of parallel-connected micro and nanocontacts diodes with sizes approximately in a range of 100-200 nm. Between barrier height and ideality factor there is an inversely proportional dependency. With the diameter of contact increasing from 5 μm up to 200 μm, the barrier height increases from 0.833 up to 0.933 eV and its ideality factor decreases from 1.11 down to 1.006. These dependencies show the reduction of the contribution of the peripheral current with the diameter of contact increasing. We find the effect of series resistance on barrier height and ideality factor.     

High temperature and low current density synthesis of Mn3O4 porous nano spheres: Characterization and electrochemical properties

Uniform and single-crystalline Mn₃O₄ nano-spheres were synthesized by cathodic electrodeposition at high temperature (80 °C) and low current density (0.25 mA cm⁻¹) on steel electrode. Further the annealed samples were characterized for their structural and morphological properties by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) studies. TEM and SEM images showed that particles have spherical shapes and the average diameter size was about 50 nm. Formation of Mn₃O₄ compound was confirmed from FTIR studies. The XRD pattern showed that the Mn₃O₄ exhibit tetragonal hausmannite structure. The results of N₂ adsorption-desorption analysis indicated that Mn₃O₄ nano-sphere has BET surface area of about 177.6 m² g⁻¹ and average pore diameters of 3 and 4 nm. The possible formation mechanism of Mn₃O₄ nanostructures has been discussed. The supercapacitive properties of Mn₃O₄ sample in 0.5 M Na₂SO₄ electrolyte showed maximum supercapacitance of 235.4 Fg⁻¹ at scan rate 10 mV s⁻¹. Coulumbic efficiency could be kept about 90% during 1000 cycles at 10 mV s⁻¹.     

A study of the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on a nickel–salophen-modified glassy carbon electrode

Nickel–salophen-modified glassy carbon electrodes prepared by transferring one drop of Ni–salophen complex solution on the electrode surface. This modified electrode has been used for the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in alkaline solutions with various methods such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrooxidation was observed as large anodic peaks, and early stages of the cathodic direction of potential sweep around 20 mV vs. Ag|AgCl|KCl_sat. A mechanism based on the electrochemical generation of Ni (Ш) active sites and their subsequent consumptions by methanol have been discussed. EIS studies were employed to unveil the charge transfer rate as well as the electrical characteristics of the catalytic surface. For the electrochemical oxidation of methanol at 5.0 M concentration, charge transfer resistance of nearly 0.936 kΩ was obtained, while the resistance of the electrocatalyst layer was about 111.6 Ω.