Electrochemical behavior of electrodes containing nanostructured carbon of various morphology in the cathodic region of potentials

Voltammograms for electrodes containing nanostructured carbon of various morphology (single-walled carbon nanotubes, filament, columnar structures) are obtained in neutral aqueous electrolytic solutions. Experimental proofs for the existence of injection of solvated electrons into electrolytic solutions at moderate cathodic potentials are presented for all the electrodes. It is established that this effect is connected with the presence of atomically sharp areas on the electrode surfaces. It is assumed that the reason for the appearance of solvated electrons is the autoelectron emission at the interface between the conducting surface of the carbon material and the electrolytic solution. By studying the nitrate anion reduction it is shown that the reduction over-voltage of stable compounds may be lowered by substituting a fast homogeneous reaction of solvated electrons with the initial substance for the hindered heterogeneous stage of the first electron transfer.