Effect of the electrodeposition potential on the photoelectroactivity of the SnS/Sb2S3 thin films

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The present work outlines a simple and novel approach to obtain nanostructured and heterostructured SnS/Sb2S3 thin films. This material showed enhanced...     

A New Indirect Electroanalytical Method to Monitor the Contamination of Natural Waters with 4‐Nitrophenol Using Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes

The electrochemical detection of the hazardous pollutant 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) at low potentials, in order to avoid matrix interferences, is an important research challenge. This study describes the development, electrochemical characterization and utilization of a multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) film electrode for the quantitative determination of 4‐NP in natural water. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements showed that the modified surface exhibits a decrease of ca. 13 times in the charge transfer resistance when compared with a bare glassy carbon (GC) surface. Voltammetric experiments showed the possibility to oxidize a hydroxylamine layer (produced by the electrochemical reduction of 4‐NP on the GC/MWNCT surface) in a potential region which is approximately 700 mV less positive than that needed to oxidize 4‐NP, thus minimizing the interference of matrix components. The limit of detection for 4‐NP obtained using square‐wave voltammetry (0.12 μmol L^?1) was lower than the value advised by EPA. A natural water sample from a dam located in São Carlos (Brazil) was spiked with 4‐NP and analyzed by the standard addition method using the GC/MWCNT electrode, without any further purification step. The recovery procedure yielded a value of 96.5% for such sample, thus confirming the suitability of the developed method to determine 4‐NP in natural water samples. The electrochemical determination was compared with that obtained by HPLC with UV‐vis detection.     

Direct Electrochemical Determination of Glyphosate at Copper Phthalocyanine/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Film Electrodes

A copper phthalocyanine/multiwalled carbon nanotube film‐modified glassy carbon electrode has been used for the determination of the herbicide glyphosate (Gly) at ?50 mV vs. SCE by electrochemical oxidation using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that Gly is adsorbed on the metallic centre of the copper phthalocyanine molecule, with formation of Gly‐copper ion complexes. An analytical method was developed using DPV in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution, without any pretreatment steps: Gly was determined in the concentration range of 0.83–9.90 μmol L^?1, with detection limit 12.2 nmol L^?1 (2.02 μg L^?1).     

The effect of composition of solid silver amalgam electrodes on their electrochemical response

The main purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of the silver to mercury ratio on the voltammetric responses of silver solid amalgam electrodes (AgSAE’s). For this, the AgSAE were prepared by mechanical mixing the metals in the following mass ratios of silver to mercury: 30/70, 40/60, 50/50, 60/40, and 70/30. The resulting AgSAE’s were physically characterized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, confirming the mass percentages of the silver and mercury, the total absence of liquid mercury and a globular structure of all AgSAE’s. Furthermore, it was observed that the AgSAE 30/70 contained only one single phase (Ag₂Hg₃), and no metallic silver or mercury oxides. Additionally, the resulting AgSAE’s were chemically characterized with respect to the influence of the electrode composition on the reproducibility and electrochemical signals of a hexamine-ruthenium (III) chloride solution by use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The separation between anodic and cathodic peaks, and consequently, the charge transfer resistance across the electrode/solution interface, and the electroactive area were calculated demonstrating that the 30/70 composition is the best surface for practical applications. Finally, square-wave voltammetry experiments were performed in 4-nitrophenol solution, with a previous optimization of the experimental and voltammetric parameters. The calculated detection limit shows that the AgSAE 30/70 is suitable for determining any contamination by p-nitrophenol, minimizing the toxic residues in case of using liquid mercury electrodes.     

Inexpensive methodology for obtaining flexible SnO2-single-walled carbon nanotube composites for lithium-ion battery anodes

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - A versatile and low-cost methodology for fabricating free-standing carbon graphite (CG)/SnO2/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) composites as anode...     

The iron oxyhydroxide role in the mediation of charge transfer for water splitting using bismuth vanadate photoanodes

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The water photo-oxidation to oxygen on iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) deposited on a surface of semiconductor materials play a crucial role in the enhancement...     

Electron impact fragmentation of pyranocoumarin derivatives. Tandem mass spectrometric study of abundant singly and doubly charged fragment ions at high and low collision energy

A series of novel pyranocoumarin derivatives were analysed by electron impact mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry at low aud high collision energy. The collision-induced decomposition tandem mass spectra of the [M ? CH₃]⁺ ions yielded several structurally valuable fragments and those of the [M ? CH₃]²⁺ ions allowed some charge-separation reactions to be recognized.     

Identification of caffeine and its metabolites in human urine extracts by electron impact ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Electron impact ionized purine bases such as caffeine and its metabolites (theopbylline, theobromine, paraxanthine, 1-methylxanthine, 3-metnybumthine and 7-methyIxanthine) were characterized by tandem mass spectrometry. The direct analysts of human urinary extracts by tandem mass spectrometry allows the unambiguous identification of caffeine and its metabolites present simultaneously in the urine.     

Post-buckling analysis of slender elastic vertical rods subjected to terminal forces and self-weight

This article presents the behavior of slender elastic rods subjected to axial terminal forces and self-weight. The mathematical formulation is presented, a solution is sought for a double-hinged boundary condition and the analysis is carried out for different values of non-dimensional weight. The formulation derives from geometrical compatibility, equilibrium of forces and moments and constitutive relations yielding a set of six first order non-linear ordinary differential equations with boundary conditions specified at both ends, which characterizes a complex two-point boundary value problem. Furthermore, a perturbation method is used to find the critical buckling loads and initial post-buckling solutions. A numerical integration scheme based on a three parameter shooting method is employed in the post-buckling solutions.