Active control of methanol carbonylation selectivity over Au/carbon anode by electrochemical potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Funakawa, Akiyasu; Yamanaka, Ichiro; Otsuka, Kiyoshi

2005-05-12

Electrochemical oxidative carbonylation of methanol was studied over Au supported carbon anode in CO. The major carbonylation products were dimethyl oxalate (DMO) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The minor oxidation products were dimethoxy methane (DMM) and methyl formate (MF) from methanol and CO(2). Influences of various reaction conditions were studied on carbonylation activities and selectivities. The selectivities to DMO and DMC can be controlled by the electrochemical potential. Electrocatalysis of Au/carbon anode was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), stoichiometric reactions among Au(3+), methanol, and CO, and UV-vis spectra. The Au/carbon anode was characterized by XRD, SEM, and BE images before and after the carbonylation. These experimental facts strongly suggest that transition of oxidation states of Au affects changing of the carbonylation selectivities to DMO and DMC. Au(0) is the active species for the selective DMO formation by direct electrochemical carbonylation at low potentials (selective DMC formation by indirect electrochemical carbonylation through Au(3+)/Au(+) redox at high potentials (>+1.3 V).

The impact of electrochemical reduction potentials on the electrocatalytic activity of graphene oxide toward the oxygen reduction reaction in an alkaline medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toh, Shaw Yong; Loh, Kee Shyuan; Kamarudin, Siti Kartom; Daud, Wan Ramli Wan

2016-01-01

We report the synthesis of graphene via the electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO). In this study, GO nanosheets from aqueous dispersion were pre-assembled on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode and then electrochemically reduced in 1 M KOH under various constant reduction potentials in the range of −0.6 V to −1.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy analyses revealed that the graphitic structure was substantially restored in the resulting electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO). The ERGO electrodes exhibited significantly enhanced catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in an alkaline medium compared with the initial GO electrode. Of the ERGO electrodes produced at various cathodic potentials, the ERGO-1.2 V electrode, which was produced at a reduction potential of −1.2 V, demonstrated the best catalytic activity toward the ORR in an alkaline medium. The ORR on GO and ERGO electrodes was shown to proceed via a two-electron mechanism at low overpotentials. The agreement between the spectroscopy results and electrochemical measurements provide strong evidence that the enhanced ORR catalytic activity is mainly attributed to the restoration of GO’s graphitic structure. Furthermore, the ERGO-1.2 V electrode showed excellent tolerance to the methanol poisoning effect compared with a Pt/C catalyst electrode.

Electrochemical catalytic activities of nanoporous palladium rods for methanol electro-oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xiaoguang; Wang, Weimin; Qi, Zhen; Zhao, Changchun; Ji, Hong; Zhang, Zhonghua [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials (MOE), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jingshi Road 73, Jinan 250061 (China)

2010-10-01

A novel electrocatalyst, nanoporous palladium (npPd) rods can be facilely fabricated by dealloying a binary Al{sub 80}Pd{sub 20} alloy in a 5 wt.% HCl aqueous solution under free corrosion conditions. The microstructure of these nanoporous palladium rods has been characterized using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that each Pd rod is several microns in length and several hundred nanometers in diameter. Moreover, all the rods exhibit a typical three-dimensional bicontinuous interpenetrating ligament-channel structure with length scale of 15-20 nm. The electrochemical experiments demonstrate that these peculiar nanoporous palladium rods (mixed with Vulcan XC-72 carbon powders to form a npPd/C catalyst) reveal a superior electrocatalytic performance toward methanol oxidation in the alkaline media. In addition, the electrocatalytic activity obviously depends on the metal loading on the electrode and will reach to the highest level (223.52 mA mg{sup -1}) when applying 0.4 mg cm{sup -2} metal loading on the electrode. Moreover, a competing adsorption mechanism should exist when performing methanol oxidation on the surface of npPd rods, and the electro-oxidation reaction is a diffusion-controlled electrochemical process. Due to the advantages of simplicity and high efficiency in the mass production, the npPd rods can act as a promising candidate for the anode catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). (author)

Electrochemical machining of titanium alloys with the use of anodal activating pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davydov, A.D.; Klepikov, R.P.; Moroz, I.I.

1980-01-01

A comparative investigation of electrochemical machining of VT-6 titanium alloy by direct current and in different pulse mode is carried out taking into account the peculiarities of anodal behaviour of titanium alloys at high current desities. The mode of electrochemical machining of VT-6 alloy with activating pulses is chosen. It allows to conduct a process at lower voltages and small interelectrode gaps

Electrochemical activity of heavy metal oxides in the process of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

2002-02-02

Feb 2, 2002 ... Electrochemical activity of heavy metal oxides in the process of chloride induced .... represents the protective barrier moderating the chloride attack which ... inhibitors and their influence on the physical properties of. Portland ...

One-step electrochemical synthesis of a graphene–ZnO hybrid for improved photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Ang; Xiong, Li; Sun, Li; Liu, Yanjun; Li, Weiwei; Lai, Wenyong; Liu, Xiangmei; Wang, Lianhui; Huang, Wei; Dong, Xiaochen

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Graphene–ZnO hybrid was synthesized by one-step electrochemical deposition. • Graphene–ZnO hybrid presents a special structure and wide UV–vis absorption spectra. • Graphene–ZnO hybrid exhibits an exceptionally higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dye methylene blue. - Abstract: A graphene–ZnO (G-ZnO) hybrid was synthesized by one-step electrochemical deposition. During the formation of ZnO nanostructure by cathodic electrochemical deposition, the graphene oxide was electrochemically reduced to graphene simultaneously. Scanning electron microscope images, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, and UV–vis absorption spectra indicate the resulting G-ZnO hybrid presents a special structure and wide UV–vis absorption spectra. More importantly, it exhibits an exceptionally higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dye methylene blue than that of pure ZnO nanostructure under both ultraviolet and sunlight irradiation

Geological and technological evaluation of gold-bearing mineral material after photo-electrochemical activation leaching

Science.gov (United States)

Manzyrev, DV

2017-02-01

The paper reports the lab test results on simulation of heap leaching of unoxidized rebellious ore extracted from deep levels of Pogromnoe open pit mine, with different flowsheets and photo-electrochemically activated solutions. It has been found that pre-treatment of rebellious ore particles -10 mm in size by photo-electrochemically activated solutions at the stage preceding agglomeration with the use of rich cyanide solutions enhances gold recovery by 6%.

Isolation and Characterization of Electrochemically Active Subsurface Delftia and Azonexus Species

Science.gov (United States)

Jangir, Yamini; French, Sarah; Momper, Lily M.; Moser, Duane P.; Amend, Jan P.; El-Naggar, Mohamed Y.

2016-01-01

Continental subsurface environments can present significant energetic challenges to the resident microorganisms. While these environments are geologically diverse, potentially allowing energy harvesting by microorganisms that catalyze redox reactions, many of the abundant electron donors and acceptors are insoluble and therefore not directly bioavailable. Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a metabolic strategy that microorganisms can deploy to meet the challenges of interacting with redox-active surfaces. Though mechanistically characterized in a few metal-reducing bacteria, the role, extent, and diversity of EET in subsurface ecosystems remains unclear. Since this process can be mimicked on electrode surfaces, it opens the door to electrochemical techniques to enrich for and quantify the activities of environmental microorganisms in situ. Here, we report the electrochemical enrichment of microorganisms from a deep fractured-rock aquifer in Death Valley, CA, USA. In experiments performed in mesocosms containing a synthetic medium based on aquifer chemistry, four working electrodes (WEs) were poised at different redox potentials (272, 373, 472, 572 mV vs. SHE) to serve as electron acceptors, resulting in anodic currents coupled to the oxidation of acetate during enrichment. The anodes were dominated by Betaproteobacteria from the families Comamonadaceae and Rhodocyclaceae. A representative of each dominant family was subsequently isolated from electrode-associated biomass. The EET abilities of the isolated Delftia strain (designated WE1-13) and Azonexus strain (designated WE2-4) were confirmed in electrochemical reactors using WEs poised at 522 mV vs. SHE. The rise in anodic current upon inoculation was correlated with a modest increase in total protein content. Both genera have been previously observed in mixed communities of microbial fuel cell enrichments, but this is the first direct measurement of their electrochemical activity. While alternate

Isolation and characterization of electrochemically active subsurface Delftia and Azonexus species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yamini eJangir

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Continental subsurface environments can present significant energetic challenges to the resident microorganisms. While these environments are geologically diverse, potentially allowing energy harvesting by microorganisms that catalyze redox reactions, many of the abundant electron donors and acceptors are insoluble and therefore not directly bioavailable. Extracellular electron transfer (EET is a metabolic strategy that microorganisms can deploy to meet the challenges of interacting with redox-active surfaces. Though mechanistically characterized in a few metal-reducing bacteria, the role, extent, and diversity of EET in subsurface ecosystems remains unclear. Since this process can be mimicked on electrode surfaces, it opens the door to electrochemical techniques to enrich for and quantify the activities of environmental microorganisms in situ. Here, we report the electrochemical enrichment of microorganisms from a deep fractured-rock aquifer in Death Valley, California, USA. In experiments performed in mesocosms containing a synthetic medium based on aquifer chemistry, four working electrodes were poised at different redox potentials (272, 373, 472, 572 mV vs. SHE to serve as electron acceptors, resulting in anodic currents coupled to the oxidation of acetate during enrichment. The anodes were dominated by Betaproteobacteria from the families Comamonadaceae and Rhodocyclaceae. A representative of each dominant family was subsequently isolated from electrode-associated biomass. The EET abilities of the isolated Delftia strain (designated WE1-13 and Azonexus strain (designated WE2-4 were confirmed in electrochemical reactors using working electrodes poised at 522 mV vs. SHE. The rise in anodic current upon inoculation was correlated with a modest increase in total protein content. Both genera have been previously observed in mixed communities of microbial fuel cell enrichments, but this is the first direct measurement of their electrochemical

Electrochemical activity of heavy metal oxides in the process of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

2002-02-02

Feb 2, 2002 ... Electrochemical activity of heavy metal oxides in the process of chloride induced .... decrease of pH value by MeOx, a synergism of acidic and chloride ... inhibitors and their influence on the physical properties of. Portland ...

The self-assembly of redox active peptides: Synthesis and electrochemical capacitive behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Piccoli, Julia P; Santos, Adriano; Santos-Filho, Norival A; Lorenzón, Esteban N; Cilli, Eduardo M; Bueno, Paulo R

2016-05-01

The present work reports on the synthesis of a redox-tagged peptide with self-assembling capability aiming applications in electrochemically active capacitive surfaces (associated with the presence of the redox centers) generally useful in electroanalytical applications. Peptide containing ferrocene (fc) molecular (redox) group (Ac-Cys-Ile-Ile-Lys(fc)-Ile-Ile-COOH) was thus synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). To obtain the electrochemically active capacitive interface, the side chain of the cysteine was covalently bound to the gold electrode (sulfur group) and the side chain of Lys was used to attach the ferrocene in the peptide chain. After obtaining the purified redox-tagged peptide, the self-assembly and redox capability was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance-based capacitance spectroscopy techniques. The obtained results confirmed that the redox-tagged peptide was successfully attached by forming an electroactive self-assembled monolayer onto gold electrode. The design of redox active self-assembly ferrocene-tagged peptide is predictably useful in the development of biosensor devices precisely to detect, in a label-free platform, those biomarkers of clinical relevance. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 106: 357-367, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electrochemical in situ regeneration of granular activated carbon using a three-dimensional reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hong; Liu, Zhigang; Wang, Ying; Li, Yansheng

2013-12-01

Electrochemical in situ regeneration of granular activated carbon (GAC) saturated with phenol was experimentally investigated using a three-dimensional electrode reactor with titanium filter electrode arrays. The feasibility of the electrochemical regeneration has been assessed by monitoring the regeneration efficiency and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The influence of the applied current, the effluent flow rate, and the effluent path of the electrochemical cell have been systematically studied. Under the optimum conditions, the regeneration efficiency of GAC could reach 94% in 2 hr, and no significant declination was observed after five-time continuous adsorption-regeneration cycles. The adsorption of organic pollutants was almost completely mineralized due to electrochemical oxidation, indicating that this regeneration process is much more potentially cost-effective for application. Copyright © 2013 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical Insights into Platinum Catalysts for Fuel Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kim Degn

. A preliminary electrochemical study of in-house synthesized Pt-Y nanoparticles have also been presented revealing specific mass actives of 0.3 ± 0.1A/mgPt in HClO4. The study revealed that extensive optimizations of the Pt-Y nanoparticles are required and their performance is severely impeded by poor......Development of sustainable energy production, conversion and storage technologies must be considered one of the major challenges of the 21st century. Insight and understanding of the oxygen reduction reaction is imperative in these pursuits. In this work electrochemical investigations and physical...... characterization of various model systems ranging from extended surfaces, to thin films and nanoparticle electrocatalysts have been presented and discussed. This have been done with a special focus on governing factors controlling the electroreduction of oxygen. Preparation of Cu/Pt(111) near-surface alloys...

Electrochemically activated water as an alternative to chlorine for decentralized disinfection

KAUST Repository

Ghebremichael, Kebreab A.; Muchelemba, E.; Petruševski, Branislav; Amy, Gary L.

2011-01-01

Electrochemically activated (ECA) water is being extensively studied and considered as an alternative to chlorine for disinfection. Some researchers claim that ECA is by and large a chlorine solution, while others claim the presence of reactive

The nanostructure of microbially-reduced graphene oxide fosters thick and highly-performing electrochemically-active biofilms

Science.gov (United States)

Virdis, Bernardino; Dennis, Paul G.

2017-07-01

Biofilms of electrochemically-active organisms are used in microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) to catalyze bioreactions otherwise not possible at bare electrodes. At present, however, achievable current outputs are still below levels considered sufficient for economic viability of large-scale METs implementations. Here, we report three-dimensional, self-aggregating biofilm composites comprising of microbial cells embedded with microbially-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoparticles to form a thick macro-porous network with superior electrochemical properties. In the presence of metabolic substrate, these hybrid biofilms are capable of producing up to five times more catalytic current than the control biofilms. Cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, show that in spite of the increased thickness, the biofilms amended with GO display lower polarization/charge transfer resistance compared to the controls, which we ascribe to the incorporation of rGO into the biofilms, which (1) promotes fast electron transfer, yet conserving a macroporous structure that allows free diffusion of reactants and products, and (2) enhances the interfacial dynamics by allowing a higher load of microbial cells per electrode surface area. These results suggest an easy-to-apply and cost-effective method to produce high-performing electrochemically-active biofilms in situ.

Novel Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite synthesized by electrochemically active biofilm for nonenzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Mohammad Mansoob; Ansari, Sajid Ali; Lee, Jintae; Cho, Moo Hwan

2013-01-01

A novel nonenzymatic sensor for H 2 O 2 was developed based on an Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite synthesized using a simple and cost effective approach with an electrochemically active biofilm. The optical, structural, morphological and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite were examined by UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite was fabricated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and their electrochemical performance was analyzed by CV, differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite modified GCE (Ag@TiO 2 /GCE) displayed excellent performance towards H 2 O 2 sensing at − 0.73 V in the linear response range from 0.83 μM to 43.3 μM, within a detection limit and sensitivity of 0.83 μM and ∼ 65.2328 ± 0.01 μAμM −1 cm −2 , respectively. In addition, Ag@TiO 2 /GCE exhibited good operational reproducibility and long term stability. - Graphical abstract: Synthesis of Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite by electrochemically active biofilm for H 2 O 2 sensing. - Highlights: • Electrochemically active biofilm (EAB) • EAB mediated synthesis of Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite • Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode • Ag@TiO 2 /GCE for H 2 O 2 sensing • Nonenzymatic sensor for H 2 O 2

Antibacterial Activity of Electrochemically Synthesized Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles Against Hospital-Acquired Infections

Science.gov (United States)

Thuc, Dao Tri; Huy, Tran Quang; Hoang, Luc Huy; Hoang, Tran Huy; Le, Anh-Tuan; Anh, Dang Duc

2017-06-01

This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of electrochemically synthesized colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against hospital-acquired infections. Colloidal AgNPs were synthesized via a single process using bulk silver bars, bi-distilled water, trisodium citrate, and direct current voltage at room temperature. Colloidal AgNPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray analyses. The antibacterial activity of colloidal AgNPs against four bacterial strains isolated from clinical samples, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia, was evaluated by disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and ultrathin sectioning electron microscopy. The results showed that the prepared AgNPs were 19.7 ± 4.3 nm in size, quasi-spherical, and of high purity. Zones of inhibition approximately 6-10 mm in diameter were found, corresponding to AgNPs concentrations of 50 μg/mL to 100 μg/mL. The MIC results revealed that the antibacterial activity of the prepared AgNPs was strongly dependent on the concentration and strain of the tested bacteria.

Effects of p-substituents on electrochemical CO oxidation by Rh porphyrin-based catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, Shin-ichi; Yamada, Yusuke; Takeda, Sahori; Goto, Midori; Ioroi, Tsutomu; Siroma, Zyun; Yasuda, Kazuaki

2010-08-21

Electrochemical CO oxidation by several carbon-supported rhodium tetraphenylporphyrins with systematically varied meso-substituents was investigated. A quantitative analysis revealed that the p-substituents on the meso-phenyl groups significantly affected CO oxidation activity. The electrocatalytic reaction was characterized in detail based on the spectroscopic and X-ray structural results as well as electrochemical analyses. The difference in the activity among Rh porphyrins is discussed in terms of the properties of p-substituents along with a proposed reaction mechanism. Rhodium tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (Rh(TCPP)), which exhibited the highest activity among the porphyrins tested, oxidized CO at a high rate at much lower potentials (means that CO is electrochemically oxidized by this catalyst when a slight overpotential is applied during the operation of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. This catalyst exhibited little H(2) oxidation activity, in contrast to Pt-based catalysts.

Mapping the antioxidant activity of apple peels with soft probe scanning electrochemical microscopy

OpenAIRE

Lin, Tzu-En; Lesch, Andreas; Li, Chi-Lin; Girault, Hubert

2017-01-01

We present a non-invasive electrochemical strategy for mapping the antioxidant (AO) activity of apple peels, which counterbalances oxidative stress caused by various external effectors. Soft carbon microelectrodes were used for soft probe scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) enabling the gentle and scratch-free in contact mode scanning of the rough and delicate apple peels in an electrolyte solution. The SECM feedback mode was applied using ferrocene methanol (FcMeOH) as redox mediator ...

Cathodic electrochemical activation of Co3O4 nanoarrays: a smart strategy to significantly boost the hydrogen evolution activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Li; Zhou, Huang; Qin, Xin; Guo, Xiaodong; Cui, Guanwei; Asiri, Abdullah M; Sun, Xuping

2018-02-22

Co(hydro)oxides show unsatisfactory catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media, and it is thus highly desirable but still remains a challenge to design and develop Co(hydro)oxide derived materials as superb hydrogen-evolving catalysts using a facile, rapid and less energy-intensive method. Here, we propose a cathodic electrochemical activation strategy toward greatly boosted HER activity of a Co 3 O 4 nanoarray via room-temperature cathodic polarization in sodium hypophosphite solution. After activation, the overpotential significantly decreases from 260 to 73 mV to drive a geometrical catalytic current density of 10 mA cm -2 in 1.0 M KOH. Notably, this activated electrode also shows strong long-term electrochemical durability with the retention of its catalytic activity at 100 mA cm -2 for at least 40 h.

Electrochemically shape-controlled synthesis in deep eutectic solvents of Pt nanoflowers with enhanced activity for ethanol oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Lu; Fan Youjun; Wang Honghui; Tian Na; Zhou Zhiyou; Sun Shigang

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The electrochemically shape-controlled synthesis in deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has been applied to produce the uniform Pt nanoflowers with sharp single crystal petals and high density of atomic steps. ► The as-prepared Pt nanoflowers exhibit higher electrocatalytic activity and stability than commercial Pt black catalyst toward ethanol electrooxidation. ► The growth of Pt nanoflowers in DESs by the simple electrochemical route is straightforward and controllable in terms of nanoflowers’ shape and size. - Abstract: The electrochemically shape-controlled synthesis in deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has been applied to produce the electrocatalyst of Pt nanoflowers. The uniform Pt nanoflowers with sharp single crystal petals and high density of atomic steps were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS and electrochemical tests. The results illustrated that the as-prepared Pt nanoflowers exhibit higher electrocatalytic activity and stability than commercial Pt black catalyst toward ethanol electrooxidation. The growth of Pt nanoflowers in DESs by the simple electrochemical route is straightforward and controllable in terms of nanoflowers’ shape and size, which can be applied in shape-controlled synthesis of other noble metal nanoparticles with high catalytic activity.

Electrochemical and antimicrobial activity of tellurium oxide nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Pramod K. [Department of Applied Sciences and Humanities, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110067 (India); Special Centre for Nanosciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067 (India); Sharma, Prem Prakash; Sharma, Anshu [Special Centre for Nanosciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067 (India); Khan, Zishan H., E-mail: zishan_hk@yahoo.co.in [Department of Applied Sciences and Humanities, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110067 (India); Solanki, Pratima R., E-mail: pratimarsolanki@gmail.com [Special Centre for Nanosciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067 (India)

2016-09-15

Highlights: • TeO{sub 2} NPs synthesized without using any catalyst by chemical vapour deposition method. • The growth temperature was 410 °C with continuous flow of O{sub 2.} • TeO{sub 2} NPs have anti-bacterial activity against E. coli, K. pneumoniae and S. aureus while enhances the growth of S. pyogenes. • TeO{sub 2} shows maximum redox current at pH 7 for phosphate buffer solution. - Abstract: Thin film of tellurium oxide (TeO{sub 2}) has been synthesized by chemical vapour deposition method onto indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate without using any catalyst. XRD pattern of TeO{sub 2} thin film suggests that the structure of TeO{sub 2} changes from amorphous to crystalline (paratellurite) on dispersing into deionized water. Zeta potential measurement reveals a positive surface potential of 28.8 mV. TEM images shows spherical shaped TeO{sub 2} nanoparticles having average particle size of 65 nm. Electrochemical studies of TeO{sub 2}/ITO electrode exhibit improved electron transfer owing to its inherent electron transfer property at pH 7.0 of phosphate buffer. Antimicrobial activity of TeO{sub 2} has been studied for gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) and gram negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) bacterial and fungal strains (Aspergillus nizer and Candida albicans). These studies suggest that the TeO{sub 2} NPs inhibit the growth of E. coli, K. pneumoniae and S. aureus bacteria, whereas the same particles enhance the growth of S. pyogenes bacteria.

ADMET Polymerization Activities of Electrochemically Reduced W-Based Active Species for Ge- and Sn-Containing Dienes

Science.gov (United States)

Imamoglu, Yavuz; Aydogdu, Cemil; Karabulut, Solmaz; Düz, Bülent

In the last 20 years metal atom-containing polymers have become important classes of polymers [1]. Properties like high thermic stability, electric, and photo conductometry make them very interesting for producing films, fibers, and coating [2]. Many of these compounds can be synthesized by conventional methods [3]. For producing metal-containing polymers anionic, cationic, and radicalic polymerizations were used [4-6]. Metal-containing polymers were also synthesized via acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization that is facilitated by Schrock’s molybdenum alkylidene, or Grubbs’ ruthenium carbene catalyst [7-9]. In 1979, Gilet and coworkers succeeded in synthesizing metathetically active species from electrochemical reduction of WCl6 and MoCl5 [10,11]. In the light of these works, we have showed that electrochemically generated tungsten-based active species (WCl6-e--Al-CH2Cl2) catalyzes various metathesis-related reactions [12-16].

Electrochemical biosensors

CERN Document Server

Cosnier, Serge

2015-01-01

"This is an excellent book on modern electrochemical biosensors, edited by Professor Cosnier and written by leading international experts. It covers state-of-the-art topics of this important field in a clear and timely manner."-Prof. Joseph Wang, UC San Diego, USA 　"This book covers, in 13 well-illustrated chapters, the potential of electrochemical methods intimately combined with a biological component for the assay of various analytes of biological and environmental interest. Particular attention is devoted to the description of electrochemical microtools in close contact with a biological cell for exocytosis monitoring and to the use of nanomaterials in the electrochemical biosensor architecture for signal improvement. Interestingly, one chapter describes the concept and design of self-powered biosensors derived from biofuel cells. Each topic is reviewed by experts very active in the field. This timely book is well suited for providing a good overview of current research trends devoted to electrochemical...

Morphology and Activity Tuning of Cu ₃ Pt/C Ordered Intermetallic Nanoparticles by Selective Electrochemical Dealloying

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Deli; Yu, Yingchao; Zhu, Jing; Liu, Sufen; Muller, David A.; Abruña, Héctor D.

2015-02-11

Improving the catalytic activity of Pt-based bimetallic nanoparticles is a key challenge in the application of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Electrochemical dealloying represents a powerful approach for tuning the surface structure and morphology of these catalyst nanoparticles. We present a comprehensive study of using electrochemical dealloying methods to control the morphology of ordered Cu3Pt/C intermetallic nanoparticles, which could dramatically affect their electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Depending on the electrochemical dealloying conditions, the nanoparticles with Pt-rich core–shell or porous structures were formed. We further demonstrate that the core–shell and porous morphologies can be combined to achieve the highest ORR activity. This strategy provides new guidelines for optimizing nanoparticles synthesis and improving electrocatalytic activity.

Coating for lithium anode, thionyl chloride active cathode electrochemical cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Catanzarite, V.O.

1983-01-04

Electrochemical power cells having a cathode current collector, a combination liquid active cathode depolarizer electrolyte solvent and an anode that forms surface compounds when in intimate contact with the liquid cathode are enhanced by the addition of a passivation limiting film contiguous to said anode. The passivating film is a member of the cyanoacrilate family of organic compounds.

Coating for lithium anode, thionyl chloride active cathode electrochemical cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Catanzarite, V.O.

1981-10-20

Electrochemical power cells having a cathode current collector, a combination liquid active cathode depolarizer electrolyte solvent and an anode that forms surface compounds when in intimate contact with the liquid cathode are enhanced by the addition of a passivation limiting film contiguous to said anode. The passivating film is a member of the cyanoacrilate family of organic compounds.

Electrochemical properties of mixed WC and Pt-black powders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MAJA D. OBRADOVIC

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The electrochemical characteristics of a mixture of Pt-black and WC powders and its catalytic activity for methanol and formic acid oxidation were investigated in acid solution. XRD and AFM measurements revealed that the WC powder employed for the investigation was a single-phase material consisting of crystallites/spherical particles of average size of about 50 nm, which were agglomerated into much larger particles. Cyclic voltammetry showed that the WC underwent electrochemical oxidation, producing tungstate species. In the case of the mixed Pt + WC powders, the tungstate species were deposited on the Pt as a thin film of hydrous tungsten oxide. Enhanced hydrogen intercalation in the hydrous tungsten oxide was observed and it was proposed to be promoted in mixed powders by the presence of hydrogen adatoms on bare Pt sites. The determination of Pt surface area in the Pt + WC layer by stripping of underpotentially deposited Cu revealed that the entire Pt surface was accessible for underpotential deposition of Cu. Investigation of the electrochemical oxidation of methanol and formic acid on Pt + WC and pure Pt layers did not indicate electrocatalytic promotion due to the presence of WC.

Electrochemical Oxidation of EDTA in Nuclear Wastewater Using Platinum Supported on Activated Carbon Fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bo; Zhu, Wenkun; Mu, Tao; Hu, Zuowen; Duan, Tao

2017-01-01

A novel Pt/ACF (Pt supported on activated carbon fibers) electrode was successfully prepared with impregnation and electrodeposition method. Characterization of the electrodes indicated that the Pt/ACF electrode had a larger effective area and more active sites. Electrochemical degradation of ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA) in aqueous solution with Pt/ACF electrodes was investigated. The results showed that the 3% Pt/ACF electrode had a better effect on EDTA removal. The operational parameters influencing the electrochemical degradation of EDTA with 3% Pt/ACF electrode were optimized and the optimal removal of EDTA and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were 94% and 60% after 100 min on condition of the electrolyte concentration, initial concentration of EDTA, current density and initial value of pH were 0.1 mol/L, 300 mg/L, 40 mA/cm2 and 5.0, respectively. The degradation intermediates of EDTA in electrochemical oxidation with 3% Pt/ACF electrode were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrum (GC-MS). PMID:28754016

Electrochemical Oxidation of EDTA in Nuclear Wastewater Using Platinum Supported on Activated Carbon Fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Bo; Zhu, Wenkun; Mu, Tao; Hu, Zuowen; Duan, Tao

2017-07-21

A novel Pt/ACF (Pt supported on activated carbon fibers) electrode was successfully prepared with impregnation and electrodeposition method. Characterization of the electrodes indicated that the Pt/ACF electrode had a larger effective area and more active sites. Electrochemical degradation of ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA) in aqueous solution with Pt/ACF electrodes was investigated. The results showed that the 3% Pt/ACF electrode had a better effect on EDTA removal. The operational parameters influencing the electrochemical degradation of EDTA with 3% Pt/ACF electrode were optimized and the optimal removal of EDTA and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were 94% and 60% after 100 min on condition of the electrolyte concentration, initial concentration of EDTA, current density and initial value of pH were 0.1 mol/L, 300 mg/L, 40 mA/cm² and 5.0, respectively. The degradation intermediates of EDTA in electrochemical oxidation with 3% Pt/ACF electrode were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrum (GC-MS).

Electrochemical and DFT study of an anticancer and active anthelmintic drug at carbon nanostructured modified electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghalkhani, Masoumeh; Beheshtian, Javad; Salehi, Maryam

2016-01-01

The electrochemical response of mebendazole (Meb), an anticancer and effective anthelmintic drug, was investigated using two different carbon nanostructured modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE). Although, compared to unmodified GCE, both prepared modified electrodes improved the voltammetric response of Meb, the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) modified GCE showed higher sensitivity and stability. Therefore, the CNTs-GCE was chosen as a promising candidate for the further studies. At first, the electrochemical behavior of Meb was studied by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse and square wave voltammetry. A one step reversible, pH-dependent and adsorption-controlled process was revealed for electro-oxidation of Meb. A possible mechanism for the electrochemical oxidation of Meb was proposed. In addition, electronic structure, adsorption energy, band gap, type of interaction and stable configuration of Meb on the surface of functionalized carbon nanotubes were studied by using density functional theory (DFT). Obtained results revealed that Meb is weakly physisorbed on the CNTs and that the electronic properties of the CNTs are not significantly changed. Notably, CNTs could be considered as a suitable modifier for preparation of the modified electrode for Meb analysis. Then, the experimental parameters affecting the electrochemical response of Meb were optimized. Under optimal conditions, high sensitivity (b(Meb) = dI p,a (Meb) / d[Meb] = 19.65 μA μM −1 ), a low detection limit (LOD (Meb) = 19 nM) and a wide linear dynamic range (0.06–3 μM) was resulted for the voltammetric quantification of Meb. - Highlights: • Electrochemical oxidation mechanism of Meb was investigated. • A carbon nanostructure modified electrode was developed for the determination of Meb. • The modified electrode surface was characterized by SEM and impedance studies. • This study provides an effective chemically modified electrode with satisfactory repeatability and reproducibility

Novel electrochemical redox-active species: one-step synthesis of polyaniline derivative-Au/Pd and its application for multiplexed immunoassay

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liyuan; Feng, Feng; Ma, Zhanfang

2015-11-01

Electrochemical redox-active species play crucial role in electrochemically multiplexed immunoassays. A one-pot method for synthesizing four kinds of new electrochemical redox-active species was reported using HAuCl4 and Na2PdCl4 as dual oxidating agents and aniline derivatives as monomers. The synthesized polyaniline derivative-Au/Pd composites, namely poly(N-methyl-o-benzenediamine)-Au/Pd, poly(N-phenyl-o-phenylenediamine)-Au/Pd, poly(N-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine)-Au/Pd and poly(3,3’,5,5’-tetramethylbenzidine)-Au/Pd, exhibited electrochemical redox activity at -0.65 V, -0.3 V, 0.12 V, and 0.5 V, respectively. Meanwhile, these composites showed high H2O2 electrocatalytic activity because of the presence of Au/Pd. The as-prepared composites were used as electrochemical immunoprobes in simultaneous detection of four tumor biomarkers (carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA199), carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA724), and alpha fetoprotein (AFP)). This immunoassay shed light on potential applications in simultaneous gastric cancer (related biomarkers: CEA, CA199, CA724) and liver cancer diagnosis (related biomarkers: CEA, CA199, AFP). The present strategy to the synthesize redox species could be easily extended to other polymers such as polypyrrole derivatives and polythiophene derivatives. This would be of great significance in the electrochemical detection of more analytes.

Electrochemical Dissolution of Iridium and Iridium Oxide Particles in Acidic Media: Transmission Electron Microscopy, Electrochemical Flow Cell Coupled to Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jovanovič, Primož; Hodnik, Nejc; Ruiz-Zepeda, Francisco; Arčon, Iztok; Jozinović, Barbara; Zorko, Milena; Bele, Marjan; Šala, Martin; Šelih, Vid Simon; Hočevar, Samo; Gaberšček, Miran

2017-09-13

Iridium-based particles, regarded as the most promising proton exchange membrane electrolyzer electrocatalysts, were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and by coupling of an electrochemical flow cell (EFC) with online inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Additionally, studies using a thin-film rotating disc electrode, identical location transmission and scanning electron microscopy, as well as X-ray absorption spectroscopy have been performed. Extremely sensitive online time-and potential-resolved electrochemical dissolution profiles revealed that Ir particles dissolve well below oxygen evolution reaction (OER) potentials, presumably induced by Ir surface oxidation and reduction processes, also referred to as transient dissolution. Overall, thermally prepared rutile-type IrO 2 particles are substantially more stable and less active in comparison to as-prepared metallic and electrochemically pretreated (E-Ir) analogues. Interestingly, under OER-relevant conditions, E-Ir particles exhibit superior stability and activity owing to the altered corrosion mechanism, where the formation of unstable Ir(>IV) species is hindered. Due to the enhanced and lasting OER performance, electrochemically pre-oxidized E-Ir particles may be considered as the electrocatalyst of choice for an improved low-temperature electrochemical hydrogen production device, namely a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer.

The Electrochemical Characteristics of Hybrid Capacitor Prepared by Chemical Activation of NaOH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Jeong Eun; Bae, Ga Yeong; Yang, Jeong Min; Lee, Jong Dae

2013-01-01

Active carbons with high specific surface area and micro pore structure were prepared from the coconut shell char using the chemical activation method of NaOH. The preparation process has been optimized through the analysis of experimental variables such as activating chemical agents to char ratio and the flow rate of gas during carbonization. The active carbons with the surface area (2,481m 2 /g) and mean pore size (2.32 nm) were obtained by chemical activation with NaOH. The electrochemical performances of hybrid capacitor were investigated using LiMn 2 O 4 , LiCoO 2 as the positive electrode and prepared active carbon as the negative electrode. The electrochemical behaviors of hybrid capacitor using organic electrolytes (LiPF 6 , TEABF 4 ) were characterized by constant current charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, cycle and leakage tests. The hybrid capacitor using LiMn 2 O 4 /AC electrodes had better capacitance than other hybrid systems and was able to deliver a specific energy as high as 131 Wh/kg at a specific power of 1,448 W/kg

Electrochemical behavior of H3PW12O40/ acid-activated bentonite powders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mojović Zorica

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Electrochemical behavior of 12-tungstophosphoric acid (HPW/acid-activated bentonite (AAB powders with various loadings of HPW was investigated. The physicochemical properties of the prepared powders were examined by X-ray powder diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, atomic force microscopy and cyclic voltammetry measurements. The results indicated that the prepared powders are composed mainly of oriented domains of large rock blocks, probably resulting from a preferable deposition of bentonite particles having a face-to-face interaction. The particles had a mainly disordered mesoporous structure with a pore volume that varied according to the pore size in the range of 2-50 nm. In addition, the particles had crystallite size between 4.9 and 9.0 nm. The electrocatalytic activities of prepared HPW/Aelectrodes were studied in the oxidation of NO2-ions and the results revealed that the electrodes possessed relatively higher nitrite oxidation currents than Aelectrode. The best electroactivity was observed for HPW3/Aelectrode (AAB+20 wt. % HPW and the limit of detection (3σ was determined as 8 μM.

Electrochemical analysis in a liposome suspension using lapachol as a hydrophobic electro active species.

Science.gov (United States)

Okumura, Noriko; Wakamatsu, Shiori; Uno, Bunji

2014-01-01

This study demonstrated that the electro-chemical analysis of hydrophobic quinones can be performed in liposome suspension systems. We prepared and analyzed liposome suspensions containing lapachol, which is a quinone-based anti-tumor activity compound. In this suspension system, a simple one redox couple of lapachol is observed. These results are quite different from those obtained in organic solvents. In addition, the pH dependence of redox behaviors of lapachol could be observed in multilamellar vesicle (MLV) suspension system. This MLV suspension system method may approximate the electrochemical behavior of hydrophobic compounds in aqueous conditions. A benefit of this liposome suspension system for electrochemical analysis is that it enables to observe water-insoluble compounds without using organic solvents.

Capacity improvement of the carbon-based electrochemical capacitor by zigzag-edge introduced graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Tamura, Naoki; Tomai, Takaaki; Oka, Nobuto; Honma, Itaru

2018-01-01

The electrochemical properties of graphene edge has been attracted much attention. Especially, zigzag edge has high electrochemical activity because neutral radical exits on edge. However, due to a lack of efficient production method for zigzag graphene, the electrochemical properties of zigzag edge have not been experimentally demonstrated and the capacitance enhancement of carbonaceous materials in energy storage devices by the control in their edge states is still challenge. In this study, we fabricated zigzag-edge-rich graphene by a one-step method combining graphene exfoliation in supercritical fluid and anisotropic etching by catalytic nanoparticles. This efficient production of zigzag-edge-rich graphene allows us to investigate the electrochemical activity of zigzag edge. By cyclic voltammetry, we revealed the zigzag edge-introduced graphene exhibited unique redox reaction in aqueous acid solution. Moreover, by the calculation on the density function theory (DFT), this unique redox potential for zigzag edge-introduced graphene can be attributed to the proton-insertion/-extraction reactions at the zigzag edge. This finding indicates that the graphene edge modification can contribute to the further increase in the capacitance of the carbon-based electrochemical capacitor.

Electrochemical catalytic treatment of phenol wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Hongzhu; Zhang Xinhai; Ma Qingliang; Wang Bo

2009-01-01

The slurry bed catalytic treatment of contaminated water appears to be a promising alternative for the oxidation of aqueous organic pollutants. In this paper, the electrochemical oxidation of phenol in synthetic wastewater catalyzed by ferric sulfate and potassium permanganate adsorbed onto active bentonite in slurry bed electrolytic reactor with graphite electrode has been investigated. In order to determine the optimum operating condition, the orthogonal experiments were devised and the results revealed that the system of ferric sulfate, potassium permanganate and active bentonite showed a high catalytic efficiency on the process of electrochemical oxidation phenol in initial pH 5. When the initial concentration of phenol was 0.52 g/L (the initial COD 1214 mg/L), up to 99% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was obtained in 40 min. According to the experimental results, a possible mechanism of catalytic degradation of phenol was proposed. Environmental estimation was also done and the results showed that the treated wastewater have little impact on plant growth and could totally be applied to irrigation.

Electrochemical catalytic treatment of phenol wastewater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma Hongzhu, E-mail: hzmachem@snnu.edu.cn [Institute of Energy Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi' an 710062 (China); Zhang Xinhai [Institute of Energy Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi' an 710062 (China); Ma Qingliang [Department of Applied Physics, College of Sciences, Taiyuan University of Technology, 030024 Taiyuan (China); Wang Bo [Institute of Energy Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi' an 710062 (China)

2009-06-15

The slurry bed catalytic treatment of contaminated water appears to be a promising alternative for the oxidation of aqueous organic pollutants. In this paper, the electrochemical oxidation of phenol in synthetic wastewater catalyzed by ferric sulfate and potassium permanganate adsorbed onto active bentonite in slurry bed electrolytic reactor with graphite electrode has been investigated. In order to determine the optimum operating condition, the orthogonal experiments were devised and the results revealed that the system of ferric sulfate, potassium permanganate and active bentonite showed a high catalytic efficiency on the process of electrochemical oxidation phenol in initial pH 5. When the initial concentration of phenol was 0.52 g/L (the initial COD 1214 mg/L), up to 99% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was obtained in 40 min. According to the experimental results, a possible mechanism of catalytic degradation of phenol was proposed. Environmental estimation was also done and the results showed that the treated wastewater have little impact on plant growth and could totally be applied to irrigation.

Highly reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering-active Au nanostructures prepared by simple electrodeposition: origin of surface-enhanced Raman scattering activity and applications as electrochemical substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Suhee; Ahn, Miri; Kim, Jongwon

2013-05-24

The fabrication of effective surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates has been the subject of intensive research because of their useful applications. In this paper, dendritic gold (Au) rod (DAR) structures prepared by simple one-step electrodeposition in a short time were examined as an effective SERS-active substrate. The SERS activity of the DAR surfaces was compared to that of other nanostructured Au surfaces with different morphologies, and its dependence on the structural variation of DAR structures was examined. These comparisonal investigations revealed that highly faceted sharp edge sites present on the DAR surfaces play a critical role in inducing a high SERS activity. The SERS enhancement factor was estimated to be greater than 10(5), and the detection limit of rhodamine 6G at DAR surfaces was 10(-8)M. The DAR surfaces exhibit excellent spot-to-spot and substrate-to-substrate SERS enhancement reproducibility, and their long-term stability is very good. It was also demonstrated that the DAR surfaces can be effectively utilized in electrochemical SERS systems, wherein a reversible SERS behavior was obtained during the cycling to cathodic potential regions. Considering the straightforward preparation of DAR substrates and the clean nature of SERS-active Au surfaces prepared in the absence of additives, we expect that DAR surfaces can be used as cost-effective SERS substrates in analytical and electrochemical applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical and DFT study of an anticancer and active anthelmintic drug at carbon nanostructured modified electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghalkhani, Masoumeh; Beheshtian, Javad; Salehi, Maryam

2016-12-01

The electrochemical response of mebendazole (Meb), an anticancer and effective anthelmintic drug, was investigated using two different carbon nanostructured modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE). Although, compared to unmodified GCE, both prepared modified electrodes improved the voltammetric response of Meb, the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) modified GCE showed higher sensitivity and stability. Therefore, the CNTs-GCE was chosen as a promising candidate for the further studies. At first, the electrochemical behavior of Meb was studied by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse and square wave voltammetry. A one step reversible, pH-dependent and adsorption-controlled process was revealed for electro-oxidation of Meb. A possible mechanism for the electrochemical oxidation of Meb was proposed. In addition, electronic structure, adsorption energy, band gap, type of interaction and stable configuration of Meb on the surface of functionalized carbon nanotubes were studied by using density functional theory (DFT). Obtained results revealed that Meb is weakly physisorbed on the CNTs and that the electronic properties of the CNTs are not significantly changed. Notably, CNTs could be considered as a suitable modifier for preparation of the modified electrode for Meb analysis. Then, the experimental parameters affecting the electrochemical response of Meb were optimized. Under optimal conditions, high sensitivity (b(Meb)=dIp,a(Meb)/d[Meb]=19.65μAμM(-1)), a low detection limit (LOD (Meb)=19nM) and a wide linear dynamic range (0.06-3μM) was resulted for the voltammetric quantification of Meb. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microfluidic system for enzymeless electrochemical determination of inulin using catalytically active metal nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

García, Miguel; García -Carmona, Laura; Escarpa, Alberto

2015-01-01

We report on a microfluidic system for the electrochemical determination of inulin. It is making use of electro-synthesized catalytically active nanowires (NWs; made from nickel or copper; 6 μm long and 300 nm wide) capable of detecting inulin at a working voltage of +0.70 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and a pH value of 12.0 with a sensitivity that is 40 times better than that for fructose (its monomer). The copper nanoelectrodes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy which revealed a random distribution of copper NWs. Their core is found to be metallic while the outer few atomic layers (<2 nm) are oxidized (CuO). Both the intra-electrode repeatability (with RSDs of <8 % for 5 samples) and the inter-electrode reproducibility (RSDs <9 %; n =4) are very good. The approach presented here allows for a direct determination of both inulin and free fructose within <300 s with a LOD of 3 μM for inulin. Inulin was determined with recoveries ranging from 97 to 103 % (with RSDs of <4 %). This approach is perceived to represent an alternative to enzymatic assays or HPLC based approaches. It has the additional advantages of rapidity and low sample and reagent consumption. Given the electrochemical behavior of inulin, the results also suggest that this method will pave novel avenues towards the detection of complex carbohydrates. (author)

Selective electrochemical determination of homocysteine in the presence of cysteine and glutathione

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salehzadeh, Hamid; Mokhtari, Banafsheh; Nematollahi, Davood

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: 3,5-Di-tert-buthylcatechol was used for the selective electrochemical determination of homocysteine in the presence of cysteine and glutathione at the glassy carbon and carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode. - Highlights: • Selective electrochemical determination of homocysteine. • Catalytic electron transfer of 3,5-di-tert-buthylcatechol in the presence of homocysteine. • Michael type addition reaction of electrochemically generated 3,5-di-tert-buthyl-o-benzoquinone with glutathione. - Abstract: The electrochemical oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-buthylcatechol in the presence of homocysteine was used for the selective electrochemical determination of homocysteine in the presence of cysteine and glutathione at a glassy carbon and a glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon nanotube. The results revealed that the electrochemically generated 3,5-di-tert-butylcyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-dione exhibits high catalytic activity toward homocysteine oxidation at reduced over-potential and low catalytic activity for oxidation of cysteine. The catalytic activity 3,5-di-tert-butylcyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-dione toward cysteine was suppressed in the presence of 4-N,N-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde. Contrary to homocysteine and cysteine, the reaction of glutathione with 3,5-di-tert-butylcyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-dione is a substituation reaction. This method exhibits three dynamic linear ranges of 2.5 to 10 μmol L −1 , 10 to 100 μmol L −1 and 100 to 1000 μmol L −1 , and a lower detection limit (3σ) of 0.89 ± 3.53% μmol L −1 for homocysteine

Electrochemical properties and electrocatalytic activity of conducting polymer/copper nanoparticles supported on reduced graphene oxide composite

Science.gov (United States)

Ehsani, Ali; Jaleh, Babak; Nasrollahzadeh, Mahmoud

2014-07-01

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was used to support Cu nanoparticles. As electro-active electrodes for supercapacitors composites of reduced graphene oxide/Cu nanoparticles (rGO/CuNPs) and polytyramine (PT) with good uniformity are prepared by electropolymerization. Composite of rGO/CuNPs-PT was synthesized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) methods and electrochemical properties of film were investigated by using electrochemical techniques. The results show that, the rGO/CuNPs-PT/G has better capacitance performance. This is mainly because of the really large surface area and the better electronic and ionic conductivity of rGO/CuNPs-PT/G, which lead to greater double-layer capacitance and faradic pseudo capacitance. Modified graphite electrodes (rGO/CuNPs-PT/G) were examined for their redox process and electrocatalytic activities towards the oxidation of methanol in alkaline solutions. The methods of cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed. In comparison with a Cu-PT/G (Graphite), rGO/CuNPs-PT/G modified electrode shows a significantly higher response for methanol oxidation. A mechanism based on the electro-chemical generation of Cu(III) active sites and their subsequent consumptions by methanol have been discussed.

Highly sensitive electrochemical detection of human telomerase activity based on bio-barcode method.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Liu, Bangwei; Li, Xia; Wei, Qingli

2010-07-15

In the present study, an electrochemical method for highly sensitive detection of human telomerase activity was developed based on bio-barcode amplification assay. Telomerase was extracted from HeLa cells, then the extract was mixed with telomerase substrate (TS) primer to perform extension reaction. The extension product was hybridized with the capture DNA immobilized on the Au electrode and then reacted with the signal DNA on Au nanoparticles to form a sandwich hybridization mode. Electrochemical signals were generated by chronocoulometric interrogation of [Ru(NH(3))(6)](3+) that quantitatively binds to the DNA on Au nanoparticles via electrostatic interaction. This method can detect the telomerase activity from as little as 10 cultured cancer cells without the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of telomerase extension product. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of varying the amount of binder on the electrochemical characteristics of palm shell activated carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Imam Maarof, Hawaiah; Daud, Wan Mohd Ashri Wan; Kheireddine Aroua, Mohamed

2017-06-01

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is among the most common binders used in the fabrication of an electrode, which is used for various electrochemical applications such as desalination, water purification, and wastewater treatment. In this study, the amount of the binder was varied at 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt% of the total mass of palm shell activated carbon (PSAC). The PSAC was used as the active material and carbon black was used as the conductive agent. The effect of different amounts of binder was observed by evaluating the electrochemical characteristics of the electrode through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and potentio electrochemical spectroscopy (PEIS). The CV analysis was employed to determine the geometric area normalised electrode double layer capacitance, CE , and the electrode reaction of the prepared electrode. Meanwhile, the common redox probe, ferro/ferricyanide in 0.5 M NaCl, was employed to estimate the electron transfer resistance through PEIS. The electrochemical characterisation proved that the optimum amount of PTFE was 20 wt% for the 4:1 ratio of active material to conductive agent. On increasing the amount of the binder to 30 wt% and 40 wt%, the estimated value of CE decreased and remained almost equivalent. Adding more than 30 wt% of binder resulted in pore blockage and reduced the available active site on the PSAC electrode. In addition, the electron transfer resistance of the prepared electrode was found to be in the range of 4-5 Ω·cm2.

The Electrochemical Characteristics of Hybrid Capacitor Prepared by Chemical Activation of NaOH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Jeong Eun; Bae, Ga Yeong; Yang, Jeong Min; Lee, Jong Dae [Chungbuk National Univ., Chungju (Korea, Republic of)

2013-06-15

Active carbons with high specific surface area and micro pore structure were prepared from the coconut shell char using the chemical activation method of NaOH. The preparation process has been optimized through the analysis of experimental variables such as activating chemical agents to char ratio and the flow rate of gas during carbonization. The active carbons with the surface area (2,481m{sup 2}/g) and mean pore size (2.32 nm) were obtained by chemical activation with NaOH. The electrochemical performances of hybrid capacitor were investigated using LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4}, LiCoO{sub 2} as the positive electrode and prepared active carbon as the negative electrode. The electrochemical behaviors of hybrid capacitor using organic electrolytes (LiPF{sub 6}, TEABF{sub 4}) were characterized by constant current charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, cycle and leakage tests. The hybrid capacitor using LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4}/AC electrodes had better capacitance than other hybrid systems and was able to deliver a specific energy as high as 131 Wh/kg at a specific power of 1,448 W/kg.

Sensitive electrochemical assaying of DNA methyltransferase activity based on mimic-hybridization chain reaction amplified strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Linqun; Liu, Yuanjian; Li, Ying; Zhao, Yuewu; Wei, Wei; Liu, Songqin

2016-08-24

A mimic-hybridization chain reaction (mimic-HCR) amplified strategy was proposed for sensitive electrochemically detection of DNA methylation and methyltransferase (MTase) activity In the presence of methylated DNA, DNA-gold nanoparticles (DNA-AuNPs) were captured on the electrode by sandwich-type assembly. It then triggered mimic-HCR of two hairpin probes to produce many long double-helix chains for numerous hexaammineruthenium (III) chloride ([Ru(NH3)6](3+), RuHex) inserting. As a result, the signal for electrochemically detection of DNA MTase activity could be amplified. If DNA was non-methylated, however, the sandwich-type assembly would not form because the short double-stranded DNAs (dsDNA) on the Au electrode could be cleaved and digested by restriction endonuclease HpaII (HapII) and exonuclease III (Exo III), resulting in the signal decrement. Based on this, an electrochemical approach for detection of M.SssI MTase activity with high sensitivity was developed. The linear range for M.SssI MTase activity was from 0.05 U mL(-1) to 10 U mL(-1), with a detection limit down to 0.03 U mL(-1). Moreover, this detecting strategy held great promise as an easy-to-use and highly sensitive method for other MTase activity and inhibition detection by exchanging the corresponding DNA sequence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microfluidic electrochemical sensor for on-line monitoring of aerosol oxidative activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sameenoi, Yupaporn; Koehler, Kirsten; Shapiro, Jeff; Boonsong, Kanokporn; Sun, Yele; Collett, Jeffrey; Volckens, John; Henry, Charles S

2012-06-27

Particulate matter (PM) air pollution has a significant impact on human morbidity and mortality; however, the mechanisms of PM-induced toxicity are poorly defined. A leading hypothesis states that airborne PM induces harm by generating reactive oxygen species in and around human tissues, leading to oxidative stress. We report here a system employing a microfluidic electrochemical sensor coupled directly to a particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS) system to measure aerosol oxidative activity in an on-line format. The oxidative activity measurement is based on the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay, where, after being oxidized by PM, the remaining reduced DTT is analyzed by the microfluidic sensor. The sensor consists of an array of working, reference, and auxiliary electrodes fabricated in a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based microfluidic device. Cobalt(II) phthalocyanine-modified carbon paste was used as the working electrode material, allowing selective detection of reduced DTT. The electrochemical sensor was validated off-line against the traditional DTT assay using filter samples taken from urban environments and biomass burning events. After off-line characterization, the sensor was coupled to a PILS to enable on-line sampling/analysis of aerosol oxidative activity. Urban dust and industrial incinerator ash samples were aerosolized in an aerosol chamber and analyzed for their oxidative activity. The on-line sensor reported DTT consumption rates (oxidative activity) in good correlation with aerosol concentration (R(2) from 0.86 to 0.97) with a time resolution of approximately 3 min.

Chitosan/graphene oxide nanocomposite films with enhanced interfacial interaction and their electrochemical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Linghao; Wang, Hongfang; Xia, Guangmei; Sun, Jing; Song, Rui

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: Nanocomposites by introducing graphene oxide (GO) into chitosan (CS) matrix were prepared and the effect of GO on the crystallization, thermal stability and mechanical properties of the films were investigated. In addition, the electrochemical behavior of the CS/GO modified electrode was comparatively studied with that of the neat CS-modified electrode. - Highlights: • Graphene oxide (GO) with well dispersion in the biopolymer chitosan (CS) matrix. • Detectable interactions do exist between the GO nanosheets and CS segments. • The addition of minor GO can improve the electrochemical activity of the neat CS. - Abstract: A series of chitosan (CS) nanocomposites incorporated with graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were facilely prepared by sonochemical method. Characterized by scanning electron microscopy, the obtained nanocomposites showed fine dispersion of GO in the CS matrix. Meanwhile, a marked interfacial interaction was also revealed as the values of glass transition temperature, the decomposition temperature and the storage modulus were significantly increased with the addition of GO. Furthermore, the well dispersed GO nanosheets could significantly improve the electrochemical activity of the CS as demonstrated by the electrochemical behaviors of pure CS and the GO/CS composite electrodes. Hence, the GO/CS nanocomposites film could be a promising candidate in the fabrication of electrochemical biosensors

Electrochemical fabrication and electronic behavior of polypyrrole nano-fiber array devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Ling; Zhao Yaomin; Jia Nengqin; Zhou Qin; Zhao Chongjun; Yan Manming; Jiang Zhiyu

2006-01-01

Electrochemically active Polypyrrole (PPy) nano-fiber array device was fabricated via electrochemical deposition method using aluminum anodic oxide (AAO) membrane as template. After alkaline treatment electrochemically active PPy nano-fiber lost electrochemical activity, and became electrochemically inactive PPy. The electronic properties of PPy nano-fiber array devices were measured by means of a simple method. It was found that for an indium-tin oxide/electrochemically inactive PPy nano-fiber device, the conductivity of nano-fiber increased with the increase of voltage applied on the two terminals of nano-fiber. The electrochemical inactive PPy nano-fiber might be used as a nano-fiber switching diode. Both Au/electrochemically active PPy and Au/electrochemically inactive PPy nano-fiber devices demonstrate rectifying behavior, and might have been used for further application as nano-rectifiers

Electrochemical fabrication and electronic behavior of polypyrrole nano-fiber array devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ling, Liu [Department of Chemistry, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Yaomin, Zhao [Department of Chemistry, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Nengqin, Jia [Department of Chemistry, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Qin, Zhou [Department of Chemistry, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Chongjun, Zhao [Photon Craft Project, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Japan Science and Technology Agency, Shanghai 201800 (China); Manming, Yan [Department of Chemistry, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Zhiyu, Jiang [Department of Chemistry, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

2006-05-01

Electrochemically active Polypyrrole (PPy) nano-fiber array device was fabricated via electrochemical deposition method using aluminum anodic oxide (AAO) membrane as template. After alkaline treatment electrochemically active PPy nano-fiber lost electrochemical activity, and became electrochemically inactive PPy. The electronic properties of PPy nano-fiber array devices were measured by means of a simple method. It was found that for an indium-tin oxide/electrochemically inactive PPy nano-fiber device, the conductivity of nano-fiber increased with the increase of voltage applied on the two terminals of nano-fiber. The electrochemical inactive PPy nano-fiber might be used as a nano-fiber switching diode. Both Au/electrochemically active PPy and Au/electrochemically inactive PPy nano-fiber devices demonstrate rectifying behavior, and might have been used for further application as nano-rectifiers.

Morphological reason for enhancement of electrochemical double layer capacitances of various acetylene blacks by electrochemical polarization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Taegon; Ham, Chulho; Rhee, Choong Kyun; Yoon, Seong-Ho; Tsuji, Masaharu; Mochida, Isao

2008-01-01

Enhancement of electrochemical capacitance and morphological variations of various acetylene blacks caused by electrochemical polarization are presented. Acetylene blacks of different mean particle diameters were modified by air-oxidation and heat treatment to diversify the morphologies of the acetylene blacks before electrochemical polarization. The various acetylene blacks were electrochemically oxidized at 1.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for 10 s and the polarization step was repeated until the capacitance values did not change any longer. These polarization steps enhanced the capacitances of the acetylene blacks and the specific enhancement factors range from 2 to 5.5. Such an enhancement is strongly related to morphological modification as revealed by transmission electron microscopic observations. The electrochemical polarization resulted in formation of tiny graphene sheets on the wide graphitic carbon surfaces, which were most responsible for the observed capacitive enhancement. Although the pseudo-capacitance increased after polarization by forming oxygenated species on the surfaces, its contribution to the total capacitance was less than 10%. The mechanism of the formation of the tiny graphene sheets during the electrochemical oxidation is described schematically

Electrochemical studies of ruthenium compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar Ghosh, B.; Chakravorty, A.

1989-01-01

In many ways the chemistry of transition metals is the chemistry of multiple oxidation states and the associated redox phenomena. If a particular element were to be singeld out to illustrate this viewpoint, a model choice would be ruthenium - an element that is directly or indirectly the active centre of a plethora of redox phenomena encompassing ten different oxidation states and a breathtaking diversity of structure and bonding. In the present review the authors are primarily concerned with the oxidation states of certain ligands coordinated to ruthenium. This choice is deliberate since this is one area where the unique power of electrochemical methods is splendidly revealed. Without these methods, development in this area would have been greatly hampered. A brief summary of metal oxidation states is also included as a prelude to the main subject of this review. The authors have generally emphasize the information derived which is of chemical interest leaving the details of formal electrochemical arguments in the background. The authors have reviewed the pattern and systematics of ligand redox in ruthenium complexes. The synergistic combination of electrochemical and spectroscopic methods have vastly increased our understanding of ligand phenomena during the last 15 years or so. This in turn has led to better understanding and new developments in other fields. Photophysics and photochemistry could be cited as examples. (author). 176 refs.; 10 figs.; 10 tabs

Electrochemical depth profiling of multilayer metallic structures: An aluminum brazing sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afshar, F. Norouzi; Ambat, R.; Kwakernaak, C.; Wit, J.H.W. de; Mol, J.M.C.; Terryn, H.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Localized electrochemical cell and glow discharge optical emission spectrometry were used. ► An electrochemical depth profile of an aluminum brazing sheet was obtained. ► The electrochemical responses were correlated to the microstructural features. - Abstract: Combinatory localized electrochemical cell and glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES) measurements were performed to obtain a thorough in depth electrochemical characterization of an aluminum brazing sheet. By defining electrochemical criteria i.e. breakdown potential, corrosion potential, cathodic and anodic reactivities, and tracking their changes as a function of depth, the evolution of electrochemical responses through out the material thickness were analyzed and correlated to the corresponding microstructural features. Polarization curves in 1 wt% NaCl solution at pH 2.8 were obtained at different depths from the surface using controlled sputtering in a glow discharge optical emission spectrometer as a sample preparation technique. The anodic and cathodic reactivity of the top surface areas were significantly higher than that of the bulk, thus indicating these areas to be more susceptible to localized attack. Consistent with this, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope analysis revealed a relatively high density of fine intermetallic and silicon particles at these areas. The corrosion mechanism of the top layers was identified to be intergranular and pitting corrosion, while lower sensitivity to these localized attacks were detected toward the brazing sheet core. The results highlight the successful application of the electrochemical depth profiling approach in prediction of the corrosion behavior of the aluminum brazing sheet and the importance of the electrochemical activity of the outer 10 μm in controlling the corrosion performance of the aluminum brazing sheet.

Electrochemical dopamine sensor based on P-doped graphene: Highly active metal-free catalyst and metal catalyst support.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Ke; Wang, Fan; Zhao, Xiao-Lin; Wang, Xin-Wei; Tian, Ye

2017-12-01

Heteroatom doping is an effective strategy to enhance the catalytic activity of graphene and its hybrid materials. Despite a growing interest of P-doped graphene (P-G) in energy storage/generation applications, P-G has rarely been investigated for electrochemical sensing. Herein, we reported the employment of P-G as both metal-free catalyst and metal catalyst support for electrochemical detection of dopamine (DA). As a metal-free catalyst, P-G exhibited prominent DA sensing performances due to the important role of P doping in improving the electrocatalytic activity of graphene toward DA oxidation. Furthermore, P-G could be an efficient supporting material for loading Au nanoparticles, and resulting Au/P-G hybrid showed a dramatically enhanced electrocatalytic activity and extraordinary sensing performances with a wide linear range of 0.1-180μM and a low detection limit of 0.002μM. All these results demonstrated that P-G might be a very promising electrode material for electrochemical sensor applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of odd random phase electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to study lithium-based corrosion inhibition by active protective coatings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meeusen, M.; Visser, P.; Fernández Macía, L.; Hubin, A.; Terryn, H.A.; Mol, J.M.C.

2018-01-01

In this work, the study of the time-dependent behaviour of lithium carbonate based inhibitor technology for the active corrosion protection of aluminium alloy 2024-T3 is presented. Odd random phase electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (ORP-EIS) is selected as the electrochemical tool to study

Electrocatalytic activity mapping of model fuel cell catalyst films using scanning electrochemical microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholson, P.G.; Zhou, S.; Hinds, G.; Wain, A.J.; Turnbull, A.

2009-01-01

Scanning electrochemical microscopy has been employed to spatially map the electrocatalytic activity of model proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) catalyst films towards the hydrogen oxidation reaction (the PEMFC anode reaction). The catalyst films were composed of platinum-loaded carbon nanoparticles, similar to those typically used in PEMFCs. The electrochemical characterisation was correlated with a detailed physical characterisation using dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The nanoparticles were found to be reasonably mono-dispersed, with a tendency to agglomerate into porous bead-type structures when spun-cast. The number of carbon nanoparticles with little or no platinum was surprisingly higher than would be expected based on the platinum-carbon mass ratio. Furthermore, the platinum-rich carbon particles tended to agglomerate and the clusters formed were non-uniformly distributed. This morphology was reflected in a high degree of heterogeneity in the film activity towards the hydrogen oxidation reaction.

High electrochemical capacitor performance of oxygen and nitrogen enriched activated carbon derived from the pyrolysis and activation of squid gladius chitin

Science.gov (United States)

Raj, C. Justin; Rajesh, Murugesan; Manikandan, Ramu; Yu, Kook Hyun; Anusha, J. R.; Ahn, Jun Hwan; Kim, Dong-Won; Park, Sang Yeup; Kim, Byung Chul

2018-05-01

Activated carbon containing nitrogen functionalities exhibits excellent electrochemical property which is more interesting for several renewable energy storage and catalytic applications. Here, we report the synthesis of microporous oxygen and nitrogen doped activated carbon utilizing chitin from the gladius of squid fish. The activated carbon has large surface area of 1129 m2 g-1 with microporous network and possess ∼4.04% of nitrogen content in the form of pyridinic/pyrrolic-N, graphitic-N and N-oxide groups along with oxygen and carbon species. The microporous oxygen/nitrogen doped activated carbon is utilize for the fabrication of aqueous and flexible supercapacitor electrodes, which presents excellent electrochemical performance with maximum specific capacitance of 204 Fg-1 in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte and 197 Fg-1 as a flexible supercapacitor. Moreover, the device displays 100% of specific capacitance retention after 25,000 subsequent charge/discharge cycles in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte.

Small-angle neutron scattering and cyclic voltammetry study on electrochemically oxidized and reduced pyrolytic carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, A.; Kohlbrecher, J.; Baertsch, M.; Schnyder, B.; Koetz, R.; Haas, O.; Wokaun, A.

2004-01-01

The electrochemical double layer capacitance and internal surface area of a pyrolytic carbon material after electrochemical oxidation and subsequent reduction was studied with cyclic voltammetry and small-angle neutron scattering. Oxidation yields an enhanced internal surface area (activation), and subsequent reduction causes a decrease of this internal surface area. The change of the Porod constant, as obtained from small-angle neutron scattering, reveals that the decrease in internal surface area is not caused merely by a closing or narrowing of the pores, but by a partial collapse of the pore network

Controllable synthesis of hierarchical nickel cobalt sulfide with enhanced electrochemical activity

Science.gov (United States)

Tie, Jinjin; Han, Jiaxi; Diao, Guiqiang; Liu, Jiwen; Xie, Zhuopeng; Cheng, Gao; Sun, Ming; Yu, Lin

2018-03-01

The composition of nickel cobalt sulfide has great influence on its electrochemical performance. Herein, the nickel cobalt sulfide with different composition and mixed phase were synthesized by one-step solvothermal method through changing the molar ratio of Ni to Co in the reaction system. The electrochemical measurements showed that the nickel cobalt sulfide with a theoretical molar ratio of Ni/Co to be 1.5:1.5 (NCS-2) demonstrates the superior pseudocapacitive performance with a high specific capacitance (6.47 F cm-2 at 10 mA cm-2) and a favorable Coulombic efficiency (∼99%). Whereas, when applied as the catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction in 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte, the nickel cobalt sulfide with a theoretical molar ratio of Ni/Co is 1:2 (NCS-1) displays better catalytic activity, and it requires a relatively lower overpotential of 282 mV to deliver the current density of 10 mA cm-2.

Electrochemical Studies of the Inhibition and Activation Effects of Al (III on the Activity of Bovine Liver Glutamate Dehydrogenase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuping Bi

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Since the study of Al3+ ion on the enzyme activity by using of electrochemical techniques was rarely found in available literatures, the differential-pulse polarography (DPP technique was applied to study the effects of Al3+ ion on the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH activity in the catalytical reaction of α-KG +NADH+NH4 + ⇔ L-Glu+NAD++H2O by monitoring the DPP reduction current of NAD+. At the plant and animal physiologically relevant pH values (pH=6.5 and 7.5, the GDH enzyme activities were strongly depended on the concentrations of the metal ion in the assay mixture solutions. In the lower Al (III concentration solutions (80μM, the inhibition effects of Al (III were shown again. The cyclic voltammetry of NAD+ and NAD+-GDH in the presence of Al (III can help to explain some biological phenomena. According to the differential-pulse polarography and cyclic voltammetry experiments, the present research confirmed that the electrochemical technique is a convenient and reliable sensor for accurate determination of enzyme activity in biological and environmental samples.

Electrochemically cathodic exfoliation of graphene sheets in room temperature ionic liquids N-butyl, methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and their electrochemical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Yingchang; Lu, Fang; Zhou, Zhou; Song, Weixin; Chen, Qiyuan; Ji, Xiaobo

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: Electrochemically cathodic exfoliation of graphite into few-layer graphene sheets in room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) N-butyl, methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-imide (BMPTF 2 N). -- Highlights: • Few-layer graphene sheets were prepared through electrochemically cathodic exfoliation in room temperature ionic liquids. • The mechanism of cathodic exfoliation in ionic liquids was proposed. • The derived activated graphene sheets show enhanced electrochemical properties. -- Abstract: Electrochemically cathodic exfoliation in room temperature ionic liquids N-butyl, methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-imide (BMPTF 2 N) has been developed for few-layer graphene sheets, demonstrating low levels of oxygen (2.7 at% of O) with a nearly perfect structure (I D /I G 2 N involves the intercalation of ionic liquids cation [BMP] + under highly negatively charge followed by graphite expansion. Porous activated graphene sheets were also obtained by activation of graphene sheets in KOH. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize these graphene materials. The electrochemical performances of the graphene sheets and porous activated graphene sheets for lithium-ion battery anode materials were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Activated carbon electrodes: electrochemical oxidation coupled with desalination for wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Feng; Li, Yuping; Cao, Hongbin; Wang, Yi; Crittenden, John C; Zhang, Yi

2015-04-01

The wastewater usually contains low-concentration organic pollutants and some inorganic salts after biological treatment. In the present work, the possibility of simultaneous removal of them by combining electrochemical oxidation and electrosorption was investigated. Phenol and sodium chloride were chosen as representative of organic pollutants and inorganic salts and a pair of activated carbon plate electrodes were used as anode and cathode. Some important working conditions such as oxygen concentration, applied potential and temperature were evaluated to reach both efficient phenol removal and desalination. Under optimized 2.0 V of applied potential, 38°C of temperature, and 500 mL min(-1) of oxygen flow, over 90% of phenol, 60% of TOC and 20% of salinity were removed during 300 min of electrolysis time. Phenol was removed by both adsorption and electrochemical oxidation, which may proceed directly or indirectly by chlorine and hypochlorite oxidation. Chlorophenols were detected as degradation intermediates, but they were finally transformed to carboxylic acids. Desalination was possibly attributed to electrosorption of ions in the pores of activated carbon electrodes. The charging/regeneration cycling experiment showed good stability of the electrodes. This provides a new strategy for wastewater treatment and recycling. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Degradation of all-vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) investigated by electrochemical impedance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy: Part 2 electrochemical degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Derr, Igor; Bruns, Michael; Langner, Joachim; Fetyan, Abdulmonem; Melke, Julia; Roth, Christina

2016-09-01

Electrochemical degradation (ED) of carbon felt electrodes was investigated by cycling of a flow through all-vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) and conducting half-cell measurements with two reference electrodes inside the test bench. ED was detected using half-cell and full-cell electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) at different states of charge (SOC). Reversing the polarity of the battery to recover cell performance was performed with little success. Renewing the electrolyte after a certain amount of cycles restored the capacity of the battery. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals that the amount of surface functional increases by more than a factor of 3 for the negative side as well as for the positive side. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show a peeling of the fiber surface after cycling the felts, which leads to a loss of electrochemically active surface area (ECSA). Long term cycling shows that ED has a stronger impact on the negative half-cell [V(II)/V(III)] than the positive half-cell [V(IV)/V(V)] and that the negative half-cell is the rate-determining half-cell for the VRFB.

The influence of activation of heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes on their electrochemical properties

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Brožová, Libuše; Křivčík, J.; Neděla, D.; Kysela, V.; Žitka, Jan

2015-01-01

Roč. 56, č. 12 (2015), s. 3228-3232 ISSN 1944-3994. [International Conference on Membrane and Electromembrane Processes - MELPRO 2014. Prague, 18.05.2014-21.05.2014] Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : heterogeneous ion-exchange membranes * electrochemical properties * activation Subject RIV: JP - Industrial Processing Impact factor: 1.272, year: 2015

Structures, Compositions, and Activities of Live Shewanella Biofilms Formed on Graphite Electrodes in Electrochemical Flow Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitayama, Miho; Koga, Ryota; Kasai, Takuya; Kouzuma, Atsushi; Watanabe, Kazuya

2017-09-01

An electrochemical flow cell equipped with a graphite working electrode (WE) at the bottom was inoculated with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 expressing an anaerobic fluorescent protein, and biofilm formation on the WE was observed over time during current generation at WE potentials of +0.4 and 0 V (versus standard hydrogen electrodes), under electrolyte-flow conditions. Electrochemical analyses suggested the presence of unique electron-transfer mechanisms in the +0.4-V biofilm. Microscopic analyses revealed that, in contrast to aerobic biofilms, current-generating biofilm (at +0.4 V) was thin and flat (∼10 μm in thickness), and cells were evenly and densely distributed in the biofilm. In contrast, cells were unevenly distributed in biofilm formed at 0 V. In situ fluorescence staining and biofilm recovery experiments showed that the amounts of extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) in the +0.4-V biofilm were much smaller than those in the aerobic and 0-V biofilms, suggesting that Shewanella cells suppress the production of EPSs at +0.4 V under flow conditions. We suggest that Shewanella cells perceive electrode potentials and modulate the structure and composition of biofilms to efficiently transfer electrons to electrodes. IMPORTANCE A promising application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is to save energy in wastewater treatment. Since current is generated in these MFCs by biofilm microbes under horizontal flows of wastewater, it is important to understand the mechanisms for biofilm formation and current generation under water-flow conditions. Although massive work has been done to analyze the molecular mechanisms for current generation by model exoelectrogenic bacteria, such as Shewanella oneidensis , limited information is available regarding the formation of current-generating biofilms over time under water-flow conditions. The present study developed electrochemical flow cells and used them to examine the electrochemical and structural features of current

Electrochemical properties of high-power supercapacitors using ordered NiO coated Si nanowire array electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Fang; Qiu, Mengchun; Qi, Xiang; Yang, Liwen; Yin, Jinjie; Hao, Guolin; Feng, Xiang; Li, Jun; Zhong, Jianxin

2011-08-01

Highly ordered NiO coated Si nanowire arrays are fabricated as electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES) via depositing Ni on electroless-etched Si nanowires and subsequently annealing. The electrochemical tests reveal that the constructed electrode has superior electrical conductibility and more active sites per unit area for chemical reaction processes, thereby possessing good cycle stability, high specific capacity, and low internal resistance. The specific capacity is up to 787.5 F g-1 at a discharge current of 2.5 mA and decreases slightly with 4.039% loss after 500 cycles, while the equivalent internal resistance is ˜3.067 Ω. Owing to its favorable electrochemical performance, this ordered hybrid array nanostructure is a promising electrode material in future commercial ES.

Electrochemical and computational studies, in protic medium, of Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts and correlation with leishmanicidal activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paiva, Yen G. de; Pinho Júnior, Waldomiro; Souza, Antonio A. de; Costa, Cícero O.; Silva, Fábio P.L.; Lima-Junior, Cláudio G.; Vasconcellos, Mario L.A.A.; Goulart, Marília O.F.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Twelve Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts (MBHA) with significant leishmanicidal activity were studied by electrochemical and computational techniques, in protic media. • Ortho compounds for each series showed more negative reduction potentials than their positional isomers. • Less stable hydroxylamines were formed for ortho derivatives. • There is an inverse correlation between electrochemical parameters and bioactivity. - Abstract: Enzymatic bioreduction of nitro groups plays an important role on the activity of biologically active nitroaromatic compounds. Electrochemical methods are useful tools to simulate in vivo metabolic processes. This work presents electrochemical studies, in protic media (EtOH + phosphate buffer 4:6), using cyclic voltammetry (CV) of twelve Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts (MBHA) with significant leishmanicidal activity. To facilitate the analysis, the molecules were grouped in four classes according to their side chains. Cyclic voltammograms display, in all cases, only one cathodic wave related to the formation of the correspondent hydroxylamines, which suffer further oxidation generating the nitroso derivatives in a sequential cycle. Ortho compounds exhibit more negative reduction potentials compared to the other isomers, in the same chemical class. This phenomenon could be related not only to structural effects but also to the presence of solvation spheres during the electroreduction process and/or stabilization of the resulting hydroxylamine. A proposal to explain the higher leishmanicidal activity of the ortho compounds compared with the meta and para compounds was suggested based on theoretical calculations (HF/6-31 + G */PCM, water, as a calculation level) that indicated lower thermodynamic stability for the ortho, in comparison to the corresponding meta and para hydroxylamines, fact that may suggest the easier transformation of the electrogenerated compounds into reactive electrophilic intermediates or final products

Activated carbon and single-walled carbon nanotube based electrochemical capacitor in 1 M LiPF6 electrolyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azam, M.A.; Jantan, N.H.; Dorah, N.; Seman, R.N.A.R.; Manaf, N.S.A.; Kudin, T.I.T.; Yahya, M.Z.A.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Activated carbon and single-walled CNT based electrochemical capacitor. • Electrochemical analysis by means of CV, charge/discharge and impedance. • 1 M LiPF 6 non-aqueous solution as an electrolyte. • AC/SWCNT electrode exhibits a maximum capacitance of 60.97 F g −1 . - Abstract: Carbon nanotubes have been extensively studied because of their wide range of potential application such as in nanoscale electric circuits, textiles, transportation, health, and the environment. Carbon nanotubes feature extraordinary properties, such as electrical conductivities higher than those of copper, hardness and thermal conductivity higher than those of diamond, and strength surpassing that of steel, among others. This research focuses on the fabrication of an energy storage device, namely, an electrochemical capacitor, by using carbon materials, i.e., activated carbon and single-walled carbon nanotubes, of a specific weight ratio as electrode materials. The electrolyte functioning as an ion carrier is 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate. Variations in the electrochemical performance of the device, including its capacitance, charge/discharge characteristics, and impedance, are reported in this paper. The electrode proposed in this work exhibits a maximum capacitance of 60.97 F g −1 at a scan rate of 1 mV s −1

The electrochemical catalytic activity of single-walled carbon nanotubes towards VO2+/VO2+ and V3+/V2+ redox pairs for an all vanadium redox flow battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Wenyue; Liu Jianguo; Yan Chuanwei

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► SWCNT shows excellent electrochemical catalytic activity towards VO 2 + /VO 2+ and V 3+ /V 2+ redox couples. ► The anodic reactions are more sensitive to the surface oxygen atom content change compared with the cathodic reactions. ► The enhanced battery performance clearly demonstrated that the SWCNT is suitable to be used as an electrode catalyst for VRFB. - Abstract: Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) was used as an electrode catalyst for an all vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). The electrochemical property of SWCNT towards VO 2 + /VO 2+ and V 3+ /V 2+ was carefully characterized by cyclic voltammetric (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The peak current values for these redox pairs were significantly higher on the modified glassy carbon electrode compared with those obtained on the bare electrode, suggesting the excellent electrochemical activity of the SWCNT. Moreover, it was proved that the anodic process was more dependent on the surface oxygen of the SWCNT than the cathodic process through changing its surface oxygen content. Detailed EIS analysis of different modified electrodes revealed that the charge and mass transfer processes were accelerated at the modified electrode–electrolyte interface, which could be ascribed to the large specific surface area, the surface defects and the oxygen functional groups of the SWCNT. The enhanced battery performance effectively demonstrated that the SWCNT was suitable to serve as an electrode catalyst for the VRFB.

Enhanced electrochemical performance of porous activated carbon by forming composite with graphene as high-performance supercapacitor electrode material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhi-Hang; Yang, Jia-Ying [Central South University, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Efficient and Clean Utilization of Manganese Resources (China); Wu, Xiong-Wei [Hunan Agricultural University, College of Science (China); Chen, Xiao-Qing; Yu, Jin-Gang, E-mail: yujg@csu.edu.cn [Central South University, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Efficient and Clean Utilization of Manganese Resources (China); Wu, Yu-Ping, E-mail: wuyp@fudan.edu.cn [Fudan University, New Energy and Materials Laboratory (NEML), Department of Chemistry and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials (China)

2017-02-15

In this work, a novel activated carbon containing graphene composite was developed using a fast, simple, and green ultrasonic-assisted method. Graphene is more likely a framework which provides support for activated carbon (AC) particles to form hierarchical microstructure of carbon composite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectra analysis, XRD, and XPS were used to analyze the morphology and surface structure of the composite. The electrochemical properties of the supercapacitor electrode based on the as-prepared carbon composite were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), charge/discharge, and cycling performance measurements. It exhibited better electrochemical performance including higher specific capacitance (284 F g{sup −1} at a current density of 0.5 A g{sup −1}), better rate behavior (70.7% retention), and more stable cycling performance (no capacitance fading even after 2000 cycles). It is easier for us to find that the composite produced by our method was superior to pristine AC in terms of electrochemical performance due to the unique conductive network between graphene and AC.

Enhanced electrochemical performance of porous activated carbon by forming composite with graphene as high-performance supercapacitor electrode material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhi-Hang; Yang, Jia-Ying; Wu, Xiong-Wei; Chen, Xiao-Qing; Yu, Jin-Gang; Wu, Yu-Ping

2017-01-01

In this work, a novel activated carbon containing graphene composite was developed using a fast, simple, and green ultrasonic-assisted method. Graphene is more likely a framework which provides support for activated carbon (AC) particles to form hierarchical microstructure of carbon composite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectra analysis, XRD, and XPS were used to analyze the morphology and surface structure of the composite. The electrochemical properties of the supercapacitor electrode based on the as-prepared carbon composite were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), charge/discharge, and cycling performance measurements. It exhibited better electrochemical performance including higher specific capacitance (284 F g"−"1 at a current density of 0.5 A g"−"1), better rate behavior (70.7% retention), and more stable cycling performance (no capacitance fading even after 2000 cycles). It is easier for us to find that the composite produced by our method was superior to pristine AC in terms of electrochemical performance due to the unique conductive network between graphene and AC.

Electrochemical activation and inhibition of neuromuscular systems through modulation of ion concentrations with ion-selective membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yong-Ak; Melik, Rohat; Rabie, Amr N.; Ibrahim, Ahmed M. S.; Moses, David; Tan, Ara; Han, Jongyoon; Lin, Samuel J.

2011-12-01

Conventional functional electrical stimulation aims to restore functional motor activity of patients with disabilities resulting from spinal cord injury or neurological disorders. However, intervention with functional electrical stimulation in neurological diseases lacks an effective implantable method that suppresses unwanted nerve signals. We have developed an electrochemical method to activate and inhibit a nerve by electrically modulating ion concentrations in situ along the nerve. Using ion-selective membranes to achieve different excitability states of the nerve, we observe either a reduction of the electrical threshold for stimulation by up to approximately 40%, or voluntary, reversible inhibition of nerve signal propagation. This low-threshold electrochemical stimulation method is applicable in current implantable neuroprosthetic devices, whereas the on-demand nerve-blocking mechanism could offer effective clinical intervention in disease states caused by uncontrolled nerve activation, such as epilepsy and chronic pain syndromes.

Electrochemically active manganese oxides: structural modelling, modifications induced by thermal processing and photon insertion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ripert, Michel

1990-01-01

The objective of this research study is to understand the mechanism of proton insertion into manganese dioxide. It comprised the performances of in situ discharges of two commercial samples in an electrochemical cell designed for this purpose. In order to characterise the structure of electrochemically active manganese dioxides, and particularly to elucidate the orthorhombic-hexagonal dilemma, the author proposes a crystalline-chemical approach which comprises the development of a unique structural model which takes the structure of all forms of electrochemically active manganese dioxides into account, and a numerical simulation of diffraction diagrams (X rays and neutrons) of these structures. The development of this modelling results in the development of a method which allows, from experimental diffraction diagrams, characteristic structural parameters of each sample of EMD (electrolytic manganese dioxide) or CMD (chemical manganese dioxide) to be obtained. Moreover, the observation of the structural evolution of the dioxide is possible by using in situ neutron diffraction. Reduction has been studied by using slow potential scanning voltammetry. By using these both techniques (neutron diffraction and voltammetry), it is possible to explain the structural mechanism of reduction of MnO_2 and to show the origin of the non-reversibility of the proton/MnO_2 system, to quantitatively explain the shape voltammetry curves, and to highlight experimentally for the first time the different sites of insertion of the proton

G eobacter sp. SD-1 with enhanced electrochemical activity in high-salt concentration solutions

KAUST Repository

Sun, Dan; Call, Douglas; Wang, Aijie; Cheng, Shaoan; Logan, Bruce E.

2014-01-01

© 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Summary: An isolate, designated strain SD-1, was obtained from a biofilm dominated by Geobacter sulfurreducens in a microbial fuel cell. The electrochemical activity of strain SD-1 was compared with type strains, G.sulfurreducensPCA and Geobacter metallireducensGS-15, and a mixed culture in microbial electrolysis cells. SD-1 produced a maximum current density of 290±29Am-3 in a high-concentration phosphate buffer solution (PBS-H, 200mM). This current density was significantly higher than that produced by the mixed culture (189±44Am-3) or the type strains (<70Am-3). In a highly saline water (SW; 50mM PBS and 650mM NaCl), current by SD-1 (158±4Am-3) was reduced by 28% compared with 50mM PBS (220±4Am-3), but it was still higher than that of the mixed culture (147±19Am-3), and strains PCA and GS-15 did not produce any current. Electrochemical tests showed that the improved performance of SD-1 was due to its lower charge transfer resistance and more negative potentials produced at higher current densities. These results show that the electrochemical activity of SD-1 was significantly different than other Geobacter strains and mixed cultures in terms of its salt tolerance.

G eobacter sp. SD-1 with enhanced electrochemical activity in high-salt concentration solutions

KAUST Repository

Sun, Dan

2014-07-16

© 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Summary: An isolate, designated strain SD-1, was obtained from a biofilm dominated by Geobacter sulfurreducens in a microbial fuel cell. The electrochemical activity of strain SD-1 was compared with type strains, G.sulfurreducensPCA and Geobacter metallireducensGS-15, and a mixed culture in microbial electrolysis cells. SD-1 produced a maximum current density of 290±29Am-3 in a high-concentration phosphate buffer solution (PBS-H, 200mM). This current density was significantly higher than that produced by the mixed culture (189±44Am-3) or the type strains (<70Am-3). In a highly saline water (SW; 50mM PBS and 650mM NaCl), current by SD-1 (158±4Am-3) was reduced by 28% compared with 50mM PBS (220±4Am-3), but it was still higher than that of the mixed culture (147±19Am-3), and strains PCA and GS-15 did not produce any current. Electrochemical tests showed that the improved performance of SD-1 was due to its lower charge transfer resistance and more negative potentials produced at higher current densities. These results show that the electrochemical activity of SD-1 was significantly different than other Geobacter strains and mixed cultures in terms of its salt tolerance.

Effect of the capacity design of activated carbon cathode on the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Jin; Wang, Jing; Shi, Jingli; Wang, Chengyang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • MCMB with the optimal pre-lithiation capacity as negative electrode in LIC. • The capacity design of cathode affects the electrochemical performance of LIC. • The optimal designed capacity of positive electrode has been proposed. - ABSTRACT: Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) are assembled with activated carbon (AC) cathode and pre-lithiated mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) anode. The effect of AC cathode capacity design on the electrochemical performance of LIC is investigated by the galvanostatic charging-discharging and electrochemical impedance tests. As the designed capacity of AC positive electrode is lower than 50 mAh g −1 , the working potential of negative electrode is always in the low and stable plateau, which is conductive to the sufficient utilization and the working potential stability of positive electrode. When the designed capacity of positive electrode is higher than 50 mAh g −1 , the instability of negative electrode directly causes the reduced utilization and shortened working potential range of the positive electrode, which is responsible for the capacity attenuation and cycle performance deterioration of LIC. The positive electrode capacity design can realize the optimization of electrochemical performance of LIC. LIC50 exhibits the optimal electrochemical performance, high energy density up to 92.3 Wh kg −1 and power density as high as 5.5 kW kg −1 (based on active material mass of two electrodes), excellent capacity retention of 97.0 % after 1000 cycles. The power density and cycle performance of LIC can be further improved by reducing the AC positive electrode designed capacity

Novel Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite synthesized by electrochemically active biofilm for nonenzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Mohammad Mansoob; Ansari, Sajid Ali; Lee, Jintae; Cho, Moo Hwan

2013-12-01

A novel nonenzymatic sensor for H2O2 was developed based on an Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite synthesized using a simple and cost effective approach with an electrochemically active biofilm. The optical, structural, morphological and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite were examined by UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite was fabricated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and their electrochemical performance was analyzed by CV, differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite modified GCE (Ag@TiO2/GCE) displayed excellent performance towards H2O2 sensing at -0.73 V in the linear response range from 0.83 μM to 43.3 μM, within a detection limit and sensitivity of 0.83 μM and ~65.2328±0.01 μA μM(-1) cm(-2), respectively. In addition, Ag@TiO2/GCE exhibited good operational reproducibility and long term stability. © 2013.

Revisiting the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of magnesium with online inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Shkirskiy, Viacheslav; King, Andrew D; Gharbi, Oumaïma; Volovitch, Polina; Scully, John R; Ogle, Kevin; Birbilis, Nick

2015-02-23

The electrochemical impedance of reactive metals such as magnesium is often complicated by an obvious inductive loop with decreasing frequency of the AC polarising signal. The characterisation and ensuing explanation of this phenomenon has been lacking in the literature to date, being either ignored or speculated. Herein, we couple electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with online atomic emission spectroelectrochemistry (AESEC) to simultaneously measure Mg-ion concentration and electrochemical impedance spectra during Mg corrosion, in real time. It is revealed that Mg dissolution occurs via Mg(2+) , and that corrosion is activated, as measured by AC frequencies less than approximately 1 Hz approaching DC conditions. The result of this is a higher rate of Mg(2+) dissolution, as the voltage excitation becomes slow enough to enable all Mg(2+) -enabling processes to adjust in real time. The manifestation of this in EIS data is an inductive loop. The rationalisation of such EIS behaviour, as it relates to Mg, is revealed for the first time by using concurrent AESEC. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrochemical Energy Storage Technical Team Roadmap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2013-06-01

This U.S. DRIVE electrochemical energy storage roadmap describes ongoing and planned efforts to develop electrochemical energy storage technologies for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). The Energy Storage activity comprises a number of research areas (including advanced materials research, cell level research, battery development, and enabling R&D which includes analysis, testing and other activities) for advanced energy storage technologies (batteries and ultra-capacitors).

Capsid protein oxidation in feline calicivirus using an electrochemical inactivation treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shionoiri, Nozomi; Nogariya, Osamu; Tanaka, Masayoshi; Matsunaga, Tadashi; Tanaka, Tsuyoshi, E-mail: tsuyo@cc.tuat.ac.jp

2015-02-11

Highlights: • Feline calicivirus was inactivated electrochemically by a factor of >5 log. • The electrochemical treatment was performed at 0.9 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for 15 min. • Electrochemical treatment caused oxidation of viral proteins. • Oxidation of viral proteins can lead to loss of viral structural integrity. - Abstract: Pathogenic viral infections are an international public health concern, and viral disinfection has received increasing attention. Electrochemical treatment has been used for treatment of water contaminated by bacteria for several decades, and although in recent years several reports have investigated viral inactivation kinetics, the mode of action of viral inactivation by electrochemical treatment remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated the inactivation of feline calicivirus (FCV), a surrogate for human noroviruses, by electrochemical treatment in a developed flow-cell equipped with a screen-printed electrode. The viral infectivity titer was reduced by over 5 orders of magnitude after 15 min of treatment at 0.9 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Proteomic study of electrochemically inactivated virus revealed oxidation of peptides located in the viral particles; oxidation was not observed in the non-treated sample. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy revealed that viral particles in the treated sample had irregular structures. These results suggest that electrochemical treatment inactivates FCV via oxidation of peptides in the structural region, causing structural deformation of virus particles. This first report of viral protein damage through electrochemical treatment will contribute to broadening the understanding of viral inactivation mechanisms.

Electrochemical ion-exchange for active liquid waste treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, A.D.; Bridger, N.J.; Jones, C.P.

1992-10-01

Electrochemical ion exchange (EIX) has been firmly established as an effective process for the treatment of a wide range of liquid radioactive wastes. Both organic (for low specific activity streams) and inorganic systems (for higher activity wastes) have been demonstrated. A low cost current feeder electrode has also been developed, with a projected lifetime of > 6 years. While cation EIX can be used for the treatment of low salt content streams, combination with anion EIX to control the pH can extend its range of application. At the same time, it is also able to remove activity complexed in an anionic form. AEIX has also demonstrated its ability to remove radionuclides with insoluble hydroxides (eg Co, U and Pu) from both high and low salt content streams. EIX has been successfully scaled-up form the bench-top scale by increasing electrode size by a factor of 11, and then by operating five units in parallel. An improvement in performance of by a factor 3 was observed over a simple increase in area, due to the minimization of edge effects in the larger units. The most significant advantage of EIX is its compactness -with plant sizes of 1000). (Author)

The effect of long-term storage on the physiochemical and bactericidal properties of electrochemically activated solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Gareth; Thorn, Robin; Reynolds, Darren

2012-12-24

Electrochemically activated solutions (ECAS) are generated by electrolysis of NaCl solutions, and demonstrate broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and high environmental compatibility. The biocidal efficacy of ECAS at the point of production is widely reported in the literature, as are its credentials as a "green biocide." Acidic ECAS are considered most effective as biocides at the point of production and ill suited for extended storage. Acidic ECAS samples were stored at 4 °C and 20 °C in glass and polystyrene containers for 398 days, and tested for free chlorine, pH, ORP and bactericidal activity throughout. ORP and free chlorine (mg/L) in stored ECAS declined over time, declining at the fastest rate when stored at 20 °C in polystyrene and at the slowest rate when stored at 4 °C in glass. Bactericidal efficacy was also affected by storage and ECAS failed to produce a 5 log(10) reduction on five occasions when stored at 20 °C. pH remained stable throughout the storage period. This study represents the longest storage evaluation of the physiochemical parameters and bactericidal efficacy of acidic ECAS within the published literature and reveals that acidic ECAS retain useful bactericidal activity for in excess of 12 months, widening potential applications.

The Effect of Long-Term Storage on the Physiochemical and Bactericidal Properties of Electrochemically Activated Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gareth Robinson

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Electrochemically activated solutions (ECAS are generated by electrolysis of NaCl solutions, and demonstrate broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and high environmental compatibility. The biocidal efficacy of ECAS at the point of production is widely reported in the literature, as are its credentials as a “green biocide.” Acidic ECAS are considered most effective as biocides at the point of production and ill suited for extended storage. Acidic ECAS samples were stored at 4 °C and 20 °C in glass and polystyrene containers for 398 days, and tested for free chlorine, pH, ORP and bactericidal activity throughout. ORP and free chlorine (mg/L in stored ECAS declined over time, declining at the fastest rate when stored at 20 °C in polystyrene and at the slowest rate when stored at 4 °C in glass. Bactericidal efficacy was also affected by storage and ECAS failed to produce a 5 log10 reduction on five occasions when stored at 20 °C. pH remained stable throughout the storage period. This study represents the longest storage evaluation of the physiochemical parameters and bactericidal efficacy of acidic ECAS within the published literature and reveals that acidic ECAS retain useful bactericidal activity for in excess of 12 months, widening potential applications.

Electrochemical reduction of NOx

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Traulsen, Marie Lund

NO and NO2 (collectively referred to as NOx) are air pollutants, and the largest single contributor to NOx pollution is automotive exhaust. This study investigates electrochemical deNOx, a technology which aims to remove NOx from automotive diesel exhaust by electrochemical reduction of NOx to N2...... and O2. The focus in this study is on improving the activity and selectivity of solid oxide electrodes for electrochemical deNOx by addition of NOx storage compounds to the electrodes. Two different composite electrodes, La0.85Sr0.15MnO3-δ-Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (LSM15-CGO10) and La0.85Sr0.15FeO3-δ-Ce0.9Gd0.1O......1.95 (LSF15-CGO10), have been investigated in combination with three different NOx storage compounds: BaO, K2O and MnOx. The main focus in the investigation has been on conversion measurements and electrochemical characterization, the latter by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy...

Electrochemical activation, voltage decay and hysteresis of Li-rich layered cathode probed by various cobalt content

KAUST Repository

Wu, Yingqiang

2018-02-01

The high capacity of Li-rich layered cathode materials have attracted great attention for the greater energy density lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries, but the understanding of knowledge associated with electrochemical behaviours are still needed to improve their performances further. In this study, different amount of Co content is designed in Li-rich layered compounds (0.5Li2MnO3·0.5LiMn0.5-xNi0.5-xCo2xO2, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2), and the stepwise electrochemical activation process is applied to explore the features. We discover that the substitution of Co3+ ions can accelerate the electrochemical activation of Li2MnO3 component, and the Co-doped compound delivers much higher capacities even they suffer an apparent voltage decay comparing to the Co-free one. Besides, a fast metal ions migration exists (e.g., from the metastable tetrahedral site to the lower energy cubic site) in initial dozens of cycles (e.g., 30 cycles at 0.1C); thereafter, they likely return to the original octahedral site, as demonstrated in the voltage decay and hysteresis analysis.

Electrochemical functionalization of Au by aminobenzene and 2-aminotoluene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rösicke, F; Neubert, T; Rappich, J; Sun, G; Hinrichs, K; Janietz, S

2016-01-01

Au surfaces are functionalized by aminobenzene (AB) and 2-aminotoluene (AT) using the electrochemical reduction of diazotized 1,4-diaminobenzene and 2,5-diaminotoluene. The IR spectroscopic measurements reveal the successful modification of Au surfaces by AB and AT. Both types of layers show similar thicknesses as obtained by microgravimetric measurements via electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). However, the faradaic efficiency for the grafting of AT onto an EQCM-Au sensor was 6% compared to 41% for the grafting of AB. This behavior points to a steric hindrance during the binding of AT to the EQCM surface induced by the additional methyl group present in the toluene derivative. The AB and AT functionalized surfaces have been further modified by the amidation reaction of EDC/NHS activated 4-nitrobenzoic acid. This model system reveals that the amidation reaction is slightly hindered in case of the AT layer due to the presence of the methyl group close to the amino group. This behavior leads to a four times less amount of amide bonds at the AT compared to AB modified Au surfaces as obtained from IR spectroscopic measurements. (paper)

Simultaneous noncontact topography and electrochemical imaging by SECM/SICM featuring ion current feedback regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Yasufumi; Shevchuk, Andrew I; Novak, Pavel; Murakami, Yumi; Shiku, Hitoshi; Korchev, Yuri E; Matsue, Tomokazu

2010-07-28

We described a hybrid system of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) with ion current feedback nanopositioning control for simultaneous imaging of noncontact topography and spatial distribution of electrochemical species. A nanopipette/nanoring electrode probe provided submicrometer resolution of the electrochemical measurement on surfaces with complex topology. The SECM/SICM probe had an aperture radius of 220 nm. The inner and outer radii of the SECM Au nanoring electrode were 330 and 550 nm, respectively. Characterization of the probe was performed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and approach curve measurements. SECM/SICM was applied to simultaneous imaging of topography and electrochemical responses of enzymes (horse radish peroxidase (HRP) and glucose oxidase (GOD)) and single live cells (A6 cells, superior cervical ganglion (SCG) cells, and cardiac myocytes). The measurements revealed the distribution of activity of the enzyme spots on uneven surfaces with submicrometer resolution. SECM/SICM acquired high resolution topographic images of cells together with the map of electrochemical signals. This combined technique was also applied to the evaluation of the permeation property of electroactive species through cellular membranes.

Electrochemical performances and capacity fading behaviors of activated carbon/hard carbon lithium ion capacitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Xianzhong; Zhang, Xiong; Liu, Wenjie; Wang, Kai; Li, Chen; Li, Zhao; Ma, Yanwei

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Three-electrode pouch cell is used to investigate the capacity fading of AC/HC LIC. • the electrode potential swing is critical for the cycleability of a LIC cell. • Different capacity fading behaviors are discussed. • A large-capacity LIC pouch cell has been assembled with a specific energy of 18.1 Wh kg −1 based on the total weight. - Abstract: Lithium ion capacitor (LIC) is one of the most promising electrochemical energy storage devices, which offers rapid charging-discharging capability and long cycle life. We have fabricated LIC pouch cells using an electrochemically-driven lithium pre-doping method through a three-electrode pouch cell structure. The active materials of cathode and anode of LIC cell are activated carbon and pre-lithiated hard carbon, respectively. The electrochemical performances and the capacity fading behaviors of LICs in the voltage range of 2.0 − 4.0 V have been studied. The specific energy and specific power reach 73.6 Wh kg −1 and 11.9 kW kg −1 based on the weight of the active materials in both cathode and anode, respectively. Since the cycling performance is actually determined by hard carbon anode, the anode potential swings are emphasized. The capacity fading of LIC upon cycling is proposed to be caused by the increases of internal resistance and the consumption of lithium stored in anode. Finally, a large-capacity LIC pouch cell has been assembled with a maximum specific energy of 18.1 Wh kg −1 and a maximum specific power of 3.7 kW kg −1 based on the weight of the whole cell.

Activated carbon and single-walled carbon nanotube based electrochemical capacitor in 1 M LiPF{sub 6} electrolyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azam, M.A., E-mail: asyadi@utem.edu.my [Carbon Research Technology Research Group, Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka (Malaysia); Jantan, N.H.; Dorah, N.; Seman, R.N.A.R.; Manaf, N.S.A. [Carbon Research Technology Research Group, Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka (Malaysia); Kudin, T.I.T. [Ionics Materials & Devices Research Laboratory, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Yahya, M.Z.A. [Ionics Materials & Devices Research Laboratory, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); National Defence University of Malaysia, Kem Sungai Besi, 57000 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Activated carbon and single-walled CNT based electrochemical capacitor. • Electrochemical analysis by means of CV, charge/discharge and impedance. • 1 M LiPF{sub 6} non-aqueous solution as an electrolyte. • AC/SWCNT electrode exhibits a maximum capacitance of 60.97 F g{sup −1}. - Abstract: Carbon nanotubes have been extensively studied because of their wide range of potential application such as in nanoscale electric circuits, textiles, transportation, health, and the environment. Carbon nanotubes feature extraordinary properties, such as electrical conductivities higher than those of copper, hardness and thermal conductivity higher than those of diamond, and strength surpassing that of steel, among others. This research focuses on the fabrication of an energy storage device, namely, an electrochemical capacitor, by using carbon materials, i.e., activated carbon and single-walled carbon nanotubes, of a specific weight ratio as electrode materials. The electrolyte functioning as an ion carrier is 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate. Variations in the electrochemical performance of the device, including its capacitance, charge/discharge characteristics, and impedance, are reported in this paper. The electrode proposed in this work exhibits a maximum capacitance of 60.97 F g{sup −1} at a scan rate of 1 mV s{sup −1}.

Enhanced activity of gold-supported cobalt oxide for the electrochemical evolution of oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, Boon Siang; Bell, Alexis T

2011-04-13

Scanning electron microscopy, linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) occurring on cobalt oxide films deposited on Au and other metal substrates. All experiments were carried out in 0.1 M KOH. A remarkable finding is that the turnover frequency for the OER exhibited by ∼0.4 ML of cobalt oxide deposited on Au is 40 times higher than that of bulk cobalt oxide. The activity of small amounts of cobalt oxide deposited on Pt, Pd, Cu, and Co decreased monotonically in the order Au > Pt > Pd > Cu > Co, paralleling the decreasing electronegativity of the substrate metal. Another notable finding is that the OER turnover frequency for ∼0.4 ML of cobalt oxide deposited on Au is nearly three times higher than that for bulk Ir. Raman spectroscopy revealed that the as-deposited cobalt oxide is present as Co(3)O(4) but undergoes progressive oxidation to CoO(OH) with increasing anodic potential. The higher OER activity of cobalt oxide deposited on Au is attributed to an increase in fraction of the Co sites present as Co(IV) cations, a state of cobalt believed to be essential for OER to occur. A hypothesis for how Co(IV) cations contribute to OER is proposed and discussed. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Aerobic and Electrochemical Oxidations with N-Oxyl Reagents

Science.gov (United States)

Miles, Kelsey C.

Selective oxidation of organic compounds represents a significant challenge for chemical transformations. Oxidation methods that utilize nitroxyl catalysts have become increasingly attractive and include Cu/nitroxyl and nitroxyl/NO x co-catalyst systems. Electrochemical activation of nitroxyls is also well known and offers an appealing alternative to the use of chemical co-oxidants. However, academic and industrial organic synthetic communities have not widely adopted electrochemical methods. Nitroxyl catalysts facilitate effective and selective oxidation of alcohols and aldehydes to ketones and carboxylic acids. Selective benzylic, allylic, and alpha-heteroatom C-H abstraction can also be achieved with nitroxyls and provides access to oxygenated products when used in combination with molecular oxygen as a radical trap. This thesis reports various chemical and electrochemical oxidation methods that were developed using nitroxyl mediators. Chapter 1 provides a short review on practical aerobic alcohol oxidation with Cu/nitroxyl and nitroxyl/NO x systems and emphasizes the utility of bicyclic nitroxyls as co-catalysts. In Chapter 2, the combination of these bicyclic nitroxyls with NOx is explored for development of a mild oxidation of alpha-chiral aryl aldehydes and showcases a sequential asymmetric hydroformylation/oxidation method. Chapter 3 reports the synthesis and characterization of two novel Cu/bicyclic nitroxyl complexes and the electronic structure analysis of these complexes. Chapter 4 highlights the electrochemical activation of various nitroxyls and reports an in-depth study on electrochemical alcohol oxidation and compares the reactivity of nitroxyls under electrochemical or chemical activation. N-oxyls can also participate in selective C-H abstraction, and Chapter 5 reports the chemical and electrochemical activation of N-oxyls for radical-mediated C-H oxygenation of (hetero)arylmethanes. For these electrochemical transformations, the development of

Cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of electrochemical - synthesized silver nanoparticles against poliovirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Huy, Tran Quang; Hien Thanh, Nguyen Thi; Thuy, Nguyen Thanh; Chung, Pham Van; Hung, Pham Ngoc; Le, Anh-Tuan; Hong Hanh, Nguyen Thi

2017-03-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been proven to have noticeable cytotoxicity in vitro and antiviral activity against some types of enveloped viruses. This paper presents the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of pure AgNPs synthesized by the electrochemical method, towards cell culture and poliovirus (a non-enveloped virus). Prepared AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Before incubation with poliovirus, different concentrations of AgNPs were added to human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cell monolayers seeded in 96 well plates for testing their cytotoxicity. The in vitro cytotoxicity and anti-poliovirus activity of AgNPs were daily assessed for cytopathic effect (CPE) through inverted light microscopy. CPE in the tested wells was determined in comparison with those in wells of negative and positive control. Structure analysis showed that AgNPs were formed with a quasi-spherical shape with mean size about 7.1nm and high purity. No CPE of RD cells was seen in wells at the time point of 48h post-incubation with AgNPs at concentration up to 100ppm. The anti-poliovirus activity of AgNPs was determined at 3.13ppm corresponding to the viral concentration of 1TCID 50 (Tissue Culture Infective Dose) after 30min, and 10TCID 50 after 60min, the cell viability was found up to 98% at 48h post-infection, with no CPE found. Whereas, a strong CPE of RD cells was found at 48h post-infection with the mixture of AgNPs and poliovirus at concentration of 100TCID 50 , and in wells of positive controls. With mentioned advantages, electrochemical-synthesized AgNPs are promising candidate for advanced biomedical and disinfection applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Activated carbon derived from marine Posidonia Oceanica for electric energy storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Boukmouche

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the synthesis and characterization of activated carbon from marine Posidonia Oceanica were studied. The activated carbon was prepared by a simple process namely pyrolysis under inert atmosphere. The activated carbon can be used as electrodes for supercapacitor devices. X-ray diffraction result revealed a polycrystalline graphitic structure. While scanning electron microscope investigation showed a layered structure with micropores. The EDS analysis showed that the activated carbon contains the carbon element in high atomic percentage. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed a capacitive behavior (electrostatic phenomena. The specific capacity per unit area of the electrochemical double layer of activated carbon electrode in sulfuric acid electrolyte was 3.16 F cm−2. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic chronopotentiometry demonstrated that the electrode has excellent electrochemical reversibility. It has been found that the surface capacitance was strongly related to the specific surface area and pore size.

Electrochemical probing into the active sites of graphitic-layer encapsulated iron oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhong, Lijie; Jensen, Jens Oluf; Cleemann, Lars Nilausen

2018-01-01

is still unclear compared with the well-recognized surface coordinated FeNx/C structure. Using the strong complexing effect of the iron component with anions, cyanide (CN−) in alkaline and thiocyanate (SCN−) in acidic media, the metal containing active sites are electrochemically probed. Three...

Advantages of electrodes with dendrimer-protected platinum nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes for electrochemical methanol oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Siriviriyanun, Ampornphan; Imae, Toyoko

2013-04-14

Electrochemical sensors consisting of electrodes loaded with carbon nanotubes and Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs) protected by dendrimers have been developed using a facile method to fabricate them on two types of disposable electrochemical printed chips with a screen-printed circular gold or a screen-printed circular glassy carbon working electrode. The electrochemical performance of these sensors in the oxidation of methanol was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. It was revealed that such sensors possess stable durability and high electrocatalytic activity: the potential and the current density of an anodic peak in the oxidation of methanol increased with increasing content of PtNPs on the electrodes, indicating the promotion of electrocatalytic activity in relation to the amount of catalyst. The low anodic potential suggests the easy electrochemical reaction, and the high catalyst tolerance supports the almost complete oxidation of methanol to carbon dioxide. The significant performance of these sensors in the detection of methanol oxidation comes from the high electrocatalytic ability of PtNPs, excellent energy transfer of carbon nanotubes and the remarkable ability of dendrimers to act as binders. Thus these systems are effective for a wide range of applications as chemical, biomedical, energy and environmental sensors and as units of direct methanol fuel cells.

Electrochemical behaviour and nanoscale characteristics of CNT-based fibers as new substrate for cell growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polizu, S.; Yahia, L.H. [Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, PQ (Canada). Laboratoire d' innovation et d' analyse de la bioperformance; Savadogo, O. [Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Laboratoire de nouveaux materiaux pour l' energie et l' electrochimie; Maugey, M.; Poulin, P. [Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, CNRS, Bordeaux (France); Rouabhia, M. [Laval Univ., Quebec City, PQ (Canada). Faculty of Medicine

2008-07-01

This paper reported on a study in which carbon nanotube (CNT) macroscopic fibers were formulated by a newly developed non-covalent method for fabricating fibrous substrate. The covalent and noncovalent chemistry of CNTs has been widely used in the development of CNT-based biomaterials as active substrates for living cells. Time of Flight Mass Spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS) analysis was used to determine the surface characteristics of the CNT-based fibers produced by wet spinning method. The structure and texture of fibers were imaged using Low-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy (LV-SEM) equipped with an Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) for microanalysis. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) imaging revealed the structure of fibers. Cyclic Voltametry (CV) measurements were performed to examine the electrochemical behaviour of fibers. Sulfuric acid and a cell culture medium was used as the 2 different electrolytes. The influences of environmental parameters on the electrochemical phenomena taking place were identified. The intrinsic electrochemical characteristics of fibers were revealed through measurements in acid environment. The cell culture medium simulated the physiological conditions. It was concluded that the newly developed wet spinning method is very efficient for making CNT-based fibers as electroactive biomaterials. The structural nanoscale details evidenced a good alignment of nanotubes in the thread and the critical role it plays in electrochemical interactions. The differences induced by the variation of electrolytes suggest that a relationship could be established between the fiber chemistry and the electrochemical response. This correlation has considerably potential for the design of new biomedical devices. 2 refs.

Electrochemical synthesis of polydiphenylamine nanofibrils through AAO template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Yanchun; Chen Miao; Liu Xiang; Xu Tao; Liu Weimin

2005-01-01

Highly ordered polydiphenylamine (PDPA) nanofibrils arrays have been fabricated within the pores of porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template membrane by electrochemical polymerization. The morphology of PDPA nanofibrils array was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and its electrochemical behavior and structure were examined by cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis spectroscopy and Fourier transmission infrared spectrum. The result of TEM revealed that the obtained PDPA nanofibrils had uniform and well-aligned array. The UV-vis spectroscopy and electrochemical experimental result indicated that the spatial restraint in the pores of AAO membrane is sufficient to induce the formation of more ordered PDPA chains in the AAO membrane

Electrochemical synthesis of polydiphenylamine nanofibrils through AAO template

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanchun, Zhao [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Miao, Chen [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Xiang, Liu [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Tao, Xu [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Weimin, Liu [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2005-06-15

Highly ordered polydiphenylamine (PDPA) nanofibrils arrays have been fabricated within the pores of porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template membrane by electrochemical polymerization. The morphology of PDPA nanofibrils array was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and its electrochemical behavior and structure were examined by cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis spectroscopy and Fourier transmission infrared spectrum. The result of TEM revealed that the obtained PDPA nanofibrils had uniform and well-aligned array. The UV-vis spectroscopy and electrochemical experimental result indicated that the spatial restraint in the pores of AAO membrane is sufficient to induce the formation of more ordered PDPA chains in the AAO membrane.

Highly sensitive electrochemical immunoassay for human IgG using double-encoded magnetic redox-active nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, D.; Tang, J.; Su, B.; Chen, H.; Chen, G.; Huang, J.

2010-01-01

A new sandwich-type electrochemical immunoassay was developed for the detection of human IgG using doubly-encoded and magnetic redox-active nanoparticles as recognition elements on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode modified with anti-IgG on nanogold particles. The recognition elements were synthesized by coating magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles with Prussian blue nanoparticles and then covered with peroxidase-labeled anti-IgG antibodies (POx-anti-IgG) on Prussian blue nanoparticles. The immunoelectrode displays very good electrochemical properties towards detection of IgG via using double-encoded magnetic redox-active nanoparticles as trace and hydrogen peroxide as enzyme substrate. Its limit of detection (10 pmol.L -1 ) is 10-fold better than that of using plain POx-anti-IgG secondary antibodies. The method was applied to the detection of IgG in serum samples, and an excellent correspondence with the reference values was found. (author)

Crystal size effect on the electrochemical oxidation of formate on carbon-supported palladium nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Rayana Marcela Izidoro da Silva; Nakazato, Roberto Zenhei; Ciapina, Eduardo Goncalves

2016-01-01

Full text: The electrochemical oxidation of formate in alkaline electrolytes has emerged an a promising anodic reaction in the Direct Formate Fuel Cells[1]. Although palladium is considered to be one of the best electro catalyst for the oxidation of formate, important structure-activity relationships are still not understood. In the present work, we investigated the effect of the size of the palladium crystals in the electrochemical oxidation of formate in 0.1 mol L -1 KOH. Carbon-supported palladium nanoparticles (Pd/C) were prepared by chemical reduction of palladium (II) chloride in aqueous media by sodium borohydride in the presence of varying quantities of sodium citrate in the reaction media to obtain metallic crystals with distinct sizes. Analysis of the X-ray diffraction profile revealed the presence of palladium crystals in the range of 6 to 19 nm. Potentiostatic oxidation of formate on the distinct Pd/C samples revealed a volcano-like dependence of the specific activity with the size of the palladium crystals, presenting the highest activity for crystals around 7.5 nm. Reference: [1] A.M. Bartrom, J.L. Haan, The direct formate fuel cell with an alkaline anion exchange membrane, J. Power Sources. 214 (2012) 68-74. (author)

Electrochemical ion-exchange for medium active liquid waste treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bridger, N.J.; Turner, A.D.

1987-01-01

Electrochemical ion-exchange has already been demonstrated to be a robust, effective process for the treatment of active liquid wastes -with high decontamination and volume reduction factors, and only a low energy requirement. The primary aim of this new programme is to scale up this process - initially to 0.1m 3 /h, and ultimately to 1 3 m/h. A new 0.4m 2 electrode module has been designed and constructed, together with 3m 3 feed tanks for the first phase of this work. Further development work is also being carried out on alternative electrode designs and fabrication methods, as well as new exchange media (including inorganic absorbers and organic chelating resins) in order to optimize selectivity performance. (author)

Electrochemical properties of Super P carbon black as an anode active material for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gnanamuthu, RM.; Lee, Chang Woo

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A novel attempt of Super P carbon black as an anode active material for lithium-ion batteries. → The first discharge capacity was approximately 1256 mAh g -1 and at the end of 20th cycling the capacity was 610 mAh g -1 at 0.1 C rate. → Coulombic efficiency of Super P carbon black electrode was maintained about 84% at the end of cycling. - Abstract: A new approach to investigate upon the electrochemical properties of Super P carbon black anode material is attempted and compared with conventional mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers (MPCFs) anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The prepared Super P carbon black electrodes are characterized using transmission electron microscope (TEM). The assembled 2032-type coin cells are electrochemically characterized by ac impedance spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetric methods. The electrochemical performance of charge and discharge was analyzed using a battery cycler at 0.1 C rate and cut-off potentials of 1.20 and 0.01 V vs. Li/Li + . The electrochemical test illustrates that the discharge capacity corresponding to Li intercalation into the Super P carbon black electrode is higher and coulombic efficiency is maintained approximately 84% at the end of the 20th cycling at room temperature.

Electrochemical reduction of NO{sub x}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lund Traulsen, M.

2012-04-15

NO and NO{sub 2} (collectively referred to as NO{sub x}) are air pollutants, and the largest single contributor to NO{sub x} pollution is automotive exhaust. This study investigates electrochemical deNO{sub x}, a technology which aims to remove NO{sub x} from automotive diesel exhaust by electrochemical reduction of NO{sub x} to N{sub 2} and O{sub 2}. The focus in this study is on improving the activity and selectivity of solid oxide electrodes for electrochemical deNO{sub x} by addition of NO{sub x} storage compounds to the electrodes. Two different composite electrodes, La{sub 0.85}Sr{sub 0.15}MnO{sub 3-{delta}-}Ce{sub 0.9}Gd{sub 0.1}O{sub 1.95} (LSM15-CGO10) and La{sub 0.85}Sr{sub 0.15}FeO{sub 3-{delta}-}Ce{sub 0.9}Gd{sub 0.1}O{sub 1.95} (LSF15-CGO10), have been investigated in combination with three different NO{sub x} storage compounds: BaO, K{sub 2}O and MnO{sub x}. The main focus in the investigation has been on conversion measurements and electrochemical characterization, the latter by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. In addition, infrared spectroscopy has been performed to study how NO{sub x} adsorption on the electrodes is affected by the presence of the aforementioned NO{sub x} storage compounds. Furthermore, non-tested and tested electrode microstructures have been thoroughly evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. The studies reveal addition of MnO{sub x} or K{sub 2}O to the electrodes cause severe degradation problems, and addition of these compounds is thus unsuitable for electrode improvement. In contrast, addition of BaO to LSM15-CGO10 electrodes is shown to have a very positive impact on the NO{sub x} conversion. The increased NO{sub x} conversion, following the BaO addition, is attributed to a combination of 1) a decreased electrode polarisation resistance and 2) an altered NO{sub x} adsorption. The NO{sub x} conversion is observed to increase strongly with polarisation, and during 9 V polarisation of an

Electrochemical corrosion potential and noise measurement in high temperature water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fong, Clinton; Chen, Yaw-Ming; Chu, Fang; Huang, Chia-Shen

2000-01-01

Hydrogen water chemistry (HWC) is one of the most important methods in boiling water reactor(BWR) system to mitigate and prevent stress corrosion cracking (SCC) problems of stainless steel components. Currently, the effectiveness of HWC in each BWR is mainly evaluated by the measurement of electrochemical corrosion potentials (ECP) and on-line monitoring of SCC behaviors of stainless steels. The objective of this work was to evaluate the characteristics and performance of commercially available high temperature reference electrodes. In addition, SCC monitoring technique based on electrochemical noise analysis (ECN) was also tested to examine its crack detection capability. The experimental work on electrochemical corrosion potential (ECP) measurements reveals that high temperature external Ag/AgCl reference electrode of highly dilute KCl electrolyte can adequately function in both NWC and HWC environments. The high dilution external Ag/AgCl electrode can work in conjunction with internal Ag/AgCl reference electrode, and Pt electrode to ensure the ECP measurement reliability. In simulated BWR environment, the electrochemical noise tests of SCC were carried out with both actively and passively loaded specimens of type 304 stainless steel with various electrode arrangements. From the coupling current and corrosion potential behaviors of the passive loading tests during immersion test, it is difficult to interpret the general state of stress corrosion cracking based on the analytical results of overall current and potential variations, local pulse patterns, statistical characteristics, or power spectral density of electrochemical noise signals. However, more positive SCC indication was observed in the power spectral density analysis. For aqueous environments of high solution impedance, successful application of electrochemical noise technique for SCC monitoring may require further improvement in specimen designs and analytical methods to enhance detection sensitivity

Electrochemical maps and movies of the hydrogen evolution reaction on natural crystals of molybdenite (MoS2): basal vs. edge plane activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, Cameron L; Kang, Minkyung; Maddar, Faduma M; Li, Fengwang; Walker, Marc; Zhang, Jie; Unwin, Patrick R

2017-09-01

Two dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) have attracted considerable interest in a range of chemical and electrochemical applications, for example, as an abundant and low-cost alternative electrocatalyst to platinum for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). While it has been proposed that the edge plane of MoS 2 possesses high catalytic activity for the HER relative to the "catalytically inert" basal plane, this conclusion has been drawn mainly from macroscale electrochemical (voltammetric) measurements, which reflect the "average" electrocatalytic behavior of complex electrode ensembles. In this work, we report the first spatially-resolved measurements of HER activity on natural crystals of molybdenite, achieved using voltammetric scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), whereby pixel-resolved linear-sweep voltammogram (LSV) measurements have allowed the HER to be visualized at multiple different potentials to construct electrochemical flux movies with nanoscale resolution. Key features of the SECCM technique are that characteristic surface sites can be targeted and analyzed in detail and, further, that the electrocatalyst area is known with good precision (in contrast to many macroscale measurements on supported catalysts). Through correlation of the local voltammetric response with information from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in a multi-microscopy approach , it is demonstrated unequivocally that while the basal plane of bulk MoS 2 (2H crystal phase) possesses significant activity, the HER is greatly facilitated at the edge plane ( e.g. , surface defects such as steps, edges or crevices). Semi-quantitative treatment of the voltammetric data reveals that the HER at the basal plane of MoS 2 has a Tafel slope and exchange current density ( J 0 ) of ∼120 mV per decade and 2.5 × 10 -6 A cm -2 (comparable to polycrystalline Co, Ni, Cu and Au), respectively, while the edge

EDTA assisted synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles for electrochemical sensing of uric acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanchana, P; Sekar, C

2014-09-01

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles have been synthesized using EDTA as organic modifier by a simple microwave irradiation method and its application for the selective determination of uric acid (UA) has been demonstrated. Electrochemical behavior of uric acid at HA nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode (E-HA/GCE) has been investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and amperometry. The E-HA modified electrode exhibits efficient electrochemical activity towards uric acid sensing without requiring enzyme or electron mediator. Amperometry studies revealed that the fabricated electrode has excellent sensitivity for uric acid with the lowest detection limit of 142 nM over a wide concentration range from 1 × 10(-7) to 3 × 10(-5)M. Moreover, the studied E-HA modified GC electrode exhibits a good reproducibility and long-term stability and an admirable selectivity towards the determination of UA even in the presence of potential interferents. The analytical performance of this sensor was evaluated for the detection of uric acid in human urine and blood serum samples. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Optimizing the electrochemical performance of aqueous symmetric supercapacitors based on an activated carbon xerogel

Science.gov (United States)

Calvo, E. G.; Lufrano, F.; Staiti, P.; Brigandì, A.; Arenillas, A.; Menéndez, J. A.

2013-11-01

A highly porous carbon xerogel was synthesized by means of physical activation. The activated carbon xerogel, which displayed a well-developed porous texture (micro- and meso-porosity), was employed as electrode material in different supercapacitors. In assessing the performance of the supercapacitors, special attention was paid to their dimensions and the type of electrolyte used. Both the method of electrode manufacture (rolling and punching of 1 cm2 pellets vs. casting by means of a film applicator to produce 4 cm2 electrodes) and the type of supercapacitor (Swagelok (R) system vs. cell with graphite plate current collectors) were evaluated. The results reveal that the cells with larger electrodes were able to store higher amounts of energy. In addition to the cells, the electrochemical characteristics in aqueous electrolytes with a different pH were studied (H2SO4, Na2SO4 and KOH, 1 M). The highest capacitance values were achieved with sulphuric acid (196 F g-1 as opposed to 140 and 106 F g-1 for Na2SO4 and KOH, respectively), probably due to its higher ionic conductivity and the basic nature of the oxygen functionalities found on the surface of the carbon xerogel. Nevertheless, because of the corrosive character of sulphuric acid, Na2SO4 would be a more suitable electrolyte.

Mechanism of action of electrochemically active carbons on the processes that take place at the negative plates of lead-acid batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlov, D.; Rogachev, T.; Nikolov, P.; Petkova, G. [Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Street, bl. 10, Sofia 1113 (Bulgaria)

2009-06-01

It is known that negative plates of lead-acid batteries have low charge acceptance when cycled at high rates and progressively accumulate lead sulphate on high-rate partial-state-of-charge (HRPSoC) operation in hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) applications. Addition of some carbon or graphite forms to the negative paste mix improves the charge efficiency and slows down sulfation of the negative plates. The present investigation aims to elucidate the contribution of electrochemically active carbon (EAC) additives to the mechanism of the electrochemical reactions of charge of the negative plates. Test cells are assembled with four types of EAC added to the negative paste mix in five different concentrations. Through analysis of the structure of NAM (including specific surface and pore radius measurements) and of the electrochemical parameters of the test cells on HRPSoC cycling, it is established that the electrochemical reaction of charge Pb{sup 2+} + 2e{sup -} {yields} Pb proceeds at 300-400 mV lower over-potentials on negative plates doped with EAC additives as compared to the charge potentials of cells with no carbon additives. Hence, electrochemically active carbons have a highly catalytic effect on the charge reaction and are directly involved in it. Consequently, the reversibility of the charge/discharge processes is improved, which eventually leads to longer battery cycle life. Thus, charging of the negative plates proceeds via a parallel mechanism on the surfaces of both Pb and EAC particles, at a higher rate on the EAC phase. Cells with EAC in NAM have the longest cycle life when their NAM specific surface is up to 4 m{sup 2} g{sup -1} against 0.5 m{sup 2} g{sup -1} for the lead surface. The proposed parallel mechanism of charge is verified experimentally on model Pb/EAC/PbSO{sub 4} and Pb/EAC electrodes. During the charge and discharge cycles of the HRPSoC test, the EAC particles are involved in dynamic adsorption/desorption on the lead sulfate and lead

A Paper-Based Electrochromic Array for Visualized Electrochemical Sensing

OpenAIRE

Fengling Zhang; Tianyi Cai; Liang Ma; Liyuan Zhan; Hong Liu

2017-01-01

We report a battery-powered, paper-based electrochromic array for visualized electrochemical sensing. The paper-based sensing system consists of six parallel electrochemical cells, which are powered by an aluminum-air battery. Each single electrochemical cell uses a Prussian Blue spot electrodeposited on an indium-doped tin oxide thin film as the electrochromic indicator. Each electrochemical cell is preloaded with increasing amounts of analyte. The sample activates the battery for the sensin...

Innovative configurations of electrochemical DNA biosensors (a review)

OpenAIRE

Girousi, Stella; Karastogianni, Sofia; Serpi, Constantina

2011-01-01

In the field of electrochemical biosensing, transition metal complexes achieved a significant importance as hybridization indicators or electroactive markers of DNA. Their incorporation in electro-chemical DNA biosensors enables to offer a promising perspective in understanding of the biological activity of some chemical compounds. In this context, the development of innovative configurations of electrochemical DNA biosensors applied to life sciences during the last years were reviewed ...

Activated Porous Carbon Spheres with Customized Mesopores through Assembly of Diblock Copolymers for Electrochemical Capacitor.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jing; Wang, Jie; Shrestha, Lok Kumar; Hossain, Md Shahriar A; Alothman, Zeid Abdullah; Yamauchi, Yusuke; Ariga, Katsuhiko

2017-06-07

A series of porous carbon spheres with precisely adjustable mesopores (4-16 nm), high specific surface area (SSA, ∼2000 m 2 g -1 ), and submicrometer particle size (∼300 nm) was synthesized through a facile coassembly of diblock polymer micelles with a nontoxic dopamine source and a common postactivation process. The mesopore size can be controlled by the diblock polymer, polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) templates, and has an almost linear dependence on the square root of the degree of polymerization of the PS blocks. These advantageous structural properties make the product a promising electrode material for electrochemical capacitors. The electrochemical capacitive performance was studied carefully by using symmetrical cells in a typical organic electrolyte of 1 M tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate/acetonitrile (TEA BF 4 /AN) or in an ionic liquid electrolyte of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIMBF 4 ), displaying a high specific capacitance of 111 and 170 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 , respectively. The impacts of pore size distribution on the capacitance performance were thoroughly investigated. It was revealed that large mesopores and a relatively low ratio of micropores are ideal for realizing high SSA-normalized capacitance. These results provide us with a simple and reliable way to screen future porous carbon materials for electrochemical capacitors and encourage researchers to design porous carbon with high specific surface area, large mesopores, and a moderate proportion of micropores.

Synthesis of nitrogen doped microporous carbons prepared by activation-free method and their high electrochemical performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Ki-Seok [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Soo-Jin, E-mail: sjpark@inha.ac.kr [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-11-30

Graphical abstract: This describes the increase of specific capacitance in hybrid electrodes as a function of melamine content. Display Omitted Highlights: > For N-enriched hybrid carbons, co-precursors, PVDF/melamine composites, were used. > Microporous carbons were formed by only carbonization without chemical activation. > The nitrogen content of microporous carbons was controlled by melamine content. > N-doped carbons showed higher specific capacitance compared to microporous carbons. > It was attributed to the easy electron transfer and pseudocapacitance. - Abstract: Nitrogen-doped microporous carbons (N-MCs) were prepared by the carbonization of the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/melamine mixture without chemical activation. The electrochemical performance of the N-MCs was investigated as a function of PVDF/melamine ratio. It was found that, without additional activation, the N-MCs had a high specific surface area (greater than 560 m{sup 2}/g) because of the micropore formation by the release of fluorine groups. In addition, although the specific surface area decreased, nitrogen groups were increased with increasing melamine content, leading to an enhanced electrochemical performance. Indeed, the N-MCs showed a better electrochemical performance than that of microporous carbons (MCs) prepared by PVDF alone, and the highest specific capacitance (310 F/g) was obtained at a current density of 0.5 A/g, as compared to a value of 248 F/g for MCs. These results indicate that the microporous features of N-MC lead to feasible ion transfer during charge/discharge duration and the presence of nitrogen groups as strong electron donor on the N-MC electrode in electrolyte could provide a pseudocapacitance by the redox reaction.

Carbon Nanomaterials Based Electrochemical Sensors/Biosensors for the Sensitive Detection of Pharmaceutical and Biological Compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bal-Ram Adhikari

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Electrochemical sensors and biosensors have attracted considerable attention for the sensitive detection of a variety of biological and pharmaceutical compounds. Since the discovery of carbon-based nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, C60 and graphene, they have garnered tremendous interest for their potential in the design of high-performance electrochemical sensor platforms due to their exceptional thermal, mechanical, electronic, and catalytic properties. Carbon nanomaterial-based electrochemical sensors have been employed for the detection of various analytes with rapid electron transfer kinetics. This feature article focuses on the recent design and use of carbon nanomaterials, primarily single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs, reduced graphene oxide (rGO, SWCNTs-rGO, Au nanoparticle-rGO nanocomposites, and buckypaper as sensing materials for the electrochemical detection of some representative biological and pharmaceutical compounds such as methylglyoxal, acetaminophen, valacyclovir, β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrate (NADH, and glucose. Furthermore, the electrochemical performance of SWCNTs, rGO, and SWCNT-rGO for the detection of acetaminophen and valacyclovir was comparatively studied, revealing that SWCNT-rGO nanocomposites possess excellent electrocatalytic activity in comparison to individual SWCNT and rGO platforms. The sensitive, reliable and rapid analysis of critical disease biomarkers and globally emerging pharmaceutical compounds at carbon nanomaterials based electrochemical sensor platforms may enable an extensive range of applications in preemptive medical diagnostics.

Kinetics of electrochemical boriding of low carbon steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kartal, G.; Eryilmaz, O.L.; Krumdick, G.; Erdemir, A.; Timur, S.

2011-01-01

In this study, the growth kinetics of the boride layers forming on low carbon steel substrates was investigated during electrochemical boriding which was performed at a constant current density of 200 mA/cm 2 in a borax based electrolyte at temperatures ranging from 1123 K to 1273 K for periods of 5-120 min. After boriding, the presence of both FeB and Fe 2 B phases were confirmed by the X-ray diffraction method. Cross-sectional microscopy revealed a very dense and thick morphology for both boride phases. Micro hardness testing of the borided steel samples showed a significant increase in the hardness of the borided surfaces (i.e., up to (1700 ± 200) HV), while the hardness of un-borided steel samples was approximately (200 ± 20) HV. Systematic studies over a wide range of boriding time and temperature confirmed that the rate of the boride layer formation is strongly dependent on boriding duration and has a parabolic character. The activation energy of boride layer growth for electrochemical boriding was determined as (172.75 ± 8.6) kJ/mol.

Morphology and electrical properties of electrochemically synthesized pyrrole–formyl pyrrole copolymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gholami, Mehrdad, E-mail: mehrdad897@um.edu.my [Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Department of Chemistry, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 465, Marvdasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nia, Pooria Moozarm, E-mail: pooriamn@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Alias, Yatimah, E-mail: yatimah70@um.edu.my [Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia)

2015-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The (Py–co-FPy) copolymer was synthesized electrochemically. • This copolymer has 1.6 times higher surface coverage compared to polypyrrole. • This copolymer showed 2.5 times lower resistance compared to polypyrrole. • The conjugated structure between Py and FPy causes enhancement of conductivity. • This conducting copolymer has a strong potential to be used in various applications. - Abstract: A direct electrochemical copolymerization of pyrrole–formyl pyrrole (Py–co-FPy) was carried out by oxidative copolymerization of formyl pyrrole and pyrrole in LiClO{sub 4} aqueous solution through galvanostatic method. The (Py–co-FPy) copolymer was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy-filtering transmission electron microscope (EFTEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The FESEM images showed that the synthesized copolymer had a hollow whelk-like helixes structure, which justifies the enhancement of charge transportation through the copolymer film. Cyclic voltammetry studies revealed that the electrocatalytic activity of synthesized copolymer has improved and the surface coverage in copolymer enhanced 1.6 times compared to polypyrrole alone. Besides, (Py–co-FPy) copolymer showed 2.5 times lower electrochemical charge transfer resistance (R{sub ct}) value in impedance spectroscopy. Therefore, this copolymer has a strong potential to be used in several applications such as sensor applications.

Electrochemical characterization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for electrochemical double layer capacitors using non-aqueous electrolyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruch, P.W.; Koetz, R.; Wokaun, A.

2009-01-01

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in a non-aqueous electrolyte, 1 M Et 4 NBF 4 in acetonitrile, suitable for supercapacitors. Further, in situ dilatometry and in situ conductance measurements were performed on single electrodes and the results compared to an activated carbon, YP17. Both materials show capacitive behavior characteristic of high surface area electrodes for supercapacitors, with the maximum full cell gravimetric capacitance being 34 F/g for YP17 and 20 F/g for SWCNTs at 2.5 V with respect to the total active electrode mass. The electronic resistance of SWCNTs and activated carbon decreases significantly during charging, showing similarities of the two materials during electrochemical doping. The SWCNT electrode expands irreversibly during the first electrochemical potential sweep as verified by in situ dilatometry, indicative of at least partial debundling of the SWCNTs. A reversible periodic swelling and shrinking during cycling is observed for both materials, with the magnitude of expansion depending on the type of ions forming the double layer.

Investigation of the electrochemically active surface area and lithium diffusion in graphite anodes by a novel OsO4 staining method

Science.gov (United States)

Pfaffmann, Lukas; Birkenmaier, Claudia; Müller, Marcus; Bauer, Werner; Mitsch, Tim; Feinauer, Julian; Krämer, Yvonne; Scheiba, Frieder; Hintennach, Andreas; Schleid, Thomas; Schmidt, Volker; Ehrenberg, Helmut

2016-03-01

Negative electrodes of lithium-ion batteries generally consist of graphite-based active materials. In order to realize batteries with a high current density and therefore accelerated charging processes, the intercalation of lithium and the diffusion processes of these carbonaceous materials must be understood. In this paper, we visualized the electrochemical active surface area for three different anode materials using a novel OsO4 staining method in combination with scanning electron microscopy techniques. The diffusion behavior of these three anode materials is investigated by potentiostatic intermittent titration technique measurements. From those we determine the diffusion coefficient with and without consideration of the electrochemical active surface area.

Petrophilic, Fe(III Reducing Exoelectrogen Citrobacter sp. KVM11, Isolated From Hydrocarbon Fed Microbial Electrochemical Remediation Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krishnaveni Venkidusamy

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Exoelectrogenic biofilms capable of extracellular electron transfer are important in advanced technologies such as those used in microbial electrochemical remediation systems (MERS Few bacterial strains have been, nevertheless, obtained from MERS exoelectrogenic biofilms and characterized for bioremediation potential. Here we report the identification of one such bacterial strain, Citrobacter sp. KVM11, a petrophilic, iron reducing bacterial strain isolated from hydrocarbon fed MERS, producing anodic currents in microbial electrochemical systems. Fe(III reduction of 90.01 ± 0.43% was observed during 5 weeks of incubation with Fe(III supplemented liquid cultures. Biodegradation screening assays showed that the hydrocarbon degradation had been carried out by metabolically active cells accompanied by growth. The characteristic feature of diazo dye decolorization was used as a simple criterion for evaluating the electrochemical activity in the candidate microbe. The electrochemical activities of the strain KVM11 were characterized in a single chamber fuel cell and three electrode electrochemical cells. The inoculation of strain KVM11 amended with acetate and citrate as the sole carbon and energy sources has resulted in an increase in anodic currents (maximum current density of 212 ± 3 and 359 ± mA/m2 with respective coulombic efficiencies of 19.5 and 34.9% in a single chamber fuel cells. Cyclic voltammetry studies showed that anaerobically grown cells of strain KVM11 are electrochemically active whereas aerobically grown cells lacked the electrochemical activity. Electrobioremediation potential of the strain KVM11 was investigated in hydrocarbonoclastic and dye detoxification conditions using MERS. About 89.60% of 400 mg l-1 azo dye was removed during the first 24 h of operation and it reached below detection limits by the end of the batch operation (60 h. Current generation and biodegradation capabilities of strain KVM11 were examined using an

Petrophilic, Fe(III) Reducing Exoelectrogen Citrobacter sp. KVM11, Isolated From Hydrocarbon Fed Microbial Electrochemical Remediation Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Venkidusamy, Krishnaveni; Hari, Ananda Rao; Megharaj, Mallavarapu

2018-01-01

Exoelectrogenic biofilms capable of extracellular electron transfer are important in advanced technologies such as those used in microbial electrochemical remediation systems (MERS) Few bacterial strains have been, nevertheless, obtained from MERS exoelectrogenic biofilms and characterized for bioremediation potential. Here we report the identification of one such bacterial strain, Citrobacter sp. KVM11, a petrophilic, iron reducing bacterial strain isolated from hydrocarbon fed MERS, producing anodic currents in microbial electrochemical systems. Fe(III) reduction of 90.01 ± 0.43% was observed during 5 weeks of incubation with Fe(III) supplemented liquid cultures. Biodegradation screening assays showed that the hydrocarbon degradation had been carried out by metabolically active cells accompanied by growth. The characteristic feature of diazo dye decolorization was used as a simple criterion for evaluating the electrochemical activity in the candidate microbe. The electrochemical activities of the strain KVM11 were characterized in a single chamber fuel cell and three electrode electrochemical cells. The inoculation of strain KVM11 amended with acetate and citrate as the sole carbon and energy sources has resulted in an increase in anodic currents (maximum current density) of 212 ± 3 and 359 ± mA/m2 with respective coulombic efficiencies of 19.5 and 34.9% in a single chamber fuel cells. Cyclic voltammetry studies showed that anaerobically grown cells of strain KVM11 are electrochemically active whereas aerobically grown cells lacked the electrochemical activity. Electrobioremediation potential of the strain KVM11 was investigated in hydrocarbonoclastic and dye detoxification conditions using MERS. About 89.60% of 400 mg l-1 azo dye was removed during the first 24 h of operation and it reached below detection limits by the end of the batch operation (60 h). Current generation and biodegradation capabilities of strain KVM11 were examined using an initial

Viscosity, Conductivity, and Electrochemical Property of Dicyanamide Ionic Liquids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Li Yuan

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The instructive structure-property relationships of ionic liquids (ILs can be put to task-specific design of new functionalized ILs. The dicyanamide (DCA ILs are typical CHN type ILs which are halogen free, chemical stable, low-viscous, and fuel-rich. The transport properties of DCA ionic liquids are significant for their applications as solvents, electrolytes, and hypergolic propellants. This work systematically investigates several important transport properties of four DCA ILs ([C4mim][N(CN2], [C4m2im][N(CN2], N4442[N(CN2], and N8444[N(CN2] including viscosity, conductivity, and electrochemical property at different temperatures. The melting points, temperature-dependent viscosities and conductivities reveal the structure-activity relationship of four DCA ILs. From the Walden plots, the imidazolium cations exhibit stronger cation–anion attraction than the ammonium cations. DCA ILs have relatively high values of electrochemical windows (EWs, which indicates that the DCA ILs are potential candidates for electrolytes in electrochemical applications. The cyclic voltammograms of Eu(III in these DCA ILs at GC working electrode at various temperatures 303–333 K consists of quasi-reversible waves. The electrochemical properties of the DCA ILs are also dominated by the cationic structures. The current intensity (ip, the diffusion coefficients (Do, the charge transfer rate constants (ks of Eu(III in DCA ILs all increased with the molar conductivities increased. The cationic structure-transport property relationships of DCA ILs were constructed for designing novel functionalized ILs to fulfill specific demands.

Combined geochemical and electrochemical methodology to quantify corrosion of carbon steel by bacterial activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schutz, Marta K.; Moreira, Rebeca; Tribollet, Bernard; Vivier, Vincent; Bildstein, Olivier; Lartigue, Jean-Eric; Libert, Marie; Schlegel, Michel L.

2014-01-01

The availability of respiratory substrates, such as H 2 and Fe(II,III) solid corrosion products within nuclear waste repository, will sustain the activities of hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria (HOB) and iron-reducing bacteria (IRB). This may have a direct effect on the rate of carbon steel corrosion. This study investigates the effects of Shewanella oneidensis (an HOB and IRB model organism) on the corrosion rate by looking at carbon steel dissolution in the presence of H 2 as the sole electron donor. Bacterial effect is evaluated by means of geochemical and electrochemical techniques. Both showed that the corrosion rate is enhanced by a factor of 2-3 in the presence of bacteria. The geochemical experiments indicated that the composition and crystallinity of the solid corrosion products (magnetite and vivianite) are modified by bacteria. Moreover, the electrochemical experiments evidenced that the bacterial activity can be stimulated when H 2 is generated in a small confinement volume. In this case, a higher corrosion rate and mineralization (vivianite) on the carbon steel surface were observed. The results suggest that the mechanism likely to influence the corrosion rate is the bioreduction of Fe(III) from magnetite coupled to the H 2 oxidation. (authors)

Hydrogen evolution activity and electrochemical stability of selected transition metal carbides in concentrated phosphoric acid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tomás García, Antonio Luis; Jensen, Jens Oluf; Bjerrum, Niels J.

2014-01-01

phosphoric acid were investigated in a temperature range from 80 to 170°C. A significant dependence of the activities on temperature was observed for all five carbide samples. Through the entire temperature range Group 6 metal carbides showed higher activity than that of the Group 5 metal carbides......Alternative catalysts based on carbides of Group 5 (niobium and tantalum) and 6 (chromium, molybdenum and tungsten) metals were prepared as films on the metallic substrates. The electrochemical activities of these carbide electrodes towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in concentrated...

Electrochemically induced transformation of NiS nanoparticles into Ni(OH)2 in KOH aqueous solution toward electrochemical capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou Linrui; Yuan Changzhou; Li Diankai; Yang Long; Shen Laifa; Zhang Fang; Zhang Xiaogang

2011-01-01

Highlights: → NiS is synthesized by means of the H 2 O/CS 2 interface under hydrothermal treatment. → NiS itself owns poor electrochemical capacitance in 2 M KOH solution. → NiS is electrochemically induced and transformed into electroactive Ni(OH) 2 . → Ni(OH) 2 is responsible for good energy storage of the NiS in the KOH solution. → The new formed Ni(OH) 2 delivers large energy density at high rates. - Abstract: Nickel sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) are first synthesized by virtue of a unique H 2 O/CS 2 interface under mild hydrothermal treatment. Electrochemical data reveals that the as-synthesized NiS NPs themselves own poor supercapacitive behavior at initial cyclic voltammetry (CV) cycles in 2 M KOH solution, while a specific capacitance of 893 F g -1 can be surprisingly obtained at a current density of 5 A g -1 just after continuous 320 CV cycles. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared techniques demonstrate that what is really responsible for the good electrochemical capacitance in the KOH aqueous solution is the new electrochemically formed Ni(OH) 2 phase, rather than NiS NPs themselves. The Ni(OH) 2 is slowly formed during the continuous CV cycling process, in which the electrochemically induced phase transformation from NiS to Ni(OH) 2 phase takes place. Furthermore, the new Ni(OH) 2 phase demonstrates the great ability of delivering large specific capacitance at high rates.

Cauliflower-derived porous carbon without activation for electrochemical capacitor and CO2 capture applications

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Juan; Yu, Yifeng; Lv, Haijun; Chen, Chunlin; Zhang, Jian; Chen, Aibing

2018-01-01

Carbon materials have attracted great attention in CO2 capture and energy storage due to their excellent characteristics such as tunable pore structure, modulated surface properties and superior bulk conductivities, etc. Biomass, provided by nature with non-toxic, widespread, abundant, and sustainable advantages, is considered to be a very promising precursor of carbons for the view of economic, environmental, and societal issues. However, the preparation of high-performance biomass-derived carbons is still a big challenge because of the multistep process for their synthesis and subsequent activation. Herein, hierarchically porous structured carbon materials have been prepared by directly carbonizing dried cauliflowers without any addition of agents and activation process, featuring with large specific surface area, hierarchically porous structure and improved pore volume, as well as suitable nitrogen content. Being used as a solid-state CO2 adsorbent, the obtained product exhibited a high CO2 adsorption capacity of 3.1 mmol g-1 under 1 bar and 25 °C and a remarkable reusability of 96.7% retention after 20 adsorption/regeneration cycles. Our study reveals that choosing a good biomass source was significant as the unique structure of precursor endows the carbonized product with abundant pores without the need of any post-treatment. Used as an electrode material in electrochemical capacitor, the non-activated porous carbon displayed a fairly high specific capacitance of 228.9 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 and an outstanding stability of 99.2% retention after 5000 cycles at 5 A g-1. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Mixed bi-material electrodes based on LiMn2O4 and activated carbon for hybrid electrochemical energy storage devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cericola, Dario; Novak, Petr; Wokaun, Alexander; Koetz, Ruediger

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Bi-material electrodes for electrochemical hybrid devices were characterized. → Bi-material electrodes have higher specific charge than capacitor electrodes. → Bi-material electrodes have better rate capability than battery electrodes. → Bi-material systems outperform batteries and capacitors in pulsed applications. - Abstract: The performance of mixed bi-material electrodes composed of the battery material, LiMn 2 O 4 , and the electrochemical capacitor material, activated carbon, for hybrid electrochemical energy storage devices is investigated by galvanostatic charge/discharge and pulsed discharge experiments. Both, a high and a low conductivity lithium-containing electrolyte are used. The specific charge of the bi-material electrode is the linear combination of the specific charges of LiMn 2 O 4 and activated carbon according to the electrode composition at low discharge rates. Thus, the specific charge of the bi-material electrode falls between the specific charge of the activated carbon electrode and the LiMn 2 O 4 battery electrode. The bi-material electrodes have better rate capability than the LiMn 2 O 4 battery electrode. For high current pulsed applications the bi-material electrodes typically outperform both the battery and the capacitor electrode.

Understanding of electrochemical and structural changes of polypyrrole/polyethylene glycol composite films in aqueous solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pirvu, Cristian, E-mail: c_pirvu@chim.pub.ro [University Polytechnic of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, 1-7 Polizu, 011061 Bucharest (Romania); Manole, Claudiu Constantin; Stoian, Andrei Bogdan; Demetrescu, Ioana [University Polytechnic of Bucharest, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, 1-7 Polizu, 011061 Bucharest (Romania)

2011-11-30

Highlights: > Electrochemical monitoring of PPy and PPy-PEG films over immersion time. > Electrochemical and surface analysis showed that PEG improves the stability of PPy films. > Mott-Schottky analysis reveals p-type conductance for both films. > In situ AFM analysis sustains electrochemical behaviour. > A model of PPy and PPy-PEG films behaviour during immersion was elaborated. - Abstract: Electrochemical monitoring of electrical and structural changes of both PPy and PPy-PEG films electrochemical deposited, in order to highlight if the structural stability offered by PEG has an influence on electrical properties and stability in aqueous solution over immersion time was investigated. Electrochemical analysis suggests that PPy-PEG film inserts cations easier than PPy film for a short immersion time probably due to ability of PEG to form complexes with metal cations. The FTIR spectra showed that the PEG incorporation decreases the rate of PPy overoxidation probably by restraining the electron release and by rendering O{sub 2} inaccessible to PPy. Mott-Schottky analysis based on capacitance measurement reveal p-type conductance for both films. The in situ AFM analysis sustains electrochemical behaviour and has permitted elaboration of a model of PPy and PPy-PEG films behaviour during immersion in testing solution.

Self-activation of cellulose: A new preparation methodology for activated carbon electrodes in electrochemical capacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bommier, Clement; Xu, Rui; Wang, Wei; Wang, Xingfeng; Wen, David; Lu, Jun; Ji, Xiulei

2015-04-01

Current synthetic methods of biomass-derived activated carbon call for a costly chemical or physical activation process. Herein, we report a simple one-step annealing synthesis yielding a high surface area cellulose-derived activated carbon. We discover that simply varying the flow rate of Argon during pyrolysis enables ‘self-activation’ reactions that can tune the specific surface areas of the resulting carbon, ranging from 98 m2/g to values as high as 2600 m2/g. Furthermore, we, for the first time, observe a direct evolution of H2 from the pyrolysis, which gives strong evidence towards an in situ self-activation mechanism. Surprisingly, the obtained activated carbon is a crumbled graphene nanostructure composed of interconnected sheets, making it ideal for use in an electrochemical capacitor. The cellulose-derived nanoporous carbon exhibits a capacitance of 132 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, a performance comparable to the state-of-the-art activated carbons. This work presents a fundamentally new angle to look at the synthesis of activated carbon, and highlights the importance of a controlled inert gas flow rate during synthesis in general, as its contributions can have a very large impact on the final material properties.

Electrochemical Detection in Stacked Paper Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiyuan; Lillehoj, Peter B

2015-08-01

Paper-based electrochemical biosensors are a promising technology that enables rapid, quantitative measurements on an inexpensive platform. However, the control of liquids in paper networks is generally limited to a single sample delivery step. Here, we propose a simple method to automate the loading and delivery of liquid samples to sensing electrodes on paper networks by stacking multiple layers of paper. Using these stacked paper devices (SPDs), we demonstrate a unique strategy to fully immerse planar electrodes by aqueous liquids via capillary flow. Amperometric measurements of xanthine oxidase revealed that electrochemical sensors on four-layer SPDs generated detection signals up to 75% higher compared with those on single-layer paper devices. Furthermore, measurements could be performed with minimal user involvement and completed within 30 min. Due to its simplicity, enhanced automation, and capability for quantitative measurements, stacked paper electrochemical biosensors can be useful tools for point-of-care testing in resource-limited settings. © 2015 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Synthesis of binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods with sensitive electrochemical sensing performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen, Yong; Pei, Lizhai; Wei, Tian

2017-01-01

Binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods have been synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process without templates and additives. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveal that the nanorods possess single crystalline tetragonal Bi 2 CdO 4 phase. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images show that the length and diameter of the nanorods are 20-300 nm and 5-10 μm, respectively. The formation of the binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods is closely related to the hydrothermal parameters. The electrochemical sensing performance of the binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods has been investigated using the nanorods as glassy carbon electrode modifiers. The detection limit is 0.19 μM with a linear range of 0.0005-2 mM. The nanorod-modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits good electrocatalytic activity toward L-cysteine and great application potential for electrochemical sensors.

Synthesis of nitrogen doped microporous carbons prepared by activation-free method and their high electrochemical performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ki-Seok; Park, Soo-Jin

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: This describes the increase of specific capacitance in hybrid electrodes as a function of melamine content. Display Omitted Highlights: → For N-enriched hybrid carbons, co-precursors, PVDF/melamine composites, were used. → Microporous carbons were formed by only carbonization without chemical activation. → The nitrogen content of microporous carbons was controlled by melamine content. → N-doped carbons showed higher specific capacitance compared to microporous carbons. → It was attributed to the easy electron transfer and pseudocapacitance. - Abstract: Nitrogen-doped microporous carbons (N-MCs) were prepared by the carbonization of the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/melamine mixture without chemical activation. The electrochemical performance of the N-MCs was investigated as a function of PVDF/melamine ratio. It was found that, without additional activation, the N-MCs had a high specific surface area (greater than 560 m 2 /g) because of the micropore formation by the release of fluorine groups. In addition, although the specific surface area decreased, nitrogen groups were increased with increasing melamine content, leading to an enhanced electrochemical performance. Indeed, the N-MCs showed a better electrochemical performance than that of microporous carbons (MCs) prepared by PVDF alone, and the highest specific capacitance (310 F/g) was obtained at a current density of 0.5 A/g, as compared to a value of 248 F/g for MCs. These results indicate that the microporous features of N-MC lead to feasible ion transfer during charge/discharge duration and the presence of nitrogen groups as strong electron donor on the N-MC electrode in electrolyte could provide a pseudocapacitance by the redox reaction.

Electrochemical Sensors Based on Carbon Nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Aminur Rahman

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This review focuses on recent contributions in the development of the electrochemical sensors based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs. CNTs have unique mechanical and electronic properties, combined with chemical stability, and behave electrically as a metal or semiconductor, depending on their structure. For sensing applications, CNTs have many advantages such as small size with larger surface area, excellent electron transfer promoting ability when used as electrodes modifier in electrochemical reactions, and easy protein immobilization with retention of its activity for potential biosensors. CNTs play an important role in the performance of electrochemical biosensors, immunosensors, and DNA biosensors. Various methods have been developed for the design of sensors using CNTs in recent years. Herein we summarize the applications of CNTs in the construction of electrochemical sensors and biosensors along with other nanomaterials and conducting polymers.

Electrochemical preparation of poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erçarıkcı, Elif; Dağcı, Kader; Topçu, Ezgi; Alanyalıoğlu, Murat

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Poly(MB)/graphene thin films are prepared by a simple electrochemical approach. • Graphene layers in the film show a broad band in visible region of absorbance spectra. • Morphology of composite films indicates both disordered and ordered regions. • XRD reveals that nanocomposite films include rGO layers after electropolymerization process. • Chemically prepared graphene is better than electrochemically prepared graphene for electrooxidation of nitrite. - Abstract: Poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite thin films were prepared by electropolymerization of methylene blue in the presence of graphene which have been synthesized by two different methods of a chemical oxidation process and an electrochemical approach. Synthesized nanocomposite thin films were characterized by using cyclic voltammetry, UV–vis. absorption spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and scanning tunneling microscopy techniques. Electrocatalytical properties of prepared poly(methylene blue)/graphene nanocomposite films were compared toward electrochemical oxidation of nitrite. Under optimized conditions, electrocatalytical effect of nanocomposite films of chemically prepared graphene through electrochemical oxidation of nitrite was better than that of electrochemically prepared graphene

Electrochemical sensors and biosensors based on less aggregated graphene.

Science.gov (United States)

Bo, Xiangjie; Zhou, Ming; Guo, Liping

2017-03-15

As a novel single-atom-thick sheet of sp 2 hybridized carbon atoms, graphene (GR) has attracted extensive attention in recent years because of its unique and remarkable properties, such as excellent electrical conductivity, large theoretical specific surface area, and strong mechanical strength. However, due to the π-π interaction, GR sheets are inclined to stack together, which may seriously degrade the performance of GR with the unique single-atom layer. In recent years, an increasing number of GR-based electrochemical sensors and biosensors are reported, which may reflect that GR has been considered as a kind of hot and promising electrode material for electrochemical sensor and biosensor construction. However, the active sites on GR surface induced by the irreversible GR aggregations would be deeply secluded inside the stacked GR sheets and therefore are not available for the electrocatalysis. So the alleviation or the minimization of the aggregation level for GR sheets would facilitate the exposure of active sites on GR and effectively upgrade the performance of GR-based electrochemical sensors and biosensors. Less aggregated GR with low aggregation and high dispersed structure can be used in improving the electrochemical activity of GR-based electrochemical sensors or biosensors. In this review, we summarize recent advances and new progress for the development of electrochemical sensors based on less aggregated GR. To achieve such goal, many strategies (such as the intercalation of carbon materials, surface modification, and structural engineering) have been applied to alleviate the aggregation level of GR in order to enhance the performance of GR-based electrochemical sensors and biosensors. Finally, the challenges associated with less aggregated GR-based electrochemical sensors and biosensors as well as related future research directions are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Signal-on electrochemical assay for label-free detection of TdT and BamHI activity based on grown DNA nanowire-templated copper nanoclusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yufang; Zhang, Qingqing; Xu, Lihua; Wang, Jiao; Rao, Jiajia; Guo, Zhiyong; Wang, Sui

2017-11-01

Electrochemical methods allow fast and inexpensive analysis of enzymatic activity. Here, a simple and yet efficient "signal-on" electrochemical assay for sensitive, label-free detection of DNA-related enzyme activity was established on the basis of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated extension strategy. TdT, which is a template-independent DNA polymerase, can catalyze the sequential addition of deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP) at the 3'-OH terminus of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA); then, the TdT-yield T-rich DNA nanowires can be employed as the synthetic template of copper nanoclusters (CuNCs). Grown DNA nanowires-templated CuNCs (noted as DNA-CuNCs) were attached onto graphene oxide (GO) surface and exhibited unique electrocatalytic activity to H 2 O 2 reduction. Under optimal conditions, the proposed biosensor was utilized for quantitatively monitoring TdT activity, with the observed LOD of 0.1 U/mL. It also displayed high selectivity to TdT with excellent stability, and offered a facile, convenient electrochemical method for TdT-relevant inhibitors screening. Moreover, the proposed sensor was successfully used for BamHI activity detection, in which a new 3'-OH terminal was exposed by the digestion of a phosphate group. Ultimately, it has good prospects in DNA-related enzyme-based biochemical studies, disease diagnosis, and drug discovery. Graphical Abstract Extraordinary TdT-generated DNA-CuNCs are synthesized and act as a novel electrochemical sensing platform for sensitive detection of TdT and BamHI activity in biological environments.

Boosting the performance of the nickel anode in the oxygen evolution reaction by simple electrochemical activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shinagawa, Tatsuya; Ng, Marcus Tze-Kiat; Takanabe, Kazuhiro [King Abdullah Univ. of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC) and Physical Sciences and Engineering Div. PSE, Thuwal (Saudi Arabia)

2017-04-24

The development of cost-effective and active water-splitting electrocatalysts that work at mild pH is an essential step towards the realization of sustainable energy and material circulation in our society. Its success requires a drastic improvement in the kinetics of the anodic half-reaction of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which determines the overall system efficiency to a large extent. A simple electrochemical protocol has been developed to activate Ni electrodes, by which a stable NiOOH phase was formed, which could weakly bind to alkali-metal cations. The electrochemically activated (ECA) Ni electrode reached a current of 10 mA at <1.40 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) at practical operation temperatures (>75 C) and a mild pH of ca. 10 with excellent stability (>24 h), greatly surpassing that of the state-of-the-art NiFeO{sub x} electrodes under analogous conditions. Water electrolysis was demonstrated with ECA-Ni and NiMo, which required an iR-free overall voltage of only 1.44 V to reach 10 mA cm{sub geo}{sup -2}. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Boosting the Performance of the Nickel Anode in the Oxygen Evolution Reaction by Simple Electrochemical Activation

KAUST Repository

Shinagawa, Tatsuya

2017-03-27

The development of cost-effective and active water-splitting electrocatalysts that work at mild pH is an essential step towards the realization of sustainable energy and material circulation in our society. Its success requires a drastic improvement in the kinetics of the anodic half-reaction of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which determines the overall system efficiency to a large extent. A simple electrochemical protocol has been developed to activate Ni electrodes, by which a stable NiOOH phase was formed, which could weakly bind to alkali-metal cations. The electrochemically activated (ECA) Ni electrode reached a current of 10 mA at <1.40 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) at practical operation temperatures (>75 °C) and a mild pH of ca. 10 with excellent stability (>24 h), greatly surpassing that of the state-of-the-art NiFeOx electrodes under analogous conditions. Water electrolysis was demonstrated with ECA-Ni and NiMo, which required an iR-free overall voltage of only 1.44 V to reach 10 mA cmgeo(-2) .

The Effect of Long-Term Storage on the Physiochemical and Bactericidal Properties of Electrochemically Activated Solutions

OpenAIRE

Robinson, Gareth; Thorn, Robin; Reynolds, Darren

2012-01-01

Electrochemically activated solutions (ECAS) are generated by electrolysis of NaCl solutions, and demonstrate broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and high environmental compatibility. The biocidal efficacy of ECAS at the point of production is widely reported in the literature, as are its credentials as a “green biocide.” Acidic ECAS are considered most effective as biocides at the point of production and ill suited for extended storage. Acidic ECAS samples were stored a...

A Simple Synthesis of Two-Dimensional Ultrathin Nickel Cobaltite Nanosheets for Electrochemical Lithium Storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Youqi; Cao, Chuanbao

2015-01-01

We report a simple microwave-assisted method to fabricate high-quality two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin NiCo 2 O 4 nanosheets with a geometrically graphene-like architecture. The unique large-area nanostructures represent an ultrahigh surface atomic ratio with almost all active elements exposed outside for surface-dependent electrochemical reaction processes. Experimental results reveal that the as-synthesized ultrathin NiCo 2 O 4 nanosheets show excellent electrochemical performances for lithium storage application. The ultrathin NiCo 2 O 4 nanosheets could deliver a high first discharge capacity (1287.1 mAh g −1 ) with initial Coulombic efficiency of 80.0% at 200 mA g −1 current density. The reversible lithium storage capacity still retains at 804.8 mAh g −1 in the 100th cycle, suggesting a good cycling stability. The excellent electrochemical properties of the as-synthesized NiCo 2 O 4 nanosheets could be ascribed to the unique ultrathin 2D architecture, which could offer large exposed active surface with more lithium-insertion channels and significantly reduce lithium ion diffusion distance. The cost-efficient synthesis and excellent lithium storage properties make the 2D NiCo 2 O 4 nanosheets as a promising anode material for high-performance lithium ion batteries

Relationship between the electrochemical behavior of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) loaded with CuO and the photocatalytic activity of Eosin Y-MWNTs-CuO system

Science.gov (United States)

Bui, Duc-Nguyen; Kang, Shi-Zhao; Qin, Lixia; Li, Xiang-Qing; Mu, Jin

2013-02-01

The photocatalytic system containing Eosin Y, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and CuO (Eosin Y-MWNTs-CuO) was fabricated; meanwhile its photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution from triethanolamine (TEOA) aqueous solution was evaluated. Under visible light irradiation, the amount of hydrogen (H2) evolution increased greatly due to introduction of CuO in the photocatalytic system. Moreover, the electrochemical behavior of MWNTs loaded with CuO was explored using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results clearly indicate that there is a strong relationship between the electrochemical behavior of MWNTs-CuO and the photocatalytic activity of Eosin Y-MWNTs-CuO, and the high photocatalytic activity of Eosin Y-MWNTs-CuO may mainly originate from the efficient electron-transfer in the system.

Electrochemically active microorganisms from an acid mine drainage-affected site promote cathode oxidation in microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Rojas, Claudia; Vargas, Ignacio T.; Bruns, Mary Ann; Regan, John M.

2017-01-01

The limited database of acidophilic or acidotolerant electrochemically active microorganisms prevents advancements on microbial fuel cells (MFCs) operated under low pH. In this study, three MFCs were used to enrich cathodic biofilms using acid mine drainage (AMD) sediments as inoculum. Linear sweep voltammetry showed cathodic current plateaus of 5.5 (± 0.7) mA at about − 170 mV vs Ag/AgCl and 8.5 (± 0.9) mA between − 500 mV to − 450 mV vs Ag/AgCl for biofilms developed on small graphite fiber brushes. After gamma irradiation, biocathodes exhibited a decrease in current density approaching that of abiotic controls. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed six-fold lower charge transfer resistance with viable biofilm. Pyrosequencing data showed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the biofilms. Acidithiobacillus representatives were enriched in some biocathodes, supporting the potential importance of these known iron and sulfur oxidizers as cathodic biocatalysts. Other acidophilic chemolithoautotrophs identified included Sulfobacillus and Leptospirillum species. The presence of chemoautotrophs was consistent with functional capabilities predicted by PICRUSt related to carbon fixation pathways in prokaryotic microorganisms. Acidophilic or acidotolerant heterotrophs were also abundant; however, their contribution to cathodic performance is unknown. This study directs subsequent research efforts to particular groups of AMD-associated bacteria that are electrochemically active on cathodes.

Electrochemically active microorganisms from an acid mine drainage-affected site promote cathode oxidation in microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Rojas, Claudia

2017-08-03

The limited database of acidophilic or acidotolerant electrochemically active microorganisms prevents advancements on microbial fuel cells (MFCs) operated under low pH. In this study, three MFCs were used to enrich cathodic biofilms using acid mine drainage (AMD) sediments as inoculum. Linear sweep voltammetry showed cathodic current plateaus of 5.5 (± 0.7) mA at about − 170 mV vs Ag/AgCl and 8.5 (± 0.9) mA between − 500 mV to − 450 mV vs Ag/AgCl for biofilms developed on small graphite fiber brushes. After gamma irradiation, biocathodes exhibited a decrease in current density approaching that of abiotic controls. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed six-fold lower charge transfer resistance with viable biofilm. Pyrosequencing data showed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the biofilms. Acidithiobacillus representatives were enriched in some biocathodes, supporting the potential importance of these known iron and sulfur oxidizers as cathodic biocatalysts. Other acidophilic chemolithoautotrophs identified included Sulfobacillus and Leptospirillum species. The presence of chemoautotrophs was consistent with functional capabilities predicted by PICRUSt related to carbon fixation pathways in prokaryotic microorganisms. Acidophilic or acidotolerant heterotrophs were also abundant; however, their contribution to cathodic performance is unknown. This study directs subsequent research efforts to particular groups of AMD-associated bacteria that are electrochemically active on cathodes.

Real space mapping of ionic diffusion and electrochemical activity in energy storage and conversion materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kalinin, Sergei V; Balke, Nina; Kumar, Amit; Dudney, Nancy J; Jesse, Stephen

2014-05-06

A method and system for probing mobile ion diffusivity and electrochemical reactivity on a nanometer length scale of a free electrochemically active surface includes a control module that biases the surface of the material. An electrical excitation signal is applied to the material and induces the movement of mobile ions. An SPM probe in contact with the surface of the material detects the displacement of mobile ions at the surface of the material. A detector measures an electromechanical strain response at the surface of the material based on the movement and reactions of the mobile ions. The use of an SPM tip to detect local deformations allows highly reproducible measurements in an ambient environment without visible changes in surface structure. The measurements illustrate effective spatial resolution comparable with defect spacing and well below characteristic grain sizes of the material.

ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION OF ETHANOL USING Ni-Co-PVC COMPOSITE ELECTRODE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riyanto Riyanto

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The morphological characteristics and electrochemical behavior of nickel metal foil (Ni, nickel-polyvinyl chloride (Ni-PVC and nickel-cobalt-polyvinyl chloride (Ni-Co-PVC electrodes in alkaline solution has been investigated. The morphological characteristics of the electrode surface were studied using SEM and EDS, while the electrochemical behavior of the electrodes was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV. It was found that composite electrodes (Ni-PVC and Ni-Co-PVC have a porous, irregular and rough surface. In situ studies using electrochemical technique using those three electrodes exhibited electrochemical activity for redox system, as well as selectivity in the electrooxidation of ethanol to acetic acid. The studies also found that an electrokinetics and electrocatalytic activity behaviors of the electrodes prepared were Ni metal foil

Rapid isolation of a facultative anaerobic electrochemically active bacterium capable of oxidizing acetate for electrogenesis and azo dyes reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Nan; Yuan, Shi-Jie; Wu, Chao; Cheng, Yuan-Yuan; Song, Xiang-Ning; Li, Wen-Wei; Tong, Zhong-Hua; Yu, Han-Qing

2014-05-01

In this study, 27 strains of electrochemically active bacteria (EAB) were rapidly isolated and their capabilities of extracellular electron transfer were identified using a photometric method based on WO3 nanoclusters. These strains caused color change of WO3 from white to blue in a 24-well agar plate within 40 h. Most of the isolated EAB strains belonged to the genera of Aeromonas and Shewanella. One isolate, Pantoea agglomerans S5-44, was identified as an EAB that can utilize acetate as the carbon source to produce electricity and reduce azo dyes under anaerobic conditions. The results confirmed the capability of P. agglomerans S5-44 for extracellular electron transfer. The isolation of this acetate-utilizing, facultative EBA reveals the metabolic diversity of environmental bacteria. Such strains have great potential for environmental applications, especially at interfaces of aerobic and anaerobic environments, where acetate is the main available carbon source.

Cuprous oxide thin films grown by hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majumder, M.; Biswas, I.; Pujaru, S.; Chakraborty, A.K.

2015-01-01

Semiconducting cuprous oxide films were grown by a hydrothermal electro-deposition technique on metal (Cu) and glass (ITO) substrates between 60 °C and 100 °C. X-ray diffraction studies reveal the formation of cubic cuprous oxide films in different preferred orientations depending upon the deposition technique used. Film growth, uniformity, grain size, optical band gap and photoelectrochemical response were found to improve in the hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique. - Highlights: • Cu 2 O thin films were grown on Cu and glass substrates. • Conventional and hydrothermal electrochemical deposition techniques were used. • Hydrothermal electrochemical growth showed improved morphology, thickness and optical band gap

Tuning the Stability of Organic Active Materials for Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries via Reversible, Electrochemically Mediated Li ⁺ Coordination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carino, Emily V.; Staszak-Jirkovsky, Jakub; Assary, Rajeev S.; Curtiss, Larry A.; Markovic, Nenad M.; Brushett, Fikile R.

2016-03-24

We describe an electrochemically mediated interaction between Li+ and a promising active material for nonaqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6,7-dimethoxy-1,1,4,4-tetramethylnaphthalene (TDT), and the impact of this structural interaction on material stability during voltammetric cycling. TDT could be an advantageous organic positive electrolyte material for nonaqueous RFBs due to its high oxidation potential, 4.21 V vs Li/Li⁺, and solubility of at least 1.0 M in select electrolytes. Although results from voltammetry suggest TDT displays Nernstian reversibility in many nonaqueous electrolyte solutions, bulk electrolysis reveals significant degradation in all electrolytes studied, the extent of which depends on the electrolyte solution composition. Results of subtractively normalized in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SNIFTIRS) confirm that TDT undergoes reversible structural changes during cyclic voltammetry in propylene carbonate and 1,2-dimethoxyethane solutions containing Li⁺ electrolytes, but irreversible degradation occurs when tetrabutylammonium (TBA+) replaces Li⁺ as the electrolyte cation in these solutions. By combining the results from SNIFTIRS experiments with calculations from density functional theory, solution-phase active species structure and potential-dependent interactions can be determined. We find that Li⁺ coordinates to the Lewis basic methoxy groups of neutral TDT and, upon electrochemical oxidation, this complex dissociates into the radical cation TDT^•+ and Li⁺. The improved cycling stability in the presence of Li⁺ relative to TBA⁺ suggests that the structural interaction reported herein may be advantageous to the design of energy storage materials based on organic molecules.

Single-Molecule Electrochemical Gating in Ionic Liquids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kay, Nicola J.; Higgins, Simon J.; Jeppesen, Jan O.

2012-01-01

The single-molecular conductance of a redox active molecular bridge has been studied in an electrochemical single-molecule transistor configuration in a room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). The redox active pyrrolo-tetrathiafulvalene (pTTF) moiety was attached to gold contacts at both ends through...... −(CH2)6S– groups, and gating of the redox state was achieved with the electrochemical potential. The water-free, room-temperature, ionic liquid environment enabled both the monocationic and the previously inaccessible dicationic redox states of the pTTF moiety to be studied in the in situ scanning...... and decreases again as the second redox process is passed. This is described as an “off–on–off–on–off” conductance switching behavior. This molecular conductance vs electrochemical potential relation could be modeled well as a sequential two-step charge transfer process with full or partial vibrational...

Understanding of electrochemical and structural changes of polypyrrole/polyethylene glycol composite films in aqueous solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pirvu, Cristian; Manole, Claudiu Constantin; Stoian, Andrei Bogdan; Demetrescu, Ioana

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Electrochemical monitoring of PPy and PPy-PEG films over immersion time. → Electrochemical and surface analysis showed that PEG improves the stability of PPy films. → Mott-Schottky analysis reveals p-type conductance for both films. → In situ AFM analysis sustains electrochemical behaviour. → A model of PPy and PPy-PEG films behaviour during immersion was elaborated. - Abstract: Electrochemical monitoring of electrical and structural changes of both PPy and PPy-PEG films electrochemical deposited, in order to highlight if the structural stability offered by PEG has an influence on electrical properties and stability in aqueous solution over immersion time was investigated. Electrochemical analysis suggests that PPy-PEG film inserts cations easier than PPy film for a short immersion time probably due to ability of PEG to form complexes with metal cations. The FTIR spectra showed that the PEG incorporation decreases the rate of PPy overoxidation probably by restraining the electron release and by rendering O 2 inaccessible to PPy. Mott-Schottky analysis based on capacitance measurement reveal p-type conductance for both films. The in situ AFM analysis sustains electrochemical behaviour and has permitted elaboration of a model of PPy and PPy-PEG films behaviour during immersion in testing solution.

Production of bioelectricity, bio-hydrogen, high value chemicals and bioinspired nanomaterials by electrochemically active biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalathil, Shafeer; Khan, Mohammad Mansoob; Lee, Jintae; Cho, Moo Hwan

2013-11-01

Microorganisms naturally form biofilms on solid surfaces for their mutual benefits including protection from environmental stresses caused by contaminants, nutritional depletion or imbalances. The biofilms are normally dangerous to human health due to their inherited robustness. On the other hand, a recent study suggested that electrochemically active biofilms (EABs) generated by electrically active microorganisms have properties that can be used to catalyze or control the electrochemical reactions in a range of fields, such as bioenergy production, bioremediation, chemical/biological synthesis, bio-corrosion mitigation and biosensor development. EABs have attracted considerable attraction in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), such as microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells, where they act as living bioanode or biocathode catalysts. Recently, it was reported that EABs can be used to synthesize metal nanoparticles and metal nanocomposites. The EAB-mediated synthesis of metal and metal-semiconductor nanocomposites is expected to provide a new avenue for the greener synthesis of nanomaterials with high efficiency and speed than other synthetic methods. This review covers the general introduction of EABs, as well as the applications of EABs in BESs, and the production of bio-hydrogen, high value chemicals and bio-inspired nanomaterials. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Defining the origins of electron transfer at screen-printed graphene-like and graphite electrodes: MoO2 nanowire fabrication on edge plane sites reveals electrochemical insights.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowley-Neale, Samuel J; Brownson, Dale A C; Banks, Craig E

2016-08-18

Molybdenum (di)oxide (MoO2) nanowires are fabricated onto graphene-like and graphite screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) for the first time, revealing crucial insights into the electrochemical properties of carbon/graphitic based materials. Distinctive patterns observed in the electrochemical process of nanowire decoration show that electron transfer occurs predominantly on edge plane sites when utilising SPEs fabricated/comprised of graphitic materials. Nanowire fabrication along the edge plane sites (and on edge plane like-sites/defects) of graphene/graphite is confirmed with Cyclic Voltammetry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Raman Spectroscopy. Comparison of the heterogeneous electron transfer (HET) rate constants (k°) at unmodified and nanowire coated SPEs show a reduction in the electrochemical reactivity of SPEs when the edge plane sites are effectively blocked/coated with MoO2. Throughout the process, the basal plane sites of the graphene/graphite electrodes remain relatively uncovered; except when the available edge plane sites have been utilised, in which case MoO2 deposition grows from the edge sites covering the entire surface of the electrode. This work clearly illustrates the distinct electron transfer properties of edge and basal plane sites on graphitic materials, indicating favourable electrochemical reactivity at the edge planes in contrast to limited reactivity at the basal plane sites. In addition to providing fundamental insights into the electron transfer properties of graphite and graphene-like SPEs, the reported simple, scalable, and cost effective formation of unique and intriguing MoO2 nanowires realised herein is of significant interest for use in both academic and commercial applications.

Electrochemical impedance and spectroscopy study of the EDC/NHS activation of the carboxyl groups on poly(ε-caprolactone/poly(m-anthranilic acid nanofibers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Guler

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS and spectroscopy was applied to investigate the surface activation of carboxyl group (–COOH containing nanofibers by the reaction of 1-ethyl-3-(dimethyl-aminopropyl carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC/N-hydroxyl succinimide (NHS in different concentrations. Poly(!-caprolactone/poly(m-anthranilic acid (PCL/P3ANA nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning and were activated with 5/0.5, 0.5/5, 5/5 and 50/50 mM of EDC/NHS. The surface activation was investigated by Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR and activation yield was estimated. Albumin was immobilized after surface activation and the amount of covalently immobilized protein was determined by bicinchoninic acid (BCA assay. Morphology and composition of albumin immobilized nanofibers were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDX and Atomic force microscope (AFM. EIS measurements indicated that nanofibers become resistant after albumin immobilization. The obtained data revealed that the highest amount of albumin bound to nanofibers activated with 50/50 mM of EDC/NHS which was found to be the optimum concentration for the activation of PCL/P3ANA nanofibers.

On the mechanism of electrochemical ammonia synthesis on the Ru catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Back, Seoin; Jung, Yousung

2016-04-07

We theoretically investigate the electrochemical N2 reduction reaction (NRR) mechanism to produce NH3 on the Ru catalyst. All possible N-N dissociation steps during the reduction processes were evaluated along with the conventional associative and dissociative pathways. Based on the calculated free energy diagrams, it is revealed that the kinetically facile intermediate dissociative pathways during the NRR require a thermodynamic limiting potential (-0.71 V) similar to the associative pathway (-0.68 V), although the initial dissociative pathway as in the Haber-Bosch process has a substantial kinetic barrier for the N-N bond dissociation. The competitive hydrogen evolution is found to be a major hurdle for achieving a high efficiency for the electrochemical nitrogen reduction. In the low overpotential region, the hydrogen adsorption is thermodynamically more favorable than the protonation of N2, thereby reducing the number of active sites for the N2 activation. A comparison of free energies in the presence of different H-coverages on the Ru further demonstrates that the H-coverage can significantly increase the energy barrier for the first protonation of N2, resulting in a change of the potential determining step and an increase in the overpotentials.

One-step synthesis of redox-active polymer/AU nanocomposites for electrochemical immunoassay of multiplexed tumor markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhimin; Rong, Qinfeng; Ma, Zhanfang; Han, Hongliang

2015-03-15

In this work, a simple and sensitive multiplexed immunoassay protocol for simultaneous electrochemical determination of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was designed using redox-active nanocomposites. As the redox-active species, the poly(o-phenylenediamine) (POPD)/Au nanocomposite and poly(vinyl ferrocene-2-aminothiophenol) (poly(VFc-ATP))/Au nanocomposite were obtained by one-step method which HAuCl4 was used as the oxidant. With Au nanoparticles (AuNPs), the nanocomposites were successful to immobilize labeled anti-CEA and anti-AFP as the immunosensing probes. The proposed electrochemical immunoassay enabled the simultaneous monitoring of AFP and CEA in a wide range of 0.01-100ngmL(-1). The detection limits was 0.006ngmL(-1) for CEA and 0.003ngmL(-1) for AFP (S/N=3). The assay results of serum samples with the proposed method were well consistent with the reference values from standard ELISA method. And the negligible cross-reactivity between the two analytes makes it possesses potential promise in clinical diagnosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient electrochemical degradation of multiwall carbon nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Reipa, Vytas; Hanna, Shannon K; Urbas, Aaron; Sander, Lane; Elliott, John; Conny, Joseph; Petersen, Elijah J

2018-07-15

As the production mass of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) increases, the potential for human and environmental exposure to MWCNTs may also increase. We have shown that exposing an aqueous suspension of pristine MWCNTs to an intense oxidative treatment in an electrochemical reactor, equipped with an efficient hydroxyl radical generating Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) anode, leads to their almost complete mineralization. Thermal optical transmittance analysis showed a total carbon mass loss of over two orders of magnitude due to the electrochemical treatment, a result consistent with measurements of the degraded MWCNT suspensions using UV-vis absorbance. Liquid chromatography data excludes substantial accumulation of the low molecular weight reaction products. Therefore, up to 99% of the initially suspended MWCNT mass is completely mineralized into gaseous products such as CO 2 and volatile organic carbon. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show sporadic opaque carbon clusters suggesting the remaining nanotubes are transformed into structure-less carbon during their electrochemical mineralization. Environmental toxicity of pristine and degraded MWCNTs was assessed using Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes and revealed a major reduction in the MWCNT toxicity after treatment in the electrochemical flow-by reactor. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Characterization and electrochemical application of carbon materials based on poly(phenylene oxide)

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Hunter

Carbon materials possess excellent electrical and surface properties for the next generation of energy storage devices. Polymers provide a carbon rich and tailorable precursor for the production of carbon materials. Therefore, activated carbons were prepared from poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) via a three step process: thermal oxidation, carbonization, and activation with KOH. The activated carbons are predominately microporous with BET specific surface areas up to 2638 m2/g. Impedance spectroscopy revealed these carbons possess electrical conductivities comparable to commercial carbon blacks and consequently were employed in thin-film composite electrodes in electrochemical double-layer capacitors. Cyclic voltammetry confirmed maximum specific capacitances of 13.23 F/g and 2.848 F/g for aqueous and organic electrolyte systems, respectively. Additionally, carbon nanotubes were synthesized from PPO and other polymers with a nickel catalyst via chemical vapor deposition as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. This is the first report of carbon nanotubes produced from PPO.

Synthesis of binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods with sensitive electrochemical sensing performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wen, Yong [Xinjiang Univ., Xinjiang (China). School of Civil Engineering and Architecture; Pei, Lizhai; Wei, Tian [Anhui Univ. of Technology, Anhui (China). School of Materials Science and Engineering

2017-07-15

Binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods have been synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process without templates and additives. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveal that the nanorods possess single crystalline tetragonal Bi{sub 2}CdO{sub 4} phase. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images show that the length and diameter of the nanorods are 20-300 nm and 5-10 μm, respectively. The formation of the binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods is closely related to the hydrothermal parameters. The electrochemical sensing performance of the binary bismuth-cadmium oxide nanorods has been investigated using the nanorods as glassy carbon electrode modifiers. The detection limit is 0.19 μM with a linear range of 0.0005-2 mM. The nanorod-modified glassy carbon electrode exhibits good electrocatalytic activity toward L-cysteine and great application potential for electrochemical sensors.

An electrochemical study of U(VI) and Cr(VI) in molten borates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brigaudeau, M.; Gregori de Pinochet, I. de

1977-01-01

The electrochemical reduction of U(VI) and Cr(VI), in molten Na 2 B 4 O 7 at 800 deg C was studied by means of linear sweep voltammetry, and chronopotentiometry. The reduction of U(VI) to U(V) proceeded reversibly at a platinum electrode. The diffusion coefficient for the U(VI) species at 800 deg C was 4.10 -7 cm 2 .s -1 . The activation energy of diffusion was (34,8 +- 0,8) kcal. mole -1 . Electrochemical studies of Cr(VI) at 800 0 C reveal a two-step reduction process at a platinum electrode. Only the voltammogram for the first step charge transfer process was studied. Analysis indicated that Cr(VI) is reversibly reduced to Cr(III) at a platinum electrode. The diffusion coefficient for Cr(VI) at 800 0 C is 1,9.10 -7 cm 2 .s -1 [fr

Electrochemically Active Polymeric Hollow Fibers based on Poly(ether- b -amide)/Carbon Nanotubes

KAUST Repository

Cuevas, Carolina

2017-09-18

A simple and effective method to incorporate catalytic activity to a hollow fiber membrane is reported. Polyetherimide hollow fiber membranes were coated with a solution containing carboxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and poly(ether-b-amide). Electron microscopy images confirmed the presence of a layer of percolating carbon nanotubes on the surface of the membranes. Cyclic voltammetry and linear swept voltammetry experiments showed that these membranes are able to drive the reactions of hydrogen evolution, and oxygen reduction, making them a cheaper, and greener substitute for platinum based cathodes in microbial bioelectrochemical systems. Water flux and molecular weight cut off experiments indicated that the electrochemically active coating layer does not affect the ultrafiltration performance of the membrane.

Electrochemically Active Polymeric Hollow Fibers based on Poly(ether- b -amide)/Carbon Nanotubes

KAUST Repository

Cuevas, Carolina; Kim, Dooli; Katuri, Krishna; Saikaly, Pascal; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2017-01-01

A simple and effective method to incorporate catalytic activity to a hollow fiber membrane is reported. Polyetherimide hollow fiber membranes were coated with a solution containing carboxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and poly(ether-b-amide). Electron microscopy images confirmed the presence of a layer of percolating carbon nanotubes on the surface of the membranes. Cyclic voltammetry and linear swept voltammetry experiments showed that these membranes are able to drive the reactions of hydrogen evolution, and oxygen reduction, making them a cheaper, and greener substitute for platinum based cathodes in microbial bioelectrochemical systems. Water flux and molecular weight cut off experiments indicated that the electrochemically active coating layer does not affect the ultrafiltration performance of the membrane.

Enhanced electrocatalytic activity of graphene-gold nanoparticles hybrids for peroxynitrite electrochemical detection on hemin-based electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Beibei; Ji, Xueping; Ren, Jujie; Ni, Ruixing; Wang, Lin

2017-12-01

A simple, ultrasensitive peroxynitrite anion (ONOO - ) electrochemical sensing platform was developed by immobilizing hemin on a density controllable electrochemically reduced graphene oxide-Au nanoparticles (ERGO-AuNPs) nanohybrids. The ERGO-AuNPs in situ nanohybrids were produced onto a glass carbon electrode (GCE) by one-step electrodeposition, the density of which could be easily controlled by electrodeposited time. The morphology of ERGO-AuNPs nanohybrids was characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The ERGO-AuNPs nanohybrids showed a high electrocatalytic activity for immobilized-hemin, because the nanostructures hybrids could effectively promote electron transfer rate between hemin and the electrode. Due to nanohybrids-enhanced catalytic effect for hemin, they were firstly selected for use as a highly sensitive electrochemical platform for ONOO - detection. The resulted sensor showed a high electrocatalytic activity toward ONOO - oxidation, being free from the electroactive interferents, including nitrite, nitrate, dopamine and uric acid at an applied potential of 0.7V. The sensor exhibited a high sensitivity of 123.1nAμM -1 and a lower detection limit of 0.1μM, and a wide linear range of 2.4×10 -6 to 5.5×10 -5 M, which could be attributed to the synergy between ERGO and AuNPs in hybrids. The nanohybrids in situ preparation and ONOO - detection methods would be beneficial to developing other sensing interface and have promising applications in biological molecules analysis and clinical diagnostic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of graphene microstructures on electrochemical performance for supercapacitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Youning Gong

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The influence of variant graphenes on electrochemical performance for supercapacitors was studied comparatively and systematically by using SEM, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS. The results revealed that: 1 the nitrogen-doped graphene (N-G electrode exhibited the highest specific capacitance at the same voltage scan rate; 2 the specific capacitance of the N-G reached up to 243.5 F/g at 1 A/g, while regular graphite oxide (GO was 43.5 F/g and reduced graphene oxide (rGO was 67.9 F/g; 3 N-G exhibited the best supercapacitance performance and the superior electrochemical properties, which made it an ideal electrode material for supercapacitors.

Redox competition mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (RC-SECM) for visualisation of local catalytic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckhard, Kathrin; Chen, Xingxing; Turcu, Florin; Schuhmann, Wolfgang

2006-12-07

In order to locally analyse catalytic activity on modified surfaces a transient redox competition mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) has been developed. In a bi-potentiostatic experiment the SECM tip competes with the sample for the very same analyte. This leads to a current decrease at the SECM tip, if it is positioned in close proximity to an active catalyst site on the surface. Specifically, local catalytic activity of a Pt-catalyst modified sample with respect to the catalytic reduction of molecular oxygen was investigated. At higher local catalytic activity the local 02 partial pressure within the gap between accurately positioned SECM tip and sample is depleted, leading to a noticeable tip current decrease over active sites. A flexible software module has been implemented into the SECM to adapt the competition conditions by proper definition of tip and sample potentials. A potential pulse profile enables the localised electrochemically induced generation of molecular oxygen prior to the competition detection. The current decay curves are recorded over the entire duration of the applied reduction pulse. Hence, a time resolved processing of the acquired current values provides movies of the local oxygen concentration against x,y-position. The SECM redox competition mode was verified with a macroscopic Pt-disk electrode as a test sample to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach. Moreover, highly dispersed electro-deposited spots of gold and platinum on glassy carbon were visualised using the redox competition mode of SECM. Catalyst spots of different nature as well as activity inhomogeneities within one spot caused by local variations in Pt-loading were visualised successfully.

A lactate electrochemical biosensor with a titanate nanotube as direct electron transfer promoter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Mingli; Wang Jin; Li Huaqing; Wu Nianqiang Nick; Zheng Jianguo

2008-01-01

Hydrogen titanate (H 2 Ti 3 O 7 ) nanotubes (TNTs) have been synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal processing. Lactate oxidase (LOx) enzyme has been immobilized on the three-dimensional porous TNT network to make an electrochemical biosensor for lactate detection. Cyclic voltammetry and amperometry tests reveal that the LOx enzyme, which is supported on TNTs, maintains their substrate-specific catalytic activity. The nanotubes offer the pathway for direct electron transfer between the electrode surface and the active redox centers of LOx, which enables the biosensor to operate at a low working potential and to avoid the influence of the presence of O 2 on the amperometric current response. The biosensor exhibits a sensitivity of 0.24 μA cm -2 mM -1 , a 90% response time of 5 s, and a linear response in the range from 0.5 to 14 mM and the redox center of enzyme obviates the need of redox mediators for electrochemical enzymatic sensors, which is attractive for the development of reagentless biosensors

A lactate electrochemical biosensor with a titanate nanotube as direct electron transfer promoter

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Mingli; Wang, Jin; Li, Huaqing; Zheng, Jian-Guo; Wu, Nianqiang Nick

2008-02-01

Hydrogen titanate (H2Ti3O7) nanotubes (TNTs) have been synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal processing. Lactate oxidase (LOx) enzyme has been immobilized on the three-dimensional porous TNT network to make an electrochemical biosensor for lactate detection. Cyclic voltammetry and amperometry tests reveal that the LOx enzyme, which is supported on TNTs, maintains their substrate-specific catalytic activity. The nanotubes offer the pathway for direct electron transfer between the electrode surface and the active redox centers of LOx, which enables the biosensor to operate at a low working potential and to avoid the influence of the presence of O2 on the amperometric current response. The biosensor exhibits a sensitivity of 0.24 µA cm-2 mM-1, a 90% response time of 5 s, and a linear response in the range from 0.5 to 14 mM and the redox center of enzyme obviates the need of redox mediators for electrochemical enzymatic sensors, which is attractive for the development of reagentless biosensors.

Application of electrochemical techniques in fuel reprocessing- an overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rao, M K; Bajpai, D D; Singh, R K [Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing Plant, Tarapur (India)

1994-06-01

The operating experience and development work over the past several years have considerably improved the wet chemical fuel reprocessing PUREX process and have brought the reprocessing to a stage where it is ready to adopt the introduction of electrochemical technology. Electrochemical processes offer advantages like simplification of reprocessing operation, improved performance of the plant and reduction in waste volume. At Power Reactor Fuel Reprocessing plant, Tarapur, work on development and application of electrochemical processes has been carried out in stages. To achieve plant scale application of these developments, a new electrochemical cycle is being added to PUREX process at PREFRE. This paper describes the electrochemical and membrane cell development activities carried out at PREFRE and their current status. (author). 5 refs., 4 tabs.

Use of cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for determination of active surface area of modified carbon-based electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Leticia Lopes de

2011-01-01

Carbon-based electrodes as well the ion exchange electrodes among others have been applied mainly in the treatment of industrial effluents and radioactive wastes. Carbon is also used in fuel cells as substrate for the electrocatalysts, having high surface area which surpasses its geometric area. The knowledge of the total active area is important for the determination of operating conditions of an electrochemical cell with respect to the currents to be applied (current density). In this study it was used two techniques to determine the electrochemical active surface area of glassy carbon, electrodes and ion exchange electrodes: cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The experiments were carried out with KNO 3 0.1 mol.L -1 solutions in a three-electrode electrochemical cell: carbon-based working electrode, platinum auxiliary electrode and Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The glassy carbon and porous carbon electrodes with geometric areas of 3.14 x 10 -2 and 2.83 X 10 -1 cm 2 , respectively, were used. The ion exchange electrode was prepared by mixing graphite, carbon, ion exchange resin and a binder, and this mixture was applied in three layers on carbon felt, using a geometric area of 1.0 cm 2 during the experiments. The capacitance (Cd) of the materials was determined by EIS using Bode diagrams. The value of 172 μF.cm -2 found for the glassy carbon is consistent with the literature data (∼ 200 μF.cm'- 2 ). By VC, varying the scan rate from 0.2 to 2.0 mV.s-1, the capacitance CdS (S = active surface area) in the region of the electric double layer (EDL) of each material was determined. By EIS, the values of C d , 3.0 x 10 -5 μF.cm'- 2 and 11 x 10 3 μF.cm-2, were found for the porous carbon and ion exchange electrodes, respectively, which allowed the determination of active surface areas as 3.73 x 106 cm 2 and 4.72 cm 2 . To sum up, the combined use of EIS and CV techniques is a valuable tool for the calculation of active surface

Tunneling Mode of Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy: Probing Electrochemical Processes at Single Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Tong; Wang, Dengchao; Mirkin, Michael V

2018-06-18

Electrochemical experiments at individual nanoparticles (NPs) can provide new insights into their structure-activity relationships. By using small nanoelectrodes as tips in a scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM), we recently imaged individual surface-bound 10-50 nm metal NPs. Herein, we introduce a new mode of SECM operation based on tunneling between the tip and a nanoparticle immobilized on the insulating surface. The obtained current vs. distance curves show the transition from the conventional feedback response to electron tunneling between the tip and the NP at separation distances of less than about 3 nm. In addition to high-resolution imaging of the NP topography, the tunneling mode enables measurement of the heterogeneous kinetics at a single NP without making an ohmic contact with it. The developed method should be useful for studying the effects of nanoparticle size and geometry on electrocatalytic activity in real-world applications. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis, pH dependent photometric and electrochemical investigation, redox mechanism and biological applications of novel Schiff base and its metallic derivatives

Science.gov (United States)

Rauf, Abdur; Shah, Afzal; Khan, Abdul Aziz; Shah, Aamir Hassan; Abbasi, Rashda; Qureshi, Irfan Zia; Ali, Saqib

2017-04-01

A novel Schiff base, 1-((2, 4-dimethylphenylimino)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol abbreviated as (HL) and its four metallic complexes were synthesized and confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR, FTIR, TGA and UV-Visible spectroscopy. Schiff base was also characterized by X-ray analysis. The photometric and electrochemical responses of all the synthesized compounds were investigated in a wide pH range. Structures of the compounds were optimized computationally for the evaluation of different physico-chemical parameters. On the basis of electrochemical results the redox mechanistic pathways of the compounds were proposed. The cytotoxicity analysis on Hela cells revealed that HL and its complexes inhibit cell growth as revealed from their IC50 values (HL):106.7 μM, (L2VO): 40.66 μM, (L2Sn): 5.92 μM, (L2Zn): 42.82 and (L2Co): 107.68 μM. The compounds were tested for anti-diabetic, triglyceride, cholesterol, anti-microbial, anti-fungal and enzyme inhibition activities. The results revealed that HL and its complexes are promising new therapeutic options as these compounds exhibit strong activity against cancer cells, diabetics, fungal and microbial inhibition.

Electrochemical and passive behaviour of tin alloyed ferritic stainless steel in concrete environment

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Hong; Su, Huaizhi; Li, Baosong; Ying, Guobing

2018-05-01

In the present work, the electrochemical behavior and semiconducting properties of a tin alloyed ferritic stainless steel in simulated concrete solution in presence of NaCl were estimated by conventional electrochemical methods such as potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and capacitance measurement (Mott-Schottky approach). The surface passive film was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results revealed a good agreement between pitting corrosion, electrochemical behaviour, and electronic properties. The p and n-type bilayer structure passive film were observed. The increase of Sn4+ oxide species in the passive film shows no beneficial effects on the pitting corrosion. In addition, the dehydration of the passive film was further discussed.

Anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor and process for wastewater treatment

KAUST Repository

Amy, Gary

2015-07-09

An anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor (AnEMBR) can include a vessel into which wastewater can be introduced, an anode electrode in the vessel suitable for supporting electrochemically active microorganisms (EAB, also can be referred to as anode reducing bacteria, exoelectrogens, or electricigens) that oxidize organic compounds in the wastewater, and a cathode membrane electrode in the vessel, which is configured to pass a treated liquid through the membrane while retaining the electrochemically active microorganisms and the hydrogenotrophic methanogens (for example, the key functional microbial communities, including EAB, methanogens and possible synergistic fermenters) in the vessel. The cathode membrane electrode can be suitable for catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction to generate hydro en.

Electrochemical flue gas desulfurization: Reactions in a pyrosulfate-based electrolyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, K.; Fannon, T.; Winnick, J.

1988-01-01

A new electrolyte has been found suitable for use in an electrochemical membrane cell for flue gas desulfurization (FGD). The electrolyte is primarily K/sub 2/S/sub 2/O/sub 7/ and K/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ with V/sub 2/O/sub 5/ as oxidation enhancer. This electrolyte has a melting point near 300/sup 0/C which is compatible with flue gas exiting the economizer of coal-burning power plants. Standard electrochemical tests have revealed high exchange current densities around 30 mA/cm/sup 2/, in the free electrolyte. Sulfur dioxide is found to be removed from simulated flue gas in a multiple-step process, the first of which is electrochemical reduction of pyrosulfate

Dynamic Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy of a Three-Electrode Lithium-Ion Battery during Pulse Charge and Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Jun; Ge, Hao; Li, Zhe; Zhang, Jianbo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Dynamic EIS is performed on a three-electrode pouch cell; • Charge transfer resistance during insertion is generally larger than that during deinsertion due to the surface concentration change; • An inductive behavior is revealed at low frequencies due to the violation of stationary condition in DEIS measurement; • Electrochemical models of a single active particle in both time and frequency domain are developed. • The model predicts a positive correlation between the lower frequency limit and the DC current. - Abstract: The dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (DEIS) of a three-electrode pouch type lithium-ion battery is measured using a series of sine wave perturbations super-imposed on pulse charge and discharge. The DEIS reveals noticeable differences between charge and discharge at frequencies corresponding to the charge transfer reaction. The charge transfer resistance during intercalation is generally found to be larger than that during deintercalation for the battery chemistry in this study. This result is mainly attributed to the decreased Li ion concentration in the electrolyte during intercalation. At low frequencies, an abnormal inductive behavior is also observed. Such abnormality is found to result from the violation of stationary condition, i.e. the state of the battery under pulse charge or discharge deviates significantly from its initial condition for the perturbation of low frequencies. To analytically define the stationary condition, we develop electrochemical models of a single active particle in both time and frequency domain, which describes the transport of lithium ions in both active particle and electrolyte phase and the interfacial charge transfer reactions at their interface. The lower frequency limit is a key parameter to ensure a quasistationary state during the DEIS measurement. An explicit formulation of the stationary condition predicts a positive correlation between the lower frequency limit and

The Influence of the Activation Temperature on the Structural Properties of the Activated Carbon Xerogels and Their Electrochemical Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nguyen Khanh Nguyen Quach

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of activation temperature on the structural properties and the electrochemical performance of KOH-activated carbon xerogel was investigated in range of 700 to 1000°C. At a high temperature (1000°C, the chemical activation regenerated a more crystalline network structure of activated carbon xerogels, which was observed by Raman, XRD, and TEM images. Additionally, SEM images, BET, BJH, and t-plot were used to study the structural properties of carbon xerogels. The carbon xerogel sample activated at 900°C was found with the most appropriate structure, which has the high micropore area and a more-balanced porosity between the micropores and mesopores, for using as an electrode material. The highest obtained specific capacitance value was 270 Fg−1 in 6 M KOH electrolyte at scan rate of 5 mVs−1 from the cyclic voltammetry.

A Paper-Based Electrochromic Array for Visualized Electrochemical Sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fengling; Cai, Tianyi; Ma, Liang; Zhan, Liyuan; Liu, Hong

2017-01-31

We report a battery-powered, paper-based electrochromic array for visualized electrochemical sensing. The paper-based sensing system consists of six parallel electrochemical cells, which are powered by an aluminum-air battery. Each single electrochemical cell uses a Prussian Blue spot electrodeposited on an indium-doped tin oxide thin film as the electrochromic indicator. Each electrochemical cell is preloaded with increasing amounts of analyte. The sample activates the battery for the sensing. Both the preloaded analyte and the analyte in the sample initiate the color change of Prussian Blue to Prussian White. With a reaction time of 60 s, the number of electrochemical cells with complete color changes is correlated to the concentration of analyte in the sample. As a proof-of-concept analyte, lactic acid was detected semi-quantitatively using the naked eye.

Electrochemical activation, voltage decay and hysteresis of Li-rich layered cathode probed by various cobalt content

KAUST Repository

Wu, Yingqiang; Xie, Leqiong; He, Xiangming; Zhuo, Linhai; Wang, Limin; Ming, Jun

2018-01-01

to improve their performances further. In this study, different amount of Co content is designed in Li-rich layered compounds (0.5Li2MnO3·0.5LiMn0.5-xNi0.5-xCo2xO2, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2), and the stepwise electrochemical activation process is applied to explore

Electrochemical characteristics of bioresorbable binary MgCa alloys in Ringer's solution: Revealing the impact of local pH distributions during in-vitro dissolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mareci, D., E-mail: danmareci@yahoo.com [Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, The “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, 700050, Iasi (Romania); Bolat, G. [Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, The “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, 700050, Iasi (Romania); Izquierdo, J. [Department of Chemistry, University of La Laguna, P.O. Box 456, E-38200 La Laguna (Tenerife) (Spain); Crimu, C.; Munteanu, C. [Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, The “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, 700050, Iasi (Romania); Antoniac, I. [Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest (Romania); Souto, R.M., E-mail: rsouto@ull.es [Department of Chemistry, University of La Laguna, P.O. Box 456, E-38200 La Laguna (Tenerife) (Spain); Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest (Romania)

2016-03-01

Biodegradable magnesium–calcium (MgCa) alloy is a very attractive biomaterial. Two MgCa alloys below the solid solubility of Ca were considered, as to solely investigate the effect of Ca content on the behavior of magnesium and the pH changes associated to metal dissolution. X-ray diffraction analysis and optical microscopy showed that both Mg–0.63Ca and Mg–0.89Ca alloys were solely composed of α(Mg) phase. Degradation characteristics and electrochemical characterization of MgCa alloys were investigated during exposure to Ringer's solution at 37 °C by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy. The impedance behavior showed both capacitive and inductive features that are related to the alloy charge transfer reaction and the relaxation of the absorbed corrosion compounds, and can be described in terms of an equivalent circuit. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to view the surface morphology of the MgCa samples after 1 week immersion in Ringer's solution showing extensive precipitation of corrosion products, whereas the substrate shows evidence of a non-uniform corrosion process. Energy dispersive analysis showed that the precipitates contained oxygen, calcium, magnesium and chlorine, and the Mg:Ca ratios were smaller than in the alloys. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used to visualize local pH changes associated to these physicochemical processes with high spatial resolution. The occurrence of pH variations in excess of 3 units between anodic and cathodic half-cell reactions was monitored in situ. - Highlights: • Spontaneous degradation of MgCa alloys in Ringer's solution characterized at 37 °C • Reactivity differences between Mg0.63Ca and Mg0.89Ca are evidenced using multiscale electrochemical characterization. • Electrochemical activation occurs heterogeneously on the alloy surface. • Metal dissolution is accompanied by local pH changes. • Mg0.63Ca degrades faster

Electrochemical capacitance of NiO/Ru{sub 0.35}V{sub 0.65}O{sub 2} asymmetric electrochemical capacitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Chang-Zhou; Gao, Bo; Zhang, Xiao-Gang [College of Material Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016 (China)

2007-11-08

A designed asymmetric hybrid electrochemical capacitor was presented where NiO and Ru{sub 0.35}V{sub 0.65}O{sub 2} as the positive and negative electrode, respectively, both stored charge through reversible faradic pseudocapacitive reactions of the anions (OH{sup -}) with electroactive materials. And the two electrodes had been individually tested in 1 M KOH aqueous electrolyte to define the adequate balance of the active materials in the hybrid system as well as the working voltage of the capacitor based on them. The electrochemical tests demonstrated that the maximum specific capacitance and energy density of the asymmetric hybrid electrochemical capacitor were 102.6 F g{sup -1} and 41.2 Wh kg{sup -1}, respectively, delivered at a current density of 7.5 A cm{sup -2}. And the specific energy density decreased to 23.0 Wh kg{sup -1} when the specific power density increased up to 1416.7 W kg{sup -1}. The hybrid electrochemical capacitor also exhibited a good electrochemical stability with 83.5% of the initial capacitance over consecutive 1500 cycle numbers. (author)

Single-Molecule Electrochemical Transistor Utilizing a Nickel-Pyridyl Spinterface

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brooke, Richard J.; Jin, Chengjun; Szumski, Doug S.

2015-01-01

Using a scanning tunnelling microscope break-junction technique, we produce 4,4′-bipyridine (44BP) single-molecule junctions with Ni and Au contacts. Electrochemical control is used to prevent Ni oxidation and to modulate the conductance of the devices via nonredox gating - the first time this has...... been shown using non-Au contacts. Remarkably the conductance and gain of the resulting Ni-44BP-Ni electrochemical transistors is significantly higher than analogous Au-based devices. Ab-initio calculations reveal that this behavior arises because charge transport is mediated by spin-polarized Ni d...

Quantifying microstructural dynamics and electrochemical activity of graphite and silicon-graphite lithium ion battery anodes

Science.gov (United States)

Pietsch, Patrick; Westhoff, Daniel; Feinauer, Julian; Eller, Jens; Marone, Federica; Stampanoni, Marco; Schmidt, Volker; Wood, Vanessa

2016-09-01

Despite numerous studies presenting advances in tomographic imaging and analysis of lithium ion batteries, graphite-based anodes have received little attention. Weak X-ray attenuation of graphite and, as a result, poor contrast between graphite and the other carbon-based components in an electrode pore space renders data analysis challenging. Here we demonstrate operando tomography of weakly attenuating electrodes during electrochemical (de)lithiation. We use propagation-based phase contrast tomography to facilitate the differentiation between weakly attenuating materials and apply digital volume correlation to capture the dynamics of the electrodes during operation. After validating that we can quantify the local electrochemical activity and microstructural changes throughout graphite electrodes, we apply our technique to graphite-silicon composite electrodes. We show that microstructural changes that occur during (de)lithiation of a pure graphite electrode are of the same order of magnitude as spatial inhomogeneities within it, while strain in composite electrodes is locally pronounced and introduces significant microstructural changes.

Electrochemical stability of ionic clathrate hydrates and their structural consideration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Wonhee; Lim, Dongwook; Lee, Huen

2013-01-01

Although electrochemical stability is an essential factor in relation to the potential applications of ionic clathrate hydrates to solid electrolytes, most studies regarding the proton conductors have focused on their ionic conductivity and thermal stability. Solid electrolytes in various electrochemical devices have to endure the applied potentials; thus, we examined the linear sweep voltammograms of various tetraalkylammonium hydroxide hydrates in order to shed light on the trend of electrochemical stability depending on the hydrate structure. We revealed that the electrochemical stability of Me 4 NOH hydrates is mainly affected by both their ionic concentration and cage occupancy. In particular, the true clathrate structures of β-Me 4 NOH hydrates are more electrochemically stable than their α-forms that possess partially broken hydrogen bonds. We also observed that the binary THF–Pr 4 NOH and pure Bu 4 NOH clathrate hydrates exhibit greater electrochemical stability than those of pure Me 4 NOH hydrates having lower or similar ionic concentrations. These results are considered to arise from the fact that each of the Pr 4 N + and Bu 4 N + ions occupies an extended space comprising four cages, which leads to stabilization of the larger unit, whereas a Me 4 N + ion is completely included only in one cage

Electrochemical impedance characterization of FeSn2 electrodes for Li-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chamas, M.; Lippens, P-E.; Jumas, J-C.; Hassoun, J.; Panero, S.; Scrosati, B.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → In this paper we study a tin based, FeSn 2 , high capacity lithium-alloying electrode. → The electrochemical performance of this electrode in lithium batteries is remarkably influenced by the current rate. → This aspect is investigated by electrochemical techniques such as galvanostatic cycling and impedance spectroscopy. → The results demonstrated that the good electrochemical behavior of the electrode at the higher currents is due to the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film. - Abstract: This work reports the electrochemical characterization of a micro-scale FeSn 2 electrode in a lithium battery. The electrode is proposed as anode material for advanced lithium ion batteries due to its characteristics of high capacity (500 mAh g -1 ) and low working voltage (0.6 V vs. Li). The electrochemical alloying process is studied by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic cycling while the interfacial properties are investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The impedance measurements in combination with the galvanostatic cycling tests reveal relatively low overall impedance values and good electrochemical performance for the electrode, both in terms of delivered capacity and cycling stability, even at the higher C-rate regimes.

A Paper-Based Electrochromic Array for Visualized Electrochemical Sensing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fengling Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We report a battery-powered, paper-based electrochromic array for visualized electrochemical sensing. The paper-based sensing system consists of six parallel electrochemical cells, which are powered by an aluminum-air battery. Each single electrochemical cell uses a Prussian Blue spot electrodeposited on an indium-doped tin oxide thin film as the electrochromic indicator. Each electrochemical cell is preloaded with increasing amounts of analyte. The sample activates the battery for the sensing. Both the preloaded analyte and the analyte in the sample initiate the color change of Prussian Blue to Prussian White. With a reaction time of 60 s, the number of electrochemical cells with complete color changes is correlated to the concentration of analyte in the sample. As a proof-of-concept analyte, lactic acid was detected semi-quantitatively using the naked eye.

Electrochemical Investigation of Carbon as Additive to the Negative Electrode of Lead-Acid Battery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernandez Matthew M.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The increasing demand of cycle life performance of Pb-acid batteries requires the improvement of the negative Pb electrode’s charge capacity. Electrochemical investigations were performed on Pb electrode and Pb+Carbon (Carbon black and Graphite electrodes to evaluate the ability of the additives to enhance the electrochemical faradaic reactions that occur during the cycle of Pb-acid battery negative electrode. The electrodes were characterized through Cyclic Voltammetry (CV, Potentiodynamic Polarization (PP, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS. CV revealed that the addition of carbon on the Pb electrode increased anodic and cathodicreactions by tenfold. The kinetics of PbSO4 passivation measured through PPrevealed that the addition of Carbon on the Pb electrode accelerated the oxide formation by tenfold magnitude. The Nyquist plot measured through EIS suggest that the electrochemical mechanism and reaction kinetics is under charge-transfer. From the equivalent circuit and physical model, Pb+CB1 electrode has the lowest EIS parameters while Pb+G has the highest which is attributed to faster faradaic reaction.The Nyquist plot of the passivated Pb+CB1 electrode showed double semicircular shape. The first layer represents to the bulk passive PbSO4 layer and the second layer represents the Carbon+PbSO4 layer. The enhancements upon addition of carbon on the Pb electrode were attributed to the additive’s electrical conductivity and total surface area. The electrochemical active sites for the PbSO4 to nucleate and spread increases upon addition of electrical conductive and high surface area carbon additives.

The influence of TiO2 and aeration on the kinetics of electrochemical oxidation of phenol in packed bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lizhang; Zhao Yuemin; Fu Jianfeng

2008-01-01

The electrochemical oxidation of phenolic wastewater in a lab-scale reactor, packed into granular activated carbon (GAC) with Ti/SnO 2 anodes and stainless steel cathodes, was interpreted in this study. GAC saturated rapidly if it was only used as sorbent, but application of suitable electric energy for the system simultaneously could recover the adsorption ability of GAC and maintain the continuous running effectively. The titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) as catalyst and airflow were also applied to the electrochemical reactor to examine the enhancement for phenol oxidation process. Results revealed that the electrochemical degradation of phenol could be reasonably described by first-order kinetics. In addition, it was illustrated that acid region, increased voltage, more dosage of TiO 2 and higher aeration intensity were all beneficial parameters for phenol oxidation rates. By inspecting the relationship between the rate constants (k) and influencing factors, respectively, an overall kinetic model for phenol oxidation was proposed. The kinetics obtained from the experiments under corresponding electrochemical conditions could provide an accurate estimation of phenol concentration effluent and better design of the packed bed reactor

SURFACE PROPERTIES OF ELECTROCHEMICALLY REDUCED ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DJFLEX

A viscose rayon based activated carbon cloth (ACC) was electrochemically reduced ..... bath of liquid nitrogen at a temperature of 77 K. ... that above 59,400 c/g extent of oxidation, the ..... ACC react with aldehyde groups to produce ether.

Surface modification and electrochemical behaviour of undoped nanodiamonds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zang Jianbing; Wang Yanhui; Bian Linyan; Zhang Jinhui; Meng Fanwei; Zhao Yuling; Ren Shubin; Qu Xuanhui

2012-01-01

Surface modifications of undoped nanodiamond (ND) particles were carried out through different annealing treatments. The methods of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the ND surface before and after the annealing process. The electrochemical properties of the modified ND powders in aqueous solution were investigated with Fe(CN) 6 3−/4− as a redox probe. When the annealing temperature was below 850 °C, vacuum annealing removed parts of the oxygen-containing surface functionalities from the ND surface and produced more sp 2 carbon atoms in the shell. The charge transfer of the Fe(CN) 6 3−/4− redox couple decreased with increasing annealing temperature. Re-annealing in air restored the original surface conditions: few sp 2 -bonded carbon atoms and similar surface functionalities, and thus the electrochemical activity. When ND was annealed in vacuum at 900–1100 °C, more serious graphitization produced a continuous fullerenic shell wrapped around a diamond core, which had a high conductivity and electrochemical activity. This provides a novel nanoparticle with high conductivity and high stability for electrochemical applications.

Electrochemical reduction of nitrous oxide on La1-xSrxFeO3 perovskites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kammer Hansen, Kent

2010-01-01

The electrochemical reduction of nitrous oxide and oxygen has been studied on cone-shaped electrodes of La1-xSrxFeO3-delta perovskites in an all solid state cell, using cyclic voltammetry. It was shown that the activity of the La1-xSrxFeO3-delta perovskites for the electrochemical reduction...... of nitrous oxide mainly depends on the amount of Fe(III) and oxide ion vacancies. The activity of the La1-xSrxFeO3-delta perovskites towards the electrochemical reduction of nitrous oxide is much lower than the activity of the La1-xSrxFeO3-delta perovskites towards the electrochemical reduction of oxygen...

Automatic devices for electrochemical water treatment with cooling of electrolyte

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trišović Tomislav Lj.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The most common disinfectants for water treatment are based on chlorine and its compounds. Practically, water treatments with chlorine compounds have no alternative, since they provide, in comparison to other effective processes such as ozonization or ultraviolet irradiation, high residual disinfection capacity. Unfortunately, all of chlorine-based compounds for disinfection tend to degrade during storage, thus reducing the concentration of active chlorine. Apart from degradation, additional problems are transportation, storage and handling of such hazardous compounds. Nowadays, a lot of attention is paid to the development of electrochemical devices for in situ production of chlorine dioxide or sodium hypochlorite as efficient disinfectants for water treatment. The most important part of such a device is the electrochemical reactor. Electrochemical reactor uses external source of direct current in order to produce disinfectants in electrochemical reactions occurring at the electrodes. Construction of an electrochemical device for water treatment is based on evaluation of optimal conditions for electrochemical reactions during continues production of disinfectants. The aim of this study was to develop a low-cost electrochemical device for the production of disinfectant, active chlorine, at the place of its usage, based on newly developed technical solutions and newest commercial components. The projected electrochemical device was constructed and mounted, and its operation was investigated. Investigations involved both functionality of individual components and device in general. The major goal of these investigations was to achieve maximal efficiency in extreme condition of elevated room temperature and humidity with a novel device construction involving coaxial heat exchanger at the solution inlet. Room operation of the proposed device was investigated when relative humidity was set to 90% and the ambient temperature of 38°C. The obtained

Electrochemical activation of Li2MnO3 at elevated temperature investigated by in situ Raman microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanz, Patrick; Villevieille, Claire; Novák, Petr

2013-01-01

Layered-layered oxides of the type xLi 2 MnO 3 ·(1 − x)LiMO 2 (M = Mn, Ni, Co) have been postulated to contain Li 2 MnO 3 domains which, upon electrochemical activation, give rise to a characteristic potential plateau at 4.5 V vs. Li + /Li. To improve our understanding of the complex reaction mechanisms at play, we applied in situ Raman microscopy to investigate the constituent Li 2 MnO 3 . Li 2 MnO 3 synthesised via a two-step solid-state reaction was characterised by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Preliminary electrochemical tests and ex situ Raman microscopy showed the need for elevated temperatures to achieve activation. For the first time, in situ Raman microscopy (at 50 °C) confirmed the activation of Li 2 MnO 3 . The main signal at 615 cm −1 shifted to higher wavenumbers upon charging. After reaching 4.4 V vs. Li + /Li, this shift grew significantly, which is in good agreement with the onset of the potential plateau in both Li 2 MnO 3 and xLi 2 MnO 3 ·(1 − x)LiMO 2 , and is assigned to the partial formation of a spinel-like phase

An electrochemical method for on-line monitoring of biofilm activity in cooling water using the BIoGEORGE trademark probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Licina, G.J.; Nekoksa, G.; Howard, R.L.

1994-01-01

The presence of active microorganisms on piping and components in cooling water systems can have a profound effect on the corrosion performance of such systems. Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) can result in premature failures of critical and support systems, increased downtime of equipment for repairs and maintenance, and increased operating costs associated with mitigation measures. In some cases, MIC has forced premature replacement of tanks, heat exchangers, and piping systems with a severe effect on plant availability. Monitoring methods that alert plant operators that biofilm formation is occurring on pipe work and components permit the operators to initiate mitigation actions before biofouling becomes severe or MIC has occurred. An electrochemical probe to permit on-line monitoring of biofilm activity under power plant or other industrial exposure conditions is under development. This device, the BIoGEORGE trademark electrochemical biofilm monitor, permits on-line evaluations of the effects of biofilm formation upon the surfaces of passive alloys such as stainless steels exposed to cooling water environments. Benchtop experiments have shown that biofilm formation on stainless steel surfaces can be detected by an electrochemical indication well in advance of any visual evidence of biofilm or corrosion on the electrodes. The design of the probe, results of benchtop experiments, and a description of its installation at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant are described

Electrochemical properties of copper-based compounds with polyanion frameworks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mizuno, Yoshifumi; Hata, Shoma; Suzuki, Kota; Hirayama, Masaaki; Kanno, Ryoji, E-mail: kanno@echem.titech.ac.jp

2016-03-15

The copper-based polyanion compounds Li{sub 6}CuB{sub 4}O{sub 10} and Li{sub 2}CuP{sub 2}O{sub 7} were synthesized using a conventional solid-state reaction, and their electrochemical properties were determined. Li{sub 6}CuB{sub 4}O{sub 10} showed reversible capacity of 340 mA g{sup −1} at the first discharge–charge process, while Li{sub 2}CuP{sub 2}O{sub 7} showed large irreversible capacity and thus low charge capacity. Ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurements revealed that the electrochemical Li{sup +} intercalation/deintercalation reaction in Li{sub 6}CuB{sub 4}O{sub 10} occurred via reversible Cu{sup 2+}/Cu{sup +} reduction/oxidation reaction. These differences in their discharge/charge mechanisms are discussed based on the strength of the Cu–O covalency via their inductive effects. - Graphical abstract: Electrochemical properties for Cu-based polyanion compounds were investigated. The electrochemical reaction mechanisms are strongly affected by their Cu–O covalentcy. - Highlights: • Electrochemical properties of Cu-based polyanion compounds were investigated. • The Li{sup +} intercalation/deintercalation reaction progressed in Li{sub 6}CuB{sub 4}O{sub 10}. • The electrochemical displacement reaction progressed in Li{sub 2}CuP{sub 2}O{sub 7}. • The strength of Cu–O covalency affects the reaction mechanism.

Nickel-cobalt hydroxide nanosheets: Synthesis, morphology and electrochemical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneiderová, Barbora; Demel, Jan; Zhigunov, Alexander; Bohuslav, Jan; Tarábková, Hana; Janda, Pavel; Lang, Kamil

2017-08-01

This paper reports the synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical performance of nickel-cobalt hydroxide nanosheets. The hydroxide nanosheets of approximately 0.7nm thickness were prepared by delamination of layered nickel-cobalt hydroxide lactate in water and formed transparent colloids that were stable for months. The nanosheets were deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite by spin coating, and their electrochemical behavior was investigated by cyclic voltammetry in potassium hydroxide electrolyte. Our method of electrode preparation allows for studying the electrochemistry of nanosheets where the majority of the active centers can participate in the charge transfer reaction. The observed electrochemical response was ascribed to mutual compensation of the cobalt and nickel response via electron sharing between these metals in the hydroxide nanosheets, a process that differentiates the behavior of nickel-cobalt hydroxide nanosheets from single nickel hydroxide or cobalt hydroxide nanosheets or their physical mixture. The presence of cobalt in the nickel-cobalt hydroxide nanosheets apparently decreases the time of electrochemical activation of the nanosheet layer, which for the nickel hydroxide nanosheets alone requires more potential sweeps. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical behavior of fission palladium in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jayakumar, M.; Venkatesan, K.A.; Srinivasan, T.G. [Fuel Chemistry Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102 (India)

2007-08-01

Electrochemical behavior of palladium (II) chloride in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride has been investigated by various electrochemical transient techniques using glassy carbon working electrode at different temperatures (343-373 K). Cyclic voltammogram consisted of a prominent reduction wave at -0.61 V (vs. Pd) due to the reduction of Pd(II) to Pd, and two oxidation waves at -0.26 and 0.31 V. A nucleation loop is observed at -0.53 V. The diffusion coefficient of palladium (II) in bmimCl ({proportional_to}10{sup -7} cm{sup 2}/s) was determined and the energy of activation (63 kJ/mol) was deduced from the cyclic voltammograms at various temperatures. Nucleation and growth of palladium on glassy carbon working electrode has been investigated by chronoamperometry and chronopotentiometry. The growth and decay of chronocurrents measured for palladium deposition has been found to follow the instantaneous nucleation model with three-dimensional growth of nuclei. The surface morphology of the deposit obtained at various applied potentials revealed the formation of dendrites immediately after nucleation and spread in all the directions with time. (author)

Electrochemical Characterization of O2 Plasma Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Electrode for Legionella pneumophila DNA Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Eun Jin; Lee, Jun-Yong; Hyup Kim, Jun; Kug Kim, Sun; Lee, Cheol Jin; Min, Nam Ki

2010-08-01

An electrochemical DNA sensor for Legionella pneumophila detection was constructed using O2 plasma functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) film as a working electrode (WE). The cyclic voltammetry (CV) results revealed that the electrocatalytic activity of plasma functionalized MWCNT (pf-MWCNT) significantly changed depending on O2 plasma treatment time due to some oxygen containing functional groups on the pf-MWCNT surface. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra were also presented the changes of their surface morphologies and oxygen composition before and after plasma treatment. From a comparison study, it was found that the pf-MWCNT WEs had higher electrocatalytic activity and more capability of probe DNA immobilization: therefore, electrochemical signal changes by probe DNA immobilization and hybridization on pf-MWCNT WEs were larger than on Au WEs. The pf-MWCNT based DNA sensor was able to detect a concentration range of 10 pM-100 nM of target DNA to detect L. pneumophila.

Neutron activation analysis of uranium by means of electrochemical etching of tracks in lawsan detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim Son Chun; Chuburkov, Yu.T.; Zvara, I.I.

1982-01-01

The method of neutron activation analysis of uranium in natural and artificial materials using track lavsan detectors of fission fragments has been developed. The method of electrochemical etching (etching reagent NaOH) of fragment tracks in lavsan is improved. Using statistical method of experiment planning the equation, describing the dependence of diometer value of fission fragment tracks on parameters of etching process, is obtained. The analysis sensitivity is 10 - 7 g/g - 10 - 8 g/g

Combined electrochemical degradation and activated carbon adsorption treatments for wastewater containing mixed phenolic compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rajkumar, D.; Palanivelu, K.; Balasubramanian, N. [Anna University, Madras (India). Center for Environmental Studies

2005-01-01

Electrochemical degradation of mixed phenolic compounds present in coal conversion wastewater was investigated in the presence of chloride as supporting electrolyte. Initially, the degradation experiments were conducted separately with 300 mg/L of individual phenolic compound in the presence of 2500 mg/L chloride using Ti/TiO{sub 2}-RuO{sub 2}-IrO{sub 2} anode at 5.4 A/dm{sup 2} current density. Comparison of the experimental results of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal versus charge indicated that the order of decreasing COD removal for various phenolic compounds as catechol {gt} resorcinol {gt} m-cresol {gt} o-cresol {gt} phenol {gt} p-cresol. Degradation of the mixture of phenolic compounds and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) determinations at various stages of electrolysis showed that phenolic compounds were initially converted into benzoquinone and then to lower molecular weight aliphatic compounds. The COD and the total organic carbon (TOC) removal were 83 and 58.9% after passing 32 Ah/L with energy consumption of 191.6 kWh/kg of COD removal. Experiments were also conducted to remove adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) content in the treated solution using granular activated carbon. The optimum conditions for the removal of AOX was at pH 3.0, 5 mL/min flow rate and 31.2 cm bed height. Based on the investigation, a general scheme of treatment of mixed phenolic compounds by combined electrochemical and activated carbon adsorption treatment is proposed.

Electrochemical energy generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kreysa, G.; Juettner, K.

1993-01-01

The proceedings encompass 40 conference papers belonging to the following subject areas: Baseline and review papers; electrochemical fuel cells; batteries: Primary and secondary cells; electrochemical, regenerative systems for energy conversion; electrochemical hydrogen generation; electrochemistry for nuclear power plant; electrochemistry for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing; energy efficiency in electrochemical processes. There is an annex listing the authors and titles of the poster session, and compacts of the posters can be obtained from the office of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, Abteilung Tagungen. (MM) [de

Electrochemical sensing of glucose by reduced graphene oxide-zinc ferrospinels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shahnavaz, Zohreh, E-mail: zohreh.shahnavaz@siswa.um.edu.my [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Woi, Pei Meng, E-mail: pmwoi@um.edu.my [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Center of Ionic Liquids, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Alias, Yatimah, E-mail: yatimah70@um.edu.my [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Center of Ionic Liquids, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2016-08-30

Highlights: • A facile in situ hydrothermal method for ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanoparticles incorporation into graphene oxide sheets. • Excellent selectivity, reproducibility and stability properties compared to others Zn-based glucose sensor. • Amount of reduced graphene oxide directly affected the electro-catalytic activity of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/rGO nanocomposite towards glucose detection. - Abstract: We have developed ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} magnetic nanoparticles/reduced graphene oxide nanosheets modified glassy carbon (ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/rGO/GCE) electrode as a novel system for the electrochemical glucose sensing. Via a facile in situ hydrothermal route, the reduction of GO and the formation of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanoparticles occurred simultaneously. This enables the ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanoparticles dispersed on the reduced graphene sheet. Characterization of nanocomposite by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) clearly demonstrate the successful attachment of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanoparticles to graphene sheets. Electrochemical studies revealed that the ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/rGO/GCE possess excellent electrocatalytic activities toward the oxidation of glucose and the performance of sensor is enhanced by integration of graphene nanosheets with ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanoparticles.

Electrochemical DNA biosensor based on grafting-to mode of terminal deoxynucleoside transferase-mediated extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jinyuan; Liu, Zhoujie; Peng, Huaping; Zheng, Yanjie; Lin, Zhen; Liu, Ailin; Chen, Wei; Lin, Xinhua

2017-12-15

Previously reported electrochemical DNA biosensors based on in-situ polymerization approach reveal that terminal deoxynucleoside transferase (TdTase) has good amplifying performance and promising application in the design of electrochemical DNA biosensor. However, this method, in which the background is significantly affected by the amount of TdTase, suffers from being easy to produce false positive result and poor stability. Herein, we firstly present a novel electrochemical DNA biosensor based on grafting-to mode of TdTase-mediated extension, in which DNA targets are polymerized in homogeneous solution and then hybridized with DNA probes on BSA-based DNA carrier platform. It is surprising to find that the background in the grafting-to mode of TdTase-based electrochemical DNA biosensor have little interference from the employed TdTase. Most importantly, the proposed electrochemical DNA biosensor shows greatly improved detection performance over the in-situ polymerization approach-based electrochemical DNA biosensor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A facile electrochemical intercalation and microwave assisted exfoliation methodology applied to screen-printed electrochemical-based sensing platforms to impart improved electroanalytical outputs.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierini, Gastón D; Foster, Christopher W; Rowley-Neale, Samuel J; Fernández, Héctor; Banks, Craig E

2018-06-12

Screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) are ubiquitous with the field of electrochemistry allowing researchers to translate sensors from the laboratory to the field. In this paper, we report an electrochemically driven intercalation process where an electrochemical reaction uses an electrolyte as a conductive medium as well as the intercalation source, which is followed by exfoliation and heating/drying via microwave irradiation, and applied to the working electrode of screen-printed electrodes/sensors (termed EDI-SPEs) for the first time. This novel methodology results in an increase of up to 85% of the sensor area (electrochemically active surface area, as evaluated using an outer-sphere redox probe). Upon further investigation, it is found that an increase in the electroactive area of the EDI-screen-printed based electrochemical sensing platforms is critically dependent upon the analyte and its associated electrochemical mechanism (i.e. adsorption vs. diffusion). Proof-of-concept for the electrochemical sensing of capsaicin, a measure of the hotness of chillies and chilli sauce, within both model aqueous solutions and a real sample (Tabasco sauce) is demonstrated in which the electroanalytical sensitivity (a plot of signal vs. concentration) is doubled when utilising EDI-SPEs over that of SPEs.

Development and testing of an electrochemical separation process for cutting activated steel components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stang, W.; Fischer, A.; Pott, P.

1991-01-01

Electrochemical decontamination has a great importance for the decommissioning works at KRB A. By this method the metal surface is slightly removed due to a galvanic process in an electrolytic solution. Using the same principle it is also possible to remove material locally (ECM-technique). Many advantages of this method indicated that it could be used for cutting activated steel during decommissioning of nuclear power plants. In the frame of this research contract, experiments with non-active material from a reactor pressure vessel were investigated. The essential results demonstrated - which procedures and cathodes are suitable for high cutting velocities - and which amount of sludge (waste) will be produced in the electrolyte. The research programme has been carried out in cooperation with AEG-Elotherm, Remscheid. The test facility, the execution as well as the evaluation of the experiments were made by AEG-Elotherm

Correlations between electrochemical activity and heterogeneous catalysis for hydrogen dissociation on platinum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, P N; Stonehart, P [Pratt and Whitney Aircraft, Middletown, Conn. (USA)

1975-02-01

Hydrogen-deuterium exchange rates on platinum surfaces have been compared to equivalent hydrogen molecule and adsorbed hydrogen atom electrochemical oxidation rates on the same surfaces. Over a temperature range of 293 to 360/sup 0/K the first order rate constants for H/sub 2/-D/sub 2/ exchange and hydrogen molecule electrochemical oxidation are the same, showing that the absorption-dissociation reaction (TAFEL, BONHOEFFER-FARKAS) is rate controlling. The rate of oxidation of the adsorbed hydrogen atom reaction involving electron transfer (VOLMER) is an order of magnitude larger.

Single-Nanoflake Photo-Electrochemistry Reveals Champion and Spectator Flakes in Exfoliated MoSe2 Films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Link, Elisa M [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Nanayakkara, Sanjini U [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Todt, Michael A. [Colorado State University; Isenberg, Allan E. [Colorado State University; Sambur, Justin B. [Colorado State University

2018-03-06

Semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanoflake thin films are promising large-area electrodes for photo-electrochemical solar energy conversion applications. However, their energy conversion efficiencies are typically much lower than those of bulk electrodes. It is unclear to what extent this efficiency gap stems from differences among nanoflakes (e.g., area, thickness, and surface structural features). It is also unclear whether individual exfoliated nanoflakes can achieve energy conversion efficiencies similar to those of bulk crystals. Here, we use a single-nanoflake photo-electrochemical approach to show that there are both highly active and completely inactive nanoflakes within a film. For the exfoliated MoSe2 samples studied herein, 7% of nanoflakes are highly active champions, whose photocurrent efficiency exceeds that of the bulk crystal. However, 66% of nanoflakes are inactive spectators, which are mostly responsible for the overall lower photocurrent efficiency compared to the bulk crystal. The photocurrent collection efficiency increases with nanoflake area and decreases more at perimeter edges than at interior step edges. These observations, which are hidden in ensemble-level measurements, reveal the underlying performance issues of exfoliated TMD electrodes for photo-electrochemical energy conversion applications.

EDTA assisted synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles for electrochemical sensing of uric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanchana, P.; Sekar, C.

2014-01-01

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles have been synthesized using EDTA as organic modifier by a simple microwave irradiation method and its application for the selective determination of uric acid (UA) has been demonstrated. Electrochemical behavior of uric acid at HA nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode (E-HA/GCE) has been investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and amperometry. The E-HA modified electrode exhibits efficient electrochemical activity towards uric acid sensing without requiring enzyme or electron mediator. Amperometry studies revealed that the fabricated electrode has excellent sensitivity for uric acid with the lowest detection limit of 142 nM over a wide concentration range from 1 × 10 −7 to 3 × 10 −5 M. Moreover, the studied E-HA modified GC electrode exhibits a good reproducibility and long-term stability and an admirable selectivity towards the determination of UA even in the presence of potential interferents. The analytical performance of this sensor was evaluated for the detection of uric acid in human urine and blood serum samples. - Highlights: • EDTA- hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles have been synthesized by microwave irradiation method. • A novel amperometric Uric Acid biosensor has been fabricated using E-HA/GCE. • The fabricated sensor exhibits a wide linear range, good stability and high reproducibility. • The sensor was applied for the detection of UA in human blood serum and urine

Electrochemical treatment of liquid wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hobbs, D.

1996-01-01

Electrochemical treatment processes are being evaluated and developed for the destruction of organic compounds and nitrates/nitrites and the removal of other hazardous species from liquid wastes stored throughout the DOE complex. This activity consists of five major tasks: (1) evaluation of different electrochemical reactors for the destruction and removal of hazardous waste components, (2) development and validation of engineering process models, (3) radioactive laboratory-scale tests, (4) demonstration of the technology in an engineering-scale size reactor, and (5) analysis and evaluation of testing data. The development program team is comprised of individuals from federal, academic, and private industry. Work is being carried out in DOE, academic, and private industrial laboratories

Electrochemical co-reduction synthesis of graphene/nano-gold composites and its application to electrochemical glucose biosensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiaolin; Zhang, Xiaoli

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Graphene/nano-Au composite was synthesized by electrochemical co-reduction method in one step. • Glucose oxidase achieves direct electrochemistry on the graphene/nano-Au composite film. • The glucose biosensor shows a high sensitivity of 56.93 μA mM −1 cm −2 toward glucose. • Glucose was detected with a wide linear range and low detection limit. - Abstract: A simple, green and controllable approach was employed for electrochemical synthesize of the graphene/nano-Au composites. The process was that graphene oxide and HAuCl 4 was electrochemically co-reduced onto the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by cyclic voltammetry in one step. The obtained graphene/nano-Au/GCE exhibited high electrocatalytic activity toward H 2 O 2 , which resulted in a remarkable decrease in the overpotential of H 2 O 2 electrochemical oxidation compared with bare GCE. Such electrocatalytic behavior of the graphene/nano-Au/GCE permitted effective low-potential amperometric biosensing of glucose via the incorporation of glucose oxidase (GOD) with graphene/nano-Au. An obvious advantage of this enzyme electrode (graphene/nano-Au/GOD/GCE) was that the graphene/nano-Au nanocomposites provided a favorable microenvironment for GOD and facilitated the electron transfer between the active center of GOD and electrode. The immobilized GOD showed a direct, reversible redox reaction. Furthermore, the graphene/nano-Au/GOD/GCE was used as a glucose biosensor, displaying a low detection limit of 17 μM (S/N = 3), a high sensitivity of 56.93 μA mM −1 cm −2 , acceptable reproducibility, very good stability, selectivity and anti-interference ability

Electrochemical synthesis of mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys with tunable compositions for enhancement of electrochemical performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamauchi, Yusuke; Tonegawa, Akihisa; Komatsu, Masaki; Wang, Hongjing; Wang, Liang; Nemoto, Yoshihiro; Suzuki, Norihiro; Kuroda, Kazuyuki

2012-03-21

Mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys were electrochemically synthesized from lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) containing corresponding metal species. Two-dimensional exagonally ordered LLC templates were prepared on conductive substrates from diluted surfactant solutions including water, a nonionic surfactant, ethanol, and metal species by drop-coating. Electrochemical synthesis using such LLC templates enabled the preparation of ordered mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys without phase segregation. The framework composition in the mesoporous Pt-Au alloy was controlled simply by changing the compositional ratios in the precursor solution. Mesoporous Pt-Au alloys with low Au content exhibited well-ordered 2D hexagonal mesostructures, reflecting those of the original templates. With increasing Au content, however, the mesostructural order gradually decreased, thereby reducing the electrochemically active surface area. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction profiles, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and elemental mapping showed that both Pt and Au were atomically distributed in the frameworks. The electrochemical stability of mesoporous Pt-Au alloys toward methanol oxidation was highly improved relative to that of nonporous Pt and mesoporous Pt films, suggesting that mesoporous Pt-Au alloy films are potentially applicable as electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells. Also, mesoporous Pt-Au alloy electrodes showed a highly sensitive amperometric response for glucose molecules, which will be useful in next-generation enzyme-free glucose sensors.

On-line electrochemical monitoring of microbially influenced corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowling, N.J.E.; Stansbury, E.E.; White, D.C.; Borenstein, S.W.; Danko, J.C.

1989-01-01

Newly emerging electrochemical measurement techniques can provide on-line, non-destructive monitoring of the average corrosion rate and indications of localized pitting corrosion together with insight into fundamental electrochemical mechanisms responsible for the corrosion process. This information is relevant to evaluating, monitoring, understanding and controlling microbially influenced corrosion (MIC). MIC of coupons exposed in sidestream devices on site or in laboratory-based experiments, where the corrosion response is accelerated by exposure to active consortia of microbes recovered from specific sites, can be utilized to evaluate mitigation strategies. The average corrosion rates can be determined by small amplitude cyclic voltametry (SACV), and AC impedance spectroscopy (EIS). EIS can also give insight into the mechanisms of the MIC and indications of localized corrosion. Pitting corrosion can be detected non-destructively with open circuit potential monitoring (OCP). OCP also responds to bacterial biofilm activities such as oxygen depletion and other electrochemical activities. Utilizing these methods, accelerated tests can be designed to direct the selection of materials, surface treatments of materials, and welding filler materials, as well as the optimization of chemical and mechanical countermeasures with the microbial consortia recovered and characterized from the specific sites of interest

Strategies in electro-chemical machining of tungsten for divertor application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krauss, W.; Holstein, N.; Konys, J.

2007-01-01

For future application in a fusion power system a modular structured He cooled divertor concept is investigated under the framework of EFDA which is based on the use of pure W or W alloys for the thermally highly loaded parts. Due to the underlying physico-chemical principles electro-chemical machining (ECM) is the only shaping process which will not introduce microstructural defects, e.g. microcracks into work pieces as known by example from electro-discharge machining (EDM). However, ECM processes have no industrial application in W machining up to yet due to passivation effects using standard electrolytes known from steel working. Therefore, a systematical electrochemical development program was launched, and the electrochemical behavior of W was examined and passivation effects could be eliminated, successfully. The electrochemical shaping processes can be divided into two main categories. The first one is M-ECM, which represents the lithographic route based on structured anode masks, and the other is C-ECM, working with a negatively structured cathode as tool which is copied by electro-chemical dissolution. Both ECM branches are discussed on base of first machined structured parts, showing their process depending advantages and potential enhancements are revealed by applying pulsed currents instead of DC dissolution technique

A Graphene-Based Electrochemical Sensor for Rapid Determination of Phenols in Water

OpenAIRE

Chen, Kun; Zhang, Zai-Li; Liang, Yong-Mei; Liu, Wei

2013-01-01

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) coated with a graphene/polymer film was fabricated for rapid determination of phenols in aqueous solutions. The electrochemical behavior of different phenols at the graphene/polymer-coated GCE was also investigated. In PBS buffer solution with a pH of 6.5, hydroquinone exhibits a well-defined reduction peak at the modified GCE. Based on this, an electrochemical method for the direct determination of phenols is proposed. Investigating different parameters reveal...

Electrochemical Sensing, Photocatalytic and Biological Activities of ZnO Nanoparticles: Synthesis via Green Chemistry Route

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, L. S. Reddy; Archana, B.; Lingaraju, K.; Kavitha, C.; Suresh, D.; Nagabhushana, H.; Nagaraju, G.

2016-05-01

In this paper, we have successfully synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (Nps) via solution combustion method using sugarcane juice as the novel fuel. The structure and morphology of the synthesized ZnO Nps have been analyzed using various analytical tools. The synthesized ZnO Nps exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye, indicating that the ZnO Nps are potential photocatalytic semiconductor materials. The synthesized ZnO Nps also show good electrochemical sensing of dopamine. ZnO Nps exhibit significant bactericidal activity against Klebsiella aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Eschesichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using agar well diffusion method. Furthermore, the ZnO Nps show good antioxidant activity by potentially scavenging 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The above studies clearly demonstrate versatile applications of ZnO synthesized by simple eco-friendly route.

Biomass derived porous nitrogen doped carbon for electrochemical devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Litao Yan

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Biomass derived porous nanostructured nitrogen doped carbon (PNC has been extensively investigated as the electrode material for electrochemical catalytic reactions and rechargeable batteries. Biomass with and without containing nitrogen could be designed and optimized to prepare PNC via hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis, and other methods. The presence of nitrogen in carbon can provide more active sites for ion absorption, improve the electronic conductivity, increase the bonding between carbon and sulfur, and enhance the electrochemical catalytic reaction. The synthetic methods of natural biomass derived PNC, heteroatomic co- or tri-doping into biomass derived carbon and the application of biomass derived PNC in rechargeable Li/Na batteries, high energy density Li–S batteries, supercapacitors, metal-air batteries and electrochemical catalytic reaction (oxygen reduction and evolution reactions, hydrogen evolution reaction are summarized and discussed in this review. Biomass derived PNCs deliver high performance electrochemical storage properties for rechargeable batteries/supercapacitors and superior electrochemical catalytic performance toward hydrogen evolution, oxygen reduction and evolution, as promising electrodes for electrochemical devices including battery technologies, fuel cell and electrolyzer. Keywords: Biomass, Nitrogen doped carbon, Batteries, Fuel cell, Electrolyzer

Surface modification and electrochemical properties of activated carbons for supercapacitor electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Dan; Qiu, Wenmei; Xu, Jingcai; Han, Yanbing; Jin, Hongxiao; Jin, Dingfeng; Peng, Xiaoling; Hong, Bo; Li, Ji; Ge, Hongliang; Wang, Xinqing

2015-12-01

Modifications with different acids (HNO3, H2SO4, HCl and HF, respectively) were introduced to treat the activated carbons (ACs) surface. The microstructures and surface chemical properties were discussed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), ASAP, Raman spectra and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. The ACs electrode-based supercapacitors were assembled with 6 mol ṡ L-1 KOH electrolyte. The electrochemical properties were studied by galvanostatic charge-discharge and cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that although the BET surface area of modified ACs decreased, the functional groups were introduced and the ash contents were reduced on the surface of ACs, receiving larger specific capacitance to initial AC. The specific capacitance of ACs modified with HCl, H2SO4, HF and HNO3 increased by 31.4%, 23%, 21% and 11.6%, respectively.

Simulation of electrochemical behavior in Lithium ion battery during discharge process.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yong; Huo, Weiwei; Lin, Muyi; Zhao, Li

2018-01-01

An electrochemical Lithium ion battery model was built taking into account the electrochemical reactions. The polarization was divided into parts which were related to the solid phase and the electrolyte mass transport of species, and the electrochemical reactions. The influence factors on battery polarization were studied, including the active material particle radius and the electrolyte salt concentration. The results showed that diffusion polarization exist in the positive and negative electrodes, and diffusion polarization increase with the conducting of the discharge process. The physicochemical parameters of the Lithium ion battery had the huge effect on cell voltage via polarization. The simulation data show that the polarization voltage has close relationship with active material particle size, discharging rate and ambient temperature.

Electrochemical behavior and stability of a commercial activated carbon in various organic electrolyte combinations containing Li-salts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Tong; Fuchs, Bettina; Secchiaroli, Marco; Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, Margret; Dsoke, Sonia

2016-01-01

Highlights: • 1 M LiPF 6 in PC displays the widest electrochemical stability window among others couples electrolyte/activated carbon. • Electrolytes based on EC-DMC show lower impedance than electrolytes containing PC. • 1 M LiPF 6 in PC has the highest cycling stability with 75% of capacitance retention after 20 000 cycles. - Abstract: The fast development of Li-ion capacitor (LIC) technologies requires the use of low resistance and stable electrolytes. An electrolyte for a LIC not only has to provide Li for the intercalation/deintercalation of the battery-type materials, but it also needs to be compatible with the supercapacitor material. Before designing a hybrid Li-ion capacitor device containing Li-insertion and double layer-type materials, it is necessary to understand and separate the contribution of each electrode material to the resistance, capacity and stability in the chosen electrolyte. Due to the intensive research on Li-ion batteries, the interactions of Li-salt containing electrolytes combined with Li insertion materials have been extensively investigated, and a lot of literature is available on this field. In contrast, there is only little knowledge about the exclusive interaction and compatibility of Li containing electrolytes with supercapacitor-type electrode materials (in absence of battery materials). With this purpose, this paper explores the electrochemical performance of electrodes based on commercial activated carbon (AC) in various lithium salt-containing electrolytes. A standard electrolyte for Li-ion batteries (1 M LiPF 6 in EC:DMC, 1:1) is evaluated and compared with an electrolyte prepared with the same salt dissolved in propylene carbonate (1 M LiPF 6 in PC) which is a solvent typically used in commercial supercapacitors. Furthermore, two new electrolyte solutions are proposed, based on a blend of salts 0.8 M LiPF 6 + 0.2 M NEt 4 BF 4 in EC:DMC (1:1) as well as in pure PC. The effect of the electrolyte composition is evaluated

Kelvin probe force microscopy in liquid using electrochemical force microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liam Collins

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Conventional closed loop-Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM has emerged as a powerful technique for probing electric and transport phenomena at the solid–gas interface. The extension of KPFM capabilities to probe electrostatic and electrochemical phenomena at the solid–liquid interface is of interest for a broad range of applications from energy storage to biological systems. However, the operation of KPFM implicitly relies on the presence of a linear lossless dielectric in the probe–sample gap, a condition which is violated for ionically-active liquids (e.g., when diffuse charge dynamics are present. Here, electrostatic and electrochemical measurements are demonstrated in ionically-active (polar isopropanol, milli-Q water and aqueous NaCl and ionically-inactive (non-polar decane liquids by electrochemical force microscopy (EcFM, a multidimensional (i.e., bias- and time-resolved spectroscopy method. In the absence of mobile charges (ambient and non-polar liquids, KPFM and EcFM are both feasible, yielding comparable contact potential difference (CPD values. In ionically-active liquids, KPFM is not possible and EcFM can be used to measure the dynamic CPD and a rich spectrum of information pertaining to charge screening, ion diffusion, and electrochemical processes (e.g., Faradaic reactions. EcFM measurements conducted in isopropanol and milli-Q water over Au and highly ordered pyrolytic graphite electrodes demonstrate both sample- and solvent-dependent features. Finally, the feasibility of using EcFM as a local force-based mapping technique of material-dependent electrostatic and electrochemical response is investigated. The resultant high dimensional dataset is visualized using a purely statistical approach that does not require a priori physical models, allowing for qualitative mapping of electrostatic and electrochemical material properties at the solid–liquid interface.

Local Fine Structural Insight into Mechanism of Electrochemical Passivation of Titanium.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lu; Yu, Hongying; Wang, Ke; Xu, Haisong; Wang, Shaoyang; Sun, Dongbai

2016-07-20

Electrochemically formed passive film on titanium in 1.0 M H2SO4 solution and its thickness, composition, chemical state, and local fine structure are examined by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption fine structure. AES analysis reveals that the thickness and composition of oxide film are proportional to the reciprocal of current density in potentiodynamic polarization. XPS depth profiles of the chemical states of titanium exhibit the coexistence of various valences cations in the surface. Quantitative X-ray absorption near edge structure analysis of the local electronic structure of the topmost surface (∼5.0 nm) shows that the ratio of [TiO2]/[Ti2O3] is consistent with that of passivation/dissolution of electrochemical activity. Theoretical calculation and analysis of extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra at Ti K-edge indicate that both the structures of passivation and dissolution are distorted caused by the appearance of two different sites of Ti-O and Ti-Ti. And the bound water in the topmost surface plays a vital role in structural disorder confirmed by XPS. Overall, the increase of average Ti-O coordination causes the electrochemical passivation, and the dissolution is due to the decrease of average Ti-Ti coordination. The structural variations of passivation in coordination number and interatomic distance are in good agreement with the prediction of point defect model.

Influence of electrochemical pre-treatment on highly reactive carbon nitride thin films deposited on stainless steel for electrochemical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benchikh, A.; Debiemme-Chouvy, C.; Cachet, H.; Pailleret, A.; Saidani, B.; Beaunier, L.; Berger, M.H.

2012-01-01

In this work, a-CNx films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering on stainless steel substrate have been investigated as electrode materials. While their wide potential window was confirmed as a property shared by boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes, their electrochemical activity with respect to fast and reversible redox systems, [Ru(NH 3 ) 6 ] 3+/2+ , [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3−/4− and [IrCl 6 ] 2−/3− , was assessed by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) after cathodic or anodic electrochemical pre-treatments or for as grown samples. It was shown for the three systems that electrochemical reactivity of the a-CNx films was improved after the cathodic pre-treatment and degraded after the anodic one, the apparent heterogeneous rate constant k 0app being decreased by at least one order of magnitude for the latter case. A high k 0app value of 0.11 cm s −1 for [IrCl 6 ] 2−/3− was obtained, close to the highest values found for BDD electrodes.

Spinels as cathodes for the electrochemical reduction of O2 and NO

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simonsen, Vibe Louise Ernlund; Find, D.; Lilliedal, M.

2007-01-01

the largest difference in activity between reduction of oxygen and the reduction of nitric oxide, the activity being highest for the reduction of nitric oxide. The material is probably not stable when polarised cathodically. However it seems that the electrode material can be regenerated upon oxidation. NiFe2......Spinels were synthesised and investigated as electro-catalyst for the electrochemical reduction of oxygen and nitric oxide using cyclic voltammetry and cone shaped electrodes. The following four spinels were investigated; CoFe2O4, NiFe2O4, CuFe2O4 and Co3O4. The composition CuFe2O4 revealed......O4 is also more active for the reduction of nitric oxide than for the reduction of oxygen, whereas the cobalt containing spinels have a higher activity for the reduction of oxygen than for the reduction of nitric oxide....

Electrochemical energy storage devices comprising self-compensating polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Paul; Bautista-Martinez, Jose Antonio; Friesen, Cody; Switzer, Elise

2018-01-30

The disclosed technology relates generally to devices comprising conductive polymers and more particularly to electrochemical devices comprising self-compensating conductive polymers. In one aspect, electrochemical energy storage device comprises a negative electrode comprising an active material including a redox-active polymer. The device additionally comprises a positive electrode comprising an active material including a redox-active polymer. The device further comprises an electrolyte material interposed between the negative electrode and positive electrode and configured to conduct mobile counterions therethrough between the negative electrode and positive electrode. At least one of the negative electrode redox-active polymer and the positive electrode redox-active polymer comprises a zwitterionic polymer unit configured to reversibly switch between a zwitterionic state in which the zwitterionic polymer unit has first and second charge centers having opposite charge states that compensate each other, and a non-zwitterionic state in which the zwitterionic polymer unit has one of the first and second charge centers whose charge state is compensated by mobile counterions.

Electrochemical evaluation of sulfur poisoning in a methane-fuelled solid oxide fuel cell: Effect of current density and sulfur concentration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hagen, Anke; Johnson, Gregory B.; Hjalmarsson, Per

2014-01-01

, the effect of sulfur was less pronounced on mass transfer/fuel reforming processes but quite significant on the charge transfer/TPB processes. Overall, sulfur related performance loss was more severe at the highest current density (1 A cm−2), due to the deactivation of catalytic fuel reforming reactions......A Ni/ScYSZ based SOFC was tested at 1, 0.5, 0.25, and 0 (OCV) A cm−2 in methane fuel containing 0–100 ppm H2S. Analysis of cell voltage loss during short-term H2S poisoning showed that SOFC performance loss was generally larger at higher current loads. Separating the effect of H2S on catalytic...... reforming and electrochemical activity by evaluating the relevant area specific resistances and charge transfer processes based on impedance spectroscopy revealed that the poisoning of electrochemical activity was not dependent on current density. Two major anode processes were significantly affected...

One-Step Hydrothermal-Electrochemical Route to Carbon-Stabilized Anatase Powders

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Ying; Yi, Danqing; Zhu, Baojun

2013-04-01

Black carbon-stabilized anatase particles were prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal-electrochemical method using glucose and titanium citrate as the carbon and titanium source, respectively. Morphological, chemical, structural, and electrochemical characterizations of these powders were carried out by Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. It was revealed that 200-nm carbon/anatase TiO2 was homogeneously dispersed, and the powders exhibited excellent cyclic performance at high current rates of 0.05 V/s. The powders are interesting potential materials that could be used as anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

Electrochemical performance of potentiodynamically deposited polyaniline electrodes in ionic liquid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patil, Dipali S., E-mail: dipali.patilphy@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Yeungnam University, Gyeonbuk 712-749 (Korea, Republic of); Thin Film Materials Laboratory, Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004 (India); Pawar, S.A. [Thin Film Materials Laboratory, Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004 (India); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500 757 (Korea, Republic of); Patil, S.K.; Salavi, P.P.; Kolekar, S.S. [Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004 (India); Devan, R.S.; Ma, Y.R. [Department of Physics, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan (China); Kim, J.H. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500 757 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, J.C. [Department of Physics, Yeungnam University, Gyeonbuk 712-749 (Korea, Republic of); Patil, P.S., E-mail: patilps_2000@yahoo.com [Thin Film Materials Laboratory, Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004 (India)

2015-10-15

Present work reports electropolymerization of aniline onto stainless steel substrate using room temperature ionic liquid N-methyl-2-pyrrolidonium hydrogensulfate [NMP][HSO{sub 4}] by potentiodynamic electrodeposition method. To study the effect of electropolymerization cycle number on the electrochemical performance, the number of scans is varied from 1{sup st} to 5{sup th} cycle. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used for the phase identification of polyaniline (PANI) films. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used to study the electrochemical activity of PANI films. The highest specific capacitance of 581 Fg{sup −1} and energy density of 96.6 whkg{sup −1} are obtained for the sample, deposited using four cycle. - Graphical abstract: We have synthesized PANI samples with different thickness (or deposited mass) on stainless steel as a function of deposition cycles by potentiodynamic electrodeposition in room temperature IL [NMP][HSO{sub 4}]. A globular nanostructural growth of PANI is observed over the compact background of PANI for sample P{sub 2}. The sample P{sub 4} revealed a globular structure with spongy porous morphology. This nanostructure and porous structure is useful for supercapacitor, because it reduces the diffusion resistance of the electrolyte into electrode matrix. - Highlights: • Electropolymerization of aniline using room temperature ionic liquid N-methyl-2-pyrrolidonium hydrogensulfate [NMP][HSO4]. • The highest specific capacitance of 581 Fg{sup −1} and energy density of 96.60 Whkg{sup −1} is observed for the optimized sample. • The improved specific capacitance of PANI electrode material can be used to develop high performance supercapacitor.

Electrochemical performance of potentiodynamically deposited polyaniline electrodes in ionic liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patil, Dipali S.; Pawar, S.A.; Patil, S.K.; Salavi, P.P.; Kolekar, S.S.; Devan, R.S.; Ma, Y.R.; Kim, J.H.; Shin, J.C.; Patil, P.S.

2015-01-01

Present work reports electropolymerization of aniline onto stainless steel substrate using room temperature ionic liquid N-methyl-2-pyrrolidonium hydrogensulfate [NMP][HSO 4 ] by potentiodynamic electrodeposition method. To study the effect of electropolymerization cycle number on the electrochemical performance, the number of scans is varied from 1 st to 5 th cycle. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used for the phase identification of polyaniline (PANI) films. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used to study the electrochemical activity of PANI films. The highest specific capacitance of 581 Fg −1 and energy density of 96.6 whkg −1 are obtained for the sample, deposited using four cycle. - Graphical abstract: We have synthesized PANI samples with different thickness (or deposited mass) on stainless steel as a function of deposition cycles by potentiodynamic electrodeposition in room temperature IL [NMP][HSO 4 ]. A globular nanostructural growth of PANI is observed over the compact background of PANI for sample P 2 . The sample P 4 revealed a globular structure with spongy porous morphology. This nanostructure and porous structure is useful for supercapacitor, because it reduces the diffusion resistance of the electrolyte into electrode matrix. - Highlights: • Electropolymerization of aniline using room temperature ionic liquid N-methyl-2-pyrrolidonium hydrogensulfate [NMP][HSO4]. • The highest specific capacitance of 581 Fg −1 and energy density of 96.60 Whkg −1 is observed for the optimized sample. • The improved specific capacitance of PANI electrode material can be used to develop high performance supercapacitor

Spectro-electrochemical and DFT study of tenoxicam metabolites formed by electrochemical oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramírez-Silva, M.T.; Guzmán-Hernández, D.S.; Galano, A.; Rojas-Hernández, A.; Corona-Avendaño, S.; Romero-Romo, M.; Palomar-Pardavé, M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Tenoxicam deprotonation and electrochemical oxidation were studied. • Both spectro-electrochemical and theoretical DFT studies were considered. • It was found that the ampholitic species of tenoxicam is a zwitterion. • Electrochemical oxidation of tenoxicam yields two non-electroactive products. • The nature of these fragments was further confirmed by a chromatography study. -- Abstract: From experimental (spectro-electrochemical) and theoretical (DFT) studies, the mechanisms of tenoxicam deprotonation and electrochemical oxidation were assessed. From these studies, new insights on the nature of the ampholitic species involved during tenoxicam's deprotonation in aqueous solution are presented; see scheme A. Moreover, it is shown that, after the analysis of two different reaction schemes that involve up to 10 different molecules and 12 reaction paths, the electrochemical oxidation of tenoxicam, yields two non-electroactive products that are predominately formed by its fragmentation, after the loss of two electrons. The nature of these fragments was further confirmed by a chromatography study

Electrochemical reduction of oxygen catalyzed by a wide range of bacteria including Gram-positive

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cournet, Amandine [Universite de Toulouse, UPS, LU49, Adhesion Bacterienne et Formation de Biofilms, 35 chemin des Maraichers, 31 062 Toulouse cedex 09 (France); Laboratoire de Genie Chimique CNRS, Universite de Toulouse, 4 allee Emile Monso, BP 84234, 31432 Toulouse cedex 04 (France); Delia, Marie-Line; Bergel, Alain [Laboratoire de Genie Chimique CNRS, Universite de Toulouse, 4 allee Emile Monso, BP 84234, 31432 Toulouse cedex 04 (France); Roques, Christine; Berge, Mathieu [Universite de Toulouse, UPS, LU49, Adhesion Bacterienne et Formation de Biofilms, 35 chemin des Maraichers, 31 062 Toulouse cedex 09 (France)

2010-04-15

Most bacteria known to be electrochemically active have been harvested in the anodic compartments of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and are able to use electrodes as electron acceptors. The reverse phenomenon, i.e. using solid electrodes as electron donors, is not so widely studied. To our knowledge, most of the electrochemically active bacteria are Gram-negative. The present study implements a transitory electrochemical technique (cyclic voltammetry) to study the microbial catalysis of the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. It is demonstrated that a wide range of aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria are able to catalyze oxygen reduction. Among these electroactive bacteria, several were Gram-positive. The transfer of electrons was direct since no activity was obtained with the filtrate. These findings, showing a widespread property among bacteria including Gram-positive ones, open new and interesting routes in the field of electroactive bacteria research. (author)

Electrochemically Active Biofilms Assisted Nanomaterial Synthesis for Environmental Applications

KAUST Repository

Ahmed, Elaf

2017-12-01

Nanomaterials have a great potential for environmental applications due to their high surface areas and high reactivity. This dissertation investigated the use of electrochemically active biofilms (EABs) as a synthesis approach for the fabrication and environmental applications of different nanomaterials. Bacteria in EABs generate electrons upon consuming electron donor and have the ability to transport these electrons to solid or insoluble substrates through extracellular electron transport (EET) mechanism. The extracellularly transported electrons, once utilized, can lead to nanoparticle synthesis. In this dissertation, noble metal (i.e., Au, Pd, and Pt) ultra-small nanoparticles (USNPs) were first synthesized with the assistance by the EABs. The assynthesized USNPs had a size range between 2 and 7 nm and exhibited excellent catalytic performance in dye decomposition. Also in this research, a two-dimensional (2D) cobalt nanosheet was successfully synthesized in the presence of EABs. A simple biogenic route led to the transformation of cobalt acetate to produce a green, toxic free homogeneous 2D cobalt nanosheet structure. Further, TiO2 nanotubes were successfully combined with the noble metal USNPs to enhance their photocatalytic activity. In this work, for the first time, the noble metal USNPs were directly reduced and decorated on the internal surfaces of the TiO2 nanotubes structure assisted by the EABs. The USNPs modified TiO2 nanotubes generated significantly improved photoelectrocatatlyic performances. This dissertation shines lights on the use of EABs in ultra-small nanoparticle synthesis.

Modern electrochemical processes and technologies in ionic melts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omelchuk A.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available An analysis of the known methods for the electrochemical purification of non-ferrous metals in ionic melts is presented. A comparative estimation of the results of the electrochemical purification of non-ferrous metals by different methods has been performed. The main regularities of the electrochemical behavior of non-ferrous metals in conventional and electrode micro-spacing electrolysis are presented. It has been found that when electrolyzing some metals, e. g. bismuth, gallium, there is either no mass exchange between the electrodes, or it occurs under filtration conditions. It has been shown that the electrode micro-spacing processes provide a high quality of non-ferrous metals purification at low specific consumption of electric power and reagents. The use of bipolar electrodes and β-alumina diaphragms hinders the transfer of metallic impurities from the anode to the cathode. The effects revealed were used to develop new processes for the separation of non-ferrous metal alloys in ionic melts; most of them have been put into practice in non-ferrous metallurgy.

Technology-base research project for electrochemical storage report for 1981

Science.gov (United States)

McLarnon, F.

1982-06-01

The technology base research (TBR) project which provides the applied reseach base that supports all electrochemical energy storage applications: electric vehicles, electric load leveling, storage of solar electricity, and energy and resource conservation is described. The TBR identifies electrochemical technologies with the potential to satisfy stringent performance and economic requirements and transfer them to industry for further development and scale up. The TBR project consists of four major elements: electrochemical systems research, supporting research, electrochemical processes, and fuel cells for transportation. Activities in these four project elements during 1981 are summarized. Information is included on: iron-air batteries; aluminum-air batteries; lithium-metal sulfide cells; materials development for various batteries; and the characteristics of an NH3-air alkaline fuel cell in a vehicle.

Nature of the Electrochemical Properties of Sulphur Substituted LiMn2O4 Spinel Cathode Material Studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Bakierska

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In this work, nanostructured LiMn2O4 (LMO and LiMn2O3.99S0.01 (LMOS1 spinel cathode materials were comprehensively investigated in terms of electrochemical properties. For this purpose, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS measurements as a function of state of charge (SOC were conducted on a representative charge and discharge cycle. The changes in the electrochemical performance of the stoichiometric and sulphur-substituted lithium manganese oxide spinels were examined, and suggested explanations for the observed dependencies were given. A strong influence of sulphur introduction into the spinel structure on the chemical stability and electrochemical characteristic was observed. It was demonstrated that the significant improvement in coulombic efficiency and capacity retention of lithium cell with LMOS1 active material arises from a more stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI layer. Based on EIS studies, the Li ion diffusion coefficients in the cathodes were estimated, and the influence of sulphur on Li+ diffusivity in the spinel structure was established. The obtained results support the assumption that sulphur substitution is an effective way to promote chemical stability and the electrochemical performance of LiMn2O4 cathode material.

Controllable Electrochemical Activities by Oxidative Treatment toward Inner-Sphere Redox Systems at N-Doped Hydrogenated Amorphous Carbon Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoriko Tanaka

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The electrochemical activity of the surface of Nitrogen-doped hydrogenated amorphous carbon thin films (a-CNH, N-doped DLC toward the inner sphere redox species is controllable by modifying the surface termination. At the oxygen plasma treated N-doped DLC surface (O-DLC, the surface functional groups containing carbon doubly bonded to oxygen (C=O, which improves adsorption of polar molecules, were generated. By oxidative treatment, the electron-transfer rate for dopamine (DA positively charged inner-sphere redox analyte could be improved at the N-doped DLC surface. For redox reaction of 2,4-dichlorophenol, which induces an inevitable fouling of the anode surface by forming passivating films, the DLC surfaces exhibited remarkably higher stability and reproducibility of the electrode performance. This is due to the electrochemical decomposition of the passive films without the interference of oxygen evolution by applying higher potential. The N-doped DLC film can offer benefits as the polarizable electrode surface with the higher reactivity and higher stability toward inner-sphere redox species. By making use of these controllable electrochemical reactivity at the O-DLC surface, the selective detection of DA in the mixed solution of DA and uric acid could be achieved.

Electrochemical performance of 3D porous Ni-Co oxide with electrochemically exfoliated graphene for asymmetric supercapacitor applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dae Kyom; Hwang, Minsik; Ko, Dongjin; Kang, Jeongmin; Seong, Kwang-dong; Piao, Yuanzhe

2017-01-01

electrode and activated carbon (AC) as a negative electrode, exhibited a maximum energy density of 86 Wh kg −1 and a maximum power density of 16.5 kW kg −1 . It is believed that our 3D nano-architectured composites with excellent electrochemical performances would be promising candidates for supercapacitor materials.

Evaluation of Cholinesterase Activities During in Vivo Intoxication Using an Electrochemical Sensor Strip – Correlation With Intoxication Symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jana Zdarova-Karasova

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Cholinesterase activity in blood of laboratory rats was monitored. Rats were intoxicated with paraoxon at dosis of 0 – 65 – 125 – 170 – 250 – 500 nmol. The 250 nmol dose was found to be the LD50. An electrochemical sensor was found useful to provide information about cholinesterase activity. The decrease of cholinesterase activity was correlated to intoxication symptoms and mortality level. It was found that the symptoms of intoxication are not observed while at least 50% of cholinesterase activity in blood remains. The minimal cholinesterase activity essential to survival is around 10%, when compared with the initial state. No changes in levels of low moleculary weight antioxidants were observed.

Crystallite size effects in stacking faulted nickel hydroxide and its electrochemical behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramesh, T.N.

2009-01-01

β-Nickel hydroxide comprises a long range periodic arrangement of atoms with a stacking sequence of AC AC AC-having an ideal composition Ni(OH) 2 . Variation in the preparative conditions can lead to the changes in the stacking sequence (AC AC BA CB AC AC or AC AC AB AC AC). This type of variation in stacking sequence can result in the formation of stacking fault in nickel hydroxide. The stability of the stacking fault depends on the free energy content of the sample. Stacking faults in nickel hydroxide is essential for better electrochemical activity. Also there are reports correlating particle size to the better electrochemical activity. Here we present the effect of crystallite size on the stacking faulted nickel hydroxide samples. The electrochemical performance of stacking faulted nickel hydroxide with small crystallite size exchanges 0.8e/Ni, while the samples with larger crystallite size exchange 0.4e/Ni. Hence a right combination of crystallite size and stacking fault content has to be controlled for good electrochemical activity of nickel hydroxide

The effect of CO2 activation temperature on the physical and electrochemical properties of activated carbon monolith from banana stem waste

Science.gov (United States)

Taer, E.; Susanti, Y.; Awitdrus, Sugianto, Taslim, R.; Setiadi, R. N.; Bahri, S.; Agustino, Dewi, P.; Kurniasih, B.

2018-02-01

The effect of CO2 activation on the synthesis of activated carbon monolith from banana stem waste has been studied. Physical characteristics such as density, degree of crystallinity, surface morphology and elemental content has been analyzed, supporting the finding of an excellent electrochemical properties for the supercapacitor. The synthesis of activated carbon electrode began with pre-carbonization process at temperature of 250°C for 2.5 h. Then the process was continued by chemical activation using KOH as activating agent with a concentration of 0.4 M. The pellets were formed with 8 ton hydrolic pressure. All the samples were carbonized at a temperature of 600°C, followed by physical activation using CO2 gas at a various temperatures ranging from 800°C, 850°C, 900°C and 950°C for 2 h. The carbon content was increased with increasing temperature and the optimum temperature was 900°C. The specific capacitance depends on the activation temperature with the highest specific capacitance of 104.2 F/g at the activation temperature of 900°C.

Effect of black clay soil moisture on the electrochemical behavior of API X70 pipeline steel

Science.gov (United States)

Hendi, R.; Saifi, H.; Belmokre, K.; Ouadah, M.; Smili, B.; Talhi, B.

2018-03-01

The effect of moisture content variation (20–100 wt.%) on the electrochemical behavior of API X70 pipeline steel buried in the soil of Skikda (East of Algeria) was studied using electrochemical techniques, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and weight loss measurement. The electrochemical measurements showed that the corrosion current Icorr is directly proportional to the moisture content up to 50 wt.%, beyond this content, this value becomes almost constant. The result were confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; the capacitance of the double layer formed on the surface is the highest at 50 wt.%. A single time constant was detected by plotting the Bode diagrams. The steel surface degradation has been appreciated using the scanning electron microscopy observations. A few pitting corrosion at 20 wt.% moisture, followed by more degradation at 50 wt.% have been revealed. However, when the moisture amount exceeded 50 wt.%, the surface became entirely covered by a corrosion product. XRD analysis revealed the dominance of FeOOH and Fe3O4 phases on steel surface for a moisture content of 50 wt.%.

Fabrication of highly catalytic silver nanoclusters/graphene oxide nanocomposite as nanotag for sensitive electrochemical immunoassay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Jiamian; Wang, Xiuyun; Wu, Shuo, E-mail: wushuo@dlut.edu.cn; Song, Jie; Zhao, Yanqiu; Ge, Yanqiu; Meng, Changgong

2016-02-04

Silver nanoclusters and graphene oxide nanocomposite (AgNCs/GRO) is synthesized and functionalized with detection antibody for highly sensitive electrochemical sensing of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a model tumor marker involved in many cancers. AgNCs with large surface area and abundant amount of low-coordinated sites are synthesized with DNA as template and exhibit high catalytic activity towards the electrochemical reduction of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. GRO is employed to assemble with AgNCs because it has large specific surface area, super electronic conductivity and strong π-π stacking interaction with the hydrophobic bases of DNA, which can further improve the catalytic ability of the AgNCs. Using AgNCs/GRO as signal amplification tag, an enzyme-free electrochemical immunosensing protocol is designed for the highly sensitive detection of CEA on the capture antibody functionalized immunosensing interface. Under optimal conditions, the designed immunosensor exhibits a wide linear range from 0.1 pg mL{sup −1} to 100 ng mL{sup −1} and a low limit of detection of 0.037 pg mL{sup −1}. Practical sample analysis reveals the sensor has good accuracy and reproducibility, indicating the great application prospective of the AgNCs/GRO in fabricating highly sensitive immunosensors, which can be extended to the detection of various kinds of low abundance disease related proteins. - Highlights: • An enzyme-free electrochemical immunosensor is reported for detecting proteins. • A silver nanocluster/graphene oxide composite is synthesized as nanotag. • The nanotags exhibit highly catalytic activity to the electro-reduction of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. • The as-fabricated immunosensor could detect protein in serum samples.

Electrochemical monitoring of intracellular enzyme activity of single living mammalian cells by using a double-mediator system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsumae, Yoshiharu; Takahashi, Yasufumi; Ino, Kosuke; Shiku, Hitoshi; Matsue, Tomokazu

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity of single HeLa cells were evaluated by using the menadione–ferrocyanide double mediator system combined with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). - Highlights: • NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase activity of single cells were evaluated with SECM. • Fe(CN) 6 3− /menadione concentrations were optimized for long-term SECM monitoring. • Menadione affect the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and GSH. • At 100 μM menadione, the Fe(CN) 6 3− generation rate decreased rapidly within 30 min. - Abstract: We evaluated the intracellular NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity of single HeLa cells by using the menadione–ferrocyanide double-mediator system combined with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The double-mediator system was used to amplify the current response from the intracellular NQO activity and to reduce menadione-induced cell damage. The electron shuttle between the electrode and menadione was mediated by the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox couple. Generation of ferrocyanide was observed immediately after the addition of a lower concentration (10 μM) of menadione. The ferrocyanide generation rate was constant for 120 min. At a higher menadione concentration (100 μM), the ferrocyanide generation rate decreased within 30 min because of the cytotoxic effect of menadione. We also investigated the relationship between intracellular reactive oxygen species or glutathione levels and exposure to different menadione concentrations to determine the optimal condition for SECM with minimal invasiveness. The present study clearly demonstrates that SECM is useful for the analysis of intracellular enzymatic activities in single cells with a double-mediator system

Electrochemical monitoring of intracellular enzyme activity of single living mammalian cells by using a double-mediator system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumae, Yoshiharu [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki 6-6-11-605, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Takahashi, Yasufumi [Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Ino, Kosuke [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki 6-6-11-605, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Shiku, Hitoshi, E-mail: shiku@bioinfo.che.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki 6-6-11-605, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Matsue, Tomokazu, E-mail: matsue@bioinfo.che.tohoku.ac.jp [Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aramaki 6-6-11-605, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)

2014-09-09

Graphical abstract: NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity of single HeLa cells were evaluated by using the menadione–ferrocyanide double mediator system combined with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). - Highlights: • NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase activity of single cells were evaluated with SECM. • Fe(CN){sub 6}{sup 3−}/menadione concentrations were optimized for long-term SECM monitoring. • Menadione affect the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and GSH. • At 100 μM menadione, the Fe(CN){sub 6}{sup 3−} generation rate decreased rapidly within 30 min. - Abstract: We evaluated the intracellular NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) activity of single HeLa cells by using the menadione–ferrocyanide double-mediator system combined with scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The double-mediator system was used to amplify the current response from the intracellular NQO activity and to reduce menadione-induced cell damage. The electron shuttle between the electrode and menadione was mediated by the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox couple. Generation of ferrocyanide was observed immediately after the addition of a lower concentration (10 μM) of menadione. The ferrocyanide generation rate was constant for 120 min. At a higher menadione concentration (100 μM), the ferrocyanide generation rate decreased within 30 min because of the cytotoxic effect of menadione. We also investigated the relationship between intracellular reactive oxygen species or glutathione levels and exposure to different menadione concentrations to determine the optimal condition for SECM with minimal invasiveness. The present study clearly demonstrates that SECM is useful for the analysis of intracellular enzymatic activities in single cells with a double-mediator system.

Fabrication of Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide Modified Gas Diffusion Electrode for In-situ Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Process under Mild Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Heng; Su, Huimin; Chen, Ze; Yu, Han; Yu, Hongbing

2016-01-01

With aim to develop an efficient heterogeneous metal-free cathodic electrochemical advance oxidation process (CEAOP) for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) removal from wastewater under mild conditions, electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO)-modified gas diffusion electrode (GDE) was prepared for oxygen-containing radicals production via electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). A detailed physical characterization was carried out by SEM, Raman spectroscopy, XRD and XPS. The electrocatalytic behavior for ORR was investigated by electrochemical measurements and electrolysis experiments under constant current density. Bisphenol A (BPA) of 20 mg L −1 was used as a model of POPs to evaluate the performance of the CEAOP with ERGO-modified GDE. The results showed that the defects concentration and electrochemical active sites of the ERGO was increased as the reduction time (30 min, 60 min and 120 min), leading to different catalysis on ORR. ·O 2 generation via one-electron ORR was found under the electrocatalysis of ERGO (60 min and 120 min), contributing to a complete degradation of BPA within 20 min and a mineralization current efficiency (MCE) of 74.60%. An alternative metal-free CEAOP independent of Fenton reaction was established based on ERGO-modified GDE for POPs removal from wastewater under mild conditions.

Strategies for enhancing electrochemical activity of carbon-based electrodes for all-vanadium redox flow batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flox, Cristina; Skoumal, Marcel; Rubio-Garcia, Javier; Andreu, Teresa; Morante, Juan Ramón

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Improved reactions at the positive electrode in all-vanadium redox flow batteries. ► Graphene-derived and PAN-modified electrodes have been successfully prepared. ► Modification with bimetallic CuPt 3 nanocubes yielded the best catalytic behavior. ► N and O-containing groups enhances the vanadium flow battery performance. - Abstract: Two strategies for improving the electroactivity towards VO 2+ /VO 2 + redox pair, the limiting process in all-vanadium redox flow batteries (VFBs), were presented. CuPt 3 nanoparticles supported onto graphene substrate and nitrogen and oxygen polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-functionalized electrodes materials have been evaluated. The morphology, composition, electrochemical properties of all electrodes prepared was characterized with field emission-scanning electrode microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cell charge–discharge test. The presence of the CuPt 3 nanocubes and nitrogen and oxygen functionalities enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the electrodes materials accelerating the oxygen and electron transfer processes. The battery performance was also evaluated using PAN-functionalized electrodes exhibiting a high of energy efficiency of 84% (at current density 20 mA cm −2 ) up to 30th cycle, indicating a promising alternative for improving the VFB

Application of molybdenum and phosphate modified kaolin in electrochemical treatment of paper mill wastewater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Hongzhu; Wang Bo; Wang Ying

2007-01-01

Pulp and paper mill wastewater is characterized by very high chemical oxygen demand (COD) values that inhibit the activity of microorganisms during biological oxidations. The electrochemical degradation of pulp and paper mill wastewater catalyzed by molybdenum and phosphate (Mo-P) modified kaolin with graphite as anode and cathode was investigated. The catalyst was characterized by XRD, XPS and SEM spectra and the effects of pH, metal ion and introduction of NaCl on the efficiency of the electrochemical degradation process were also studied. It was found out that the modified kaolin loaded with Fe 3+ had higher electrochemical catalytic activity in the electrochemical degradation of paper mill wastewater at pH 4. A 96% COD removal efficiency was obtained in 40 min of electrochemical treatment of the wastewater at current density 30 mA cm -2 . A possible mechanism for degradation of the mill wastewater constituents was also proposed

Electrochemical Oxidation of Propene with a LSF15/CGO10 Electrochemical Reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ippolito, Davide; Kammer Hansen, Kent

2014-01-01

A porous electrochemical reactor, made of La0.85Sr0.15FeO3 (LSF) as electrode and Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (CGO) as electrolyte, was studied for the electrochemical oxidation of propene over a wide range of temperatures. Polarization was found to enhance propene oxidation rate. Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 was used...... as infiltration material to enhance the effect of polarization on propene oxidation rate, especially at low temperatures. The influence of infiltrated material, as a function of heat treatment, on the reactor electrochemical behavior has been evaluated by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy...... in suppressing the competing oxygen evolution reaction and promoting the oxidation of propene under polarization, with faradaic efficiencies above 70% at 250◦C. © 2014 The Electrochemical Society....

Membrane Separated Flow Cell for Parallelized Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy to Characterize Electro-Active Microorganisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stöckl, Markus; Schlegel, Christin; Sydow, Anne; Holtmann, Dirk; Ulber, Roland; Mangold, Klaus-Michael

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Development of a membrane separated electrochemical flow cell. • Simultaneous combination of EIS and CLSM. • Monitoring of bacterial cell attachment to anode of MFC. • Cell attachment of Shewanella oneidensis is shown. - Abstract: Understanding the attachment of electro-active bacteria to electrode surfaces and their subsequent biofilm formation is one of the major challenges for the establishment of bacterial bioelectrochemial systems (BES). For a constant observation of biofilm growth, providing information on different stages of biofilm formation, continuous monitoring methods are required. In this paper a combination of two powerful analytical methods, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), for biofilm monitoring is presented. A custom-built flow cell with a transparent indium tin oxide working electrode (WE) was constructed allowing monitoring of cell attachment to a working electrode simultaneously by EIS and CLSM. Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and EIS of an iron (II)/iron (III) redox couple indicate that the flow cell is suitable for electrochemical experiments. An engineered Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (ATCC700550) producing eGFP was used as electro-active model organism to demonstrate the practical application of the flow cell as BES to monitor cell attachment simultaneously with EIS and CLSM. Applying the flow cell as MFC (transparent working electrode poised as anode) produced a typical current curve for such a system. From the equivalent circuit used to interpret EIS data the charge transfer resistance R CT is sensitive to attachment of microorganisms. Fitted R CT was increased initially after cell inoculation and then lowered constantly with progressing experimental time. In parallel taken CLSM images show that bacteria already adhered to the WE 5 min after inoculation. A mono- respectively bilayer of electro-active cells was observed after 17 h on the WE surface. With the presented

The influence of TiO{sub 2} and aeration on the kinetics of electrochemical oxidation of phenol in packed bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Lizhang [College of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, South Jiefang Road, Quanshan District, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu 221008 (China)], E-mail: wlzh0731@126.com; Zhao Yuemin [School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, South Jiefang Road, Quanshan District, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu 221008 (China)], E-mail: ymzhao@cumt.edu.cn; Fu Jianfeng [Department of Environmental Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing City, Jiangsu 210096 (China)

2008-12-30

The electrochemical oxidation of phenolic wastewater in a lab-scale reactor, packed into granular activated carbon (GAC) with Ti/SnO{sub 2} anodes and stainless steel cathodes, was interpreted in this study. GAC saturated rapidly if it was only used as sorbent, but application of suitable electric energy for the system simultaneously could recover the adsorption ability of GAC and maintain the continuous running effectively. The titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) as catalyst and airflow were also applied to the electrochemical reactor to examine the enhancement for phenol oxidation process. Results revealed that the electrochemical degradation of phenol could be reasonably described by first-order kinetics. In addition, it was illustrated that acid region, increased voltage, more dosage of TiO{sub 2} and higher aeration intensity were all beneficial parameters for phenol oxidation rates. By inspecting the relationship between the rate constants (k) and influencing factors, respectively, an overall kinetic model for phenol oxidation was proposed. The kinetics obtained from the experiments under corresponding electrochemical conditions could provide an accurate estimation of phenol concentration effluent and better design of the packed bed reactor.

Conductive polymer/reduced graphene oxide/Au nano particles as efficient composite materials in electrochemical supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Shabani Shayeh, J.; Ehsani, A.; Ganjali, M. R.; Norouzi, P.; Jaleh, B.

2015-10-01

Polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide/Au nano particles (PANI/rGO/AuNPs) as a hybrid supercapacitor were deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) method as ternary composites and their electrochemical performance was evaluated in acidic medium. Scanning electron micrographs clearly revealed the formation of nanocomposites on the surface of the working electrode. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) clearly revealed the formation of nanocomposites on the surface of working electrode. Different electrochemical methods including galvanostatic charge-discharge (CD) experiments, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were carried out in order to investigate the applicability of the system as a supercapacitor. Based on the cyclic voltammogram results obtained, PANI/rGO/AuNPs gave higher specific capacitance, power and energy values than PANI at a current density of 1 mA cm-2. Specific capacitance (SC) of PANI and PANI/rGO/AuNPs electrodes calculated using CV method are 190 and 303 F g-1, respectively. The present study introduces new nanocomposite materials for electrochemical redox capacitors with advantages including long life cycle and stability due to synergistic effects of each component.

Solution Processed PEDOT Analogues in Electrochemical Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Österholm, Anna M; Ponder, James F; Kerszulis, Justin A; Reynolds, John R

2016-06-01

We have designed fully soluble ProDOTx-EDOTy copolymers that are electrochemically equivalent to electropolymerized PEDOT without using any surfactants or dispersants. We show that these copolymers can be incorporated as active layers in solution processed thin film supercapacitors to demonstrate capacitance, stability, and voltage similar to the values of those that use electrodeposited PEDOT as the active material with the added advantage of the possibility for large scale, high-throughput processing. These Type I supercapacitors provide exceptional cell voltages (up to 1.6 V), highly symmetrical charge/discharge behavior, promising long-term stability exceeding 50 000 charge/discharge cycles, as well as energy (4-18 Wh/kg) and power densities (0.8-3.3 kW/kg) that are comparable to those of electrochemically synthesized analogues.

Catalytic and electrochemical behaviour of solid oxide fuel cell operated with simulated-biogas mixtures

Science.gov (United States)

Dang-Long, T.; Quang-Tuyen, T.; Shiratori, Y.

2016-06-01

Being produced from organic matters of wastes (bio-wastes) through a fermentation process, biogas mainly composed of CH4 and CO2 and can be considered as a secondary energy carrier derived from solar energy. To generate electricity from biogas through the electrochemical process in fuel cells is a state-of-the-art technology possessing higher energy conversion efficiency without harmful emissions compared to combustion process in heat engines. Getting benefits from high operating temperature such as direct internal reforming ability and activation of electrochemical reactions to increase overall system efficiency, solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system operated with biogas becomes a promising candidate for distributed power generator for rural applications leading to reductions of environmental issues caused by greenhouse effects and bio-wastes. CO2 reforming of CH4 and electrochemical oxidation of the produced syngas (H2-CO mixture) are two main reaction processes within porous anode material of SOFC. Here catalytic and electrochemical behavior of Ni-ScSZ (scandia stabilized-zirconia) anode in the feed of CH4-CO2 mixtures as simulated-biogas at 800 °C were evaluated. The results showed that CO2 had strong influences on both reaction processes. The increase in CO2 partial pressure resulted in the decrease in anode overvoltage, although open-circuit voltage was dropped. Besides that, the simulation result based on a power-law model for equimolar CH4-CO2 mixture revealed that coking hazard could be suppressed along the fuel flow channel in both open-circuit and closed-circuit conditions.

The effect of electrodeposition process parameters on the current density distribution in an electrochemical cell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. M. STEVANOVIC

2001-02-01

Full Text Available Cell voltage – current density dependences for a model electrochemical cell of fixed geometry were calculated for different electrolyte conductivities, Tafel slopes and cathodic exchange current densities. The ratio between the current density at the part of the cathode nearest to the anode and the one furthest away were taken as a measure for the estimation of the current density distribution. The calculations reveal that increasing the conductivity of the electrolyte, as well as increasing the cathodic Tafel slope should both improve the current density distribution. Also, the distribution should be better under total activation control or total diffusion control rather than at mixed activation-diffusion-Ohmic control of the deposition process. On the contrary, changes in the exchange current density should not affect it. These results, being in agreement with common knowledge about the influence of different parameters on the current distribution in an electrochemical cell, demonstrate that a quick estimation of the current distribution can be performed by a simple comparison of the current density at the point of the cathode closest to anode with that at furthest point.

Interpenetrating polyaniline-gold electrodes for SERS and electrochemical measurements

Science.gov (United States)

West, R. M.; Semancik, S.

2016-11-01

Facile fabrication of nanostructured electrode arrays is critical for development of bimodal SERS and electrochemical biosensors. In this paper, the variation of applied potential at a polyaniline-coated Pt electrode is used to selectivity deposit Au on the polyaniline amine sites or on the underlying Pt electrode. By alternating the applied potential, the Au is grown simultaneously from the top and the bottom of the polyaniline film, leading to an interpenetrated, nanostructured polymer-metal composite extending from the Pt electrode to the electrolyte solution. The resulting films have unique pH-dependent electrochemical properties, e.g. they retain electrochemical activity in both acidic and neutral solutions, and they also include SERS-active nanostructures. By varying the concentration of chloroaurate used during deposition, Au nanoparticles, nanodendrites, or nanosheets can be selectively grown. For the films deposited under optimal conditions, using 5 mmol/L chloroaurate, the SERS enhancement factor for Rhodamine 6G was found to be as high as 1.1 × 106 with spot-to-spot and electrode-to-electrode relative standard deviations as low as 8% and 12%, respectively. The advantages of the reported PANI-Au composite electrodes lie in their facile fabrication, enabling the targeted deposition of tunable nanostructures on sensing arrays, and their ability to produce orthogonal optical and electrochemical analytical results.

Electrochemical and AFM Characterization of G-Quadruplex Electrochemical Biosensors and Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Guanine-rich DNA sequences are able to form G-quadruplexes, being involved in important biological processes and representing smart self-assembling nanomaterials that are increasingly used in DNA nanotechnology and biosensor technology. G-quadruplex electrochemical biosensors have received particular attention, since the electrochemical response is particularly sensitive to the DNA structural changes from single-stranded, double-stranded, or hairpin into a G-quadruplex configuration. Furthermore, the development of an increased number of G-quadruplex aptamers that combine the G-quadruplex stiffness and self-assembling versatility with the aptamer high specificity of binding to a variety of molecular targets allowed the construction of biosensors with increased selectivity and sensitivity. This review discusses the recent advances on the electrochemical characterization, design, and applications of G-quadruplex electrochemical biosensors in the evaluation of metal ions, G-quadruplex ligands, and other small organic molecules, proteins, and cells. The electrochemical and atomic force microscopy characterization of G-quadruplexes is presented. The incubation time and cations concentration dependence in controlling the G-quadruplex folding, stability, and nanostructures formation at carbon electrodes are discussed. Different G-quadruplex electrochemical biosensors design strategies, based on the DNA folding into a G-quadruplex, the use of G-quadruplex aptamers, or the use of hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzymes, are revisited. PMID:29666699

A facile electrode preparation method for accurate electrochemical measurements of double-side-coated electrode from commercial Li-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ge; Wang, Qiyu; Wang, Shuo; Ling, Shigang; Zheng, Jieyun; Yu, Xiqian; Li, Hong

2018-04-01

The post mortem electrochemical analysis, including charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements, are critical steps for revealing the failure mechanisms of commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). These post measurements usually require the reassembling of coin-cell with electrode which is often double-side-coated in commercial LIBs. It is difficult to use such double-side-coated electrode to perform accurate electrochemical measurements because the back side of the electrode is coated with active materials, rather than single-side-coated electrode that is often used in coin-cell measurements. In this study, we report a facile tape-covering sample preparation method, which can effectively suppress the influence of back side of the double-side-coated electrodes on capacity and EIS measurements in coin-cells. By tape-covering the unwanted side, the areal capacity of the desired investigated side of the electrode has been accurately measured with an experimental error of about 0.5% at various current densities, and accurate EIS measurements and analysis have been conducted as well.

In situ electrochemical high-energy X-ray diffraction using a capillary working electrode cell geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Young, Matthias J.; Bedford, Nicholas M.; Jiang, Naisheng; Lin, Deqing; Dai, Liming

2017-05-26

The ability to generate new electrochemically active materials for energy generation and storage with improved properties will likely be derived from an understanding of atomic-scale structure/function relationships during electrochemical events. Here, the design and implementation of a new capillary electrochemical cell designed specifically forin situhigh-energy X-ray diffraction measurements is described. By increasing the amount of electrochemically active material in the X-ray path while implementing low-Zcell materials with anisotropic scattering profiles, an order of magnitude enhancement in diffracted X-ray signal over traditional cell geometries for multiple electrochemically active materials is demonstrated. This signal improvement is crucial for high-energy X-ray diffraction measurements and subsequent Fourier transformation into atomic pair distribution functions for atomic-scale structural analysis. As an example, clear structural changes in LiCoO₂under reductive and oxidative conditions using the capillary cell are demonstrated, which agree with prior studies. Accurate modeling of the LiCoO₂diffraction data using reverse Monte Carlo simulations further verifies accurate background subtraction and strong signal from the electrochemically active material, enabled by the capillary working electrode geometry.

Nanotubular surface modification of metallic implants via electrochemical anodization technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lu-Ning; Jin, Ming; Zheng, Yudong; Guan, Yueping; Lu, Xin; Luo, Jing-Li

2014-01-01

Due to increased awareness and interest in the biomedical implant field as a result of an aging population, research in the field of implantable devices has grown rapidly in the last few decades. Among the biomedical implants, metallic implant materials have been widely used to replace disordered bony tissues in orthopedic and orthodontic surgeries. The clinical success of implants is closely related to their early osseointegration (ie, the direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of a load-bearing artificial implant), which relies heavily on the surface condition of the implant. Electrochemical techniques for modifying biomedical implants are relatively simple, cost-effective, and appropriate for implants with complex shapes. Recently, metal oxide nanotubular arrays via electrochemical anodization have become an attractive technique to build up on metallic implants to enhance the biocompatibility and bioactivity. This article will thoroughly review the relevance of electrochemical anodization techniques for the modification of metallic implant surfaces in nanoscale, and cover the electrochemical anodization techniques used in the development of the types of nanotubular/nanoporous modification achievable via electrochemical approaches, which hold tremendous potential for bio-implant applications. In vitro and in vivo studies using metallic oxide nanotubes are also presented, revealing the potential of nanotubes in biomedical applications. Finally, an outlook of future growth of research in metallic oxide nanotubular arrays is provided. This article will therefore provide researchers with an in-depth understanding of electrochemical anodization modification and provide guidance regarding the design and tuning of new materials to achieve a desired performance and reliable biocompatibility.

Electrochemical investigations of high-Tc superconductors - low-temperature electrochemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lorenz, W.J.

1992-01-01

This research report presents a summary of results obtained by electrochemical investigations of high-Tc superconductors at room temperature and below the critical temperature (Tc). The studies were to reveal the behaviour of the ceramic superconducting materials at the interface between superconductor and ionic conductor. (MM) With 4 tabs., 8 figs [de

Ordered mesoporous carbon for electrochemical sensing: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ndamanisha, Jean Chrysostome [Faculty of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024 (China); Universite du Burundi, Institut de pedagogie appliquee, B.P. 5223, Bujumbura (Burundi); Guo Liping, E-mail: guolp078@nenu.edu.cn [Faculty of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024 (China)

2012-10-17

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The preparation and functionalization of ordered mesoporous carbon. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Their applications as electrochemical sensors with high electrocatalytic activity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A promising electrode material based on its interesting properties. - Abstract: With its well-ordered pore structure, high specific surface area and tunable pore diameters in the mesopore range, ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) is suitable for applications in catalysis and sensing. We report recent applications of OMC in electrochemical sensors and biosensors. After a brief description of the electrochemical properties, the functionalization of the OMC for improvement of the electrocatalytic properties is then presented. We show how the ordered mesostructure of OMC is very important in those applications. The high density of edge plane-like defective sites (EDSs), oxygen-containing groups and a large surface area on OMC may provide many favorable sites for electron transfer to compounds, which makes OMC a potential novel material for an investigation of the electrochemical behavior of substances. Moreover, the structural capabilities of OMC at the scale of a few nanometers agree with immobilization of other electrocataytic substances. Interesting properties of this material may open up a new approach to study the electrochemical determination of other biomolecules.

Nitrogen-Doped Three Dimensional Graphene for Electrochemical Sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jing; Chen, Ruwen; Liang, Qionglin; Li, Jinghong

2015-07-01

The rational assembly and doping of graphene play an crucial role in the improvement of electrochemical performance for analytical applications. Covalent assembly of graphene into ordered hierarchical structure provides an interconnected three dimensional conductive network and large specific area beneficial to electrolyte transfer on the electrode surface. Chemical doping with heteroatom is a powerful tool to intrinsically modify the electronic properties of graphene due to the increased free charge-carrier densities. By incorporating covalent assembly and nitrogen doping strategy, a novel nitrogen doped three dimensional reduced graphene oxide nanostructure (3D-N-RGO) was developed with synergetic enhancement in electrochemical behaviors. The as prepared 3D-N-RGO was further applied for catechol detection by differential pulse voltammetry. It exhibits much higher electrocatalytic activity towards catechol with increased peak current and decreased potential difference between the oxidation and reduction peaks. Owing to the improved electro-chemical properties, the response of the electrochemical sensor varies linearly with the catechol concentrations ranging from 5 µM to 100 µM with a detection limit of 2 µM (S/N = 3). This work is promising to open new possibilities in the study of novel graphene nanostructure and promote its potential electrochemical applications.

Electrochemical behavior and voltammetric determination of acetaminophen based on glassy carbon electrodes modified with poly(4-aminobenzoic acid)/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Wencai; Huang, Hui; Gao, Xiaochun; Ma, Houyi

2014-01-01

Poly(4-aminobenzoic acid)/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite film modified glassy carbon electrodes (4-ABA/ERGO/GCEs) were fabricated by a two-step electrochemical method. The electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen at the modified electrode was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that 4-ABA/ERGO composite films possessed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of acetaminophen. The electrochemical reaction of acetaminophen at 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE is proved to be a surface-controlled process involving the same number of protons and electrons. The voltammetric determination of acetaminophen performed with the 4-ABA/ERGO modified electrode presents a good linearity in the range of 0.1–65 μM with a low detection limit of 0.01 μM (S/N = 3). In the case of using the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE, acetaminophen and dopamine can be simultaneously determined without mutual interference. Furthermore, the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE has good reproducibility and stability, and can be used to determine acetaminophen in tablets. - Highlights: • The 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE was fabricated by a two-step electrochemical method. • Electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen at the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE was investigated. • The electrochemical sensor exhibited a low detection limit and good selectivity. • This sensor was applied to the detection of acetaminophen in commercial tablets

Electrochemical behavior and voltammetric determination of acetaminophen based on glassy carbon electrodes modified with poly(4-aminobenzoic acid)/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Wencai [Key Laboratory for Colloid and Interface Chemistry of State Education Ministry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu Normal University, Jinan 250013 (China); Huang, Hui; Gao, Xiaochun [Key Laboratory for Colloid and Interface Chemistry of State Education Ministry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Ma, Houyi, E-mail: hyma@sdu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Colloid and Interface Chemistry of State Education Ministry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China)

2014-12-01

Poly(4-aminobenzoic acid)/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite film modified glassy carbon electrodes (4-ABA/ERGO/GCEs) were fabricated by a two-step electrochemical method. The electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen at the modified electrode was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that 4-ABA/ERGO composite films possessed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of acetaminophen. The electrochemical reaction of acetaminophen at 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE is proved to be a surface-controlled process involving the same number of protons and electrons. The voltammetric determination of acetaminophen performed with the 4-ABA/ERGO modified electrode presents a good linearity in the range of 0.1–65 μM with a low detection limit of 0.01 μM (S/N = 3). In the case of using the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE, acetaminophen and dopamine can be simultaneously determined without mutual interference. Furthermore, the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE has good reproducibility and stability, and can be used to determine acetaminophen in tablets. - Highlights: • The 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE was fabricated by a two-step electrochemical method. • Electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen at the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE was investigated. • The electrochemical sensor exhibited a low detection limit and good selectivity. • This sensor was applied to the detection of acetaminophen in commercial tablets.

EDTA assisted synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles for electrochemical sensing of uric acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanchana, P.; Sekar, C., E-mail: Sekar2025@gmail.com

2014-09-01

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles have been synthesized using EDTA as organic modifier by a simple microwave irradiation method and its application for the selective determination of uric acid (UA) has been demonstrated. Electrochemical behavior of uric acid at HA nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode (E-HA/GCE) has been investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and amperometry. The E-HA modified electrode exhibits efficient electrochemical activity towards uric acid sensing without requiring enzyme or electron mediator. Amperometry studies revealed that the fabricated electrode has excellent sensitivity for uric acid with the lowest detection limit of 142 nM over a wide concentration range from 1 × 10{sup −7} to 3 × 10{sup −5} M. Moreover, the studied E-HA modified GC electrode exhibits a good reproducibility and long-term stability and an admirable selectivity towards the determination of UA even in the presence of potential interferents. The analytical performance of this sensor was evaluated for the detection of uric acid in human urine and blood serum samples. - Highlights: • EDTA- hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles have been synthesized by microwave irradiation method. • A novel amperometric Uric Acid biosensor has been fabricated using E-HA/GCE. • The fabricated sensor exhibits a wide linear range, good stability and high reproducibility. • The sensor was applied for the detection of UA in human blood serum and urine.

Light-Regulated Electrochemical Sensor Array for Efficiently Discriminating Hazardous Gases.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Hongqiu; Zhang, Xin; Sun, Huihui; Jin, Han; Zhang, Xiaowei; Jin, Qinghui; Zou, Jie; Haick, Hossam; Jian, Jiawen

2017-10-27

Inadequate detection limit and unsatisfactory discrimination features remain the challenging issues for the widely applied electrochemical gas sensors. Quite recently, we confirmed that light-regulated electrochemical reaction significantly enhanced the electrocatalytic activity, and thereby can potentially extend the detection limit to the parts per billion (ppb) level. Nevertheless, impact of the light-regulated electrochemical reaction on response selectivity has been discussed less. Herein, we systematically report on the effect of illumination on discrimination features via design and fabrication of a light-regulated electrochemical sensor array. Upon illumination (light on), response signal to the examined gases (C 3 H 6 , NO, and CO) is selectively enhanced, resulting in the sensor array demonstrating disparate response patterns when compared with that of the sensor array operated at light off. Through processing all the response patterns derived from both light on and light off with a pattern recognition algorithm, a satisfactory discrimination feature is observed. In contrast, apparent mutual interference between NO and CO is found when the sensor array is solely operated without illumination. The impact mechanism of the illumination is studied and it is deduced that the effect of the illumination on the discriminating features can be mainly attributed to the competition of electrocatalytic activity and gas-phase reactivity. If the enhanced electrocatalytic activity (to specific gas) dominates the whole sensing progress, enhancements in the corresponding response signal would be observed upon illumination. Otherwise, illumination gives a negligible impact. Hence, the response signal to part of the examined gases is selectively enhanced by illumination. Conclusively, light-regulated electrochemical reaction would provide an efficient approach to designing future smart sensing devices.

Nanostructured CuO thin film electrodes prepared by spray pyrolysis: a simple method for enhancing the electrochemical performance of CuO in lithium cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morales, Julian; Sanchez, Luis; Martin, Francisco; Ramos-Barrado, Jose R.; Sanchez, Miguel

2004-01-01

Nanostructured CuO thin films were prepared by using a spray pyrolysis method, copper acetate as precursor and stainless steel as substrate. The textural and structural properties of the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The SEM images revealed thorough coating of the substrate and thickness of 450-1250 nm; the average particle size as determined from the AFM images ranged from 30 to 160 nm. The XRD patterns revealed the formation of CuO alone and the XPS spectra confirmed the presence of Cu 2+ as the main oxidation state on the surface. The films were tested as electrodes in lithium cells and their electrochemical properties evaluated from galvanostatic and step potential electrochemical spectroscopy (SPES) measurements. The discharge STEP curves exhibited various peaks consistent with the processes CuO Cu 2 O Cu and with decomposition of the electrolyte, a reversible process in the light of the AFM images. The best electrode exhibited capacity values of 625 Ah kg -1 over more than 100 cycles. This value, which involves a CuO Cu reversible global reaction, is ca. 50% higher than that reported for bulk CuO. The nanosize of the particles and the good adherence of the active material to the substrate are thought to be the key factors accounting for the enhanced electrochemical activity found

Rhodium-catalyzed C-H bond activation for the synthesis of quinonoid compounds: Significant Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activities and electrochemical studies of functionalized quinones.

Science.gov (United States)

Jardim, Guilherme A M; Silva, Thaissa L; Goulart, Marilia O F; de Simone, Carlos A; Barbosa, Juliana M C; Salomão, Kelly; de Castro, Solange L; Bower, John F; da Silva Júnior, Eufrânio N

2017-08-18

Thirty four halogen and selenium-containing quinones, synthesized by rhodium-catalyzed C-H bond activation and palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, were evaluated against bloodstream trypomastigotes of T. cruzi. We have identified fifteen compounds with IC 50 /24 h values of less than 2 μM. Electrochemical studies on A-ring functionalized naphthoquinones were also performed aiming to correlate redox properties with trypanocidal activity. For instance, (E)-5-styryl-1,4-naphthoquinone 59 and 5,8-diiodo-1,4-naphthoquinone 3, which are around fifty fold more active than the standard drug benznidazole, are potential derivatives for further investigation. These compounds represent powerful new agents useful in Chagas disease therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Electrochemically Formed Ultrafine Metal Oxide Nanocatalysts for High-Performance Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Bin; Yan, Pengfei; Xu, Wu; Zheng, Jianming; He, Yang; Luo, Langli; Bowden, Mark E.; Wang, Chong-Min; Zhang, Ji-Guang

2016-08-10

Lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery has an extremely high theoretical specific energy density as compared with conventional energy storage systems. However, practical application of Li-O2 battery system still faces significant challenges, especially its poor cyclability. In this work, we report a new approach to synthesis ultrafine metal oxide nanocatalysts through an electrochemical pre-lithiation process. This process reduces the size of NiCo2O4 (NCO) particles from 20~30 nm to a uniformly distributed domain of ~ 2 nm and largely improved their catalytic activity. Structurally, the pre-lithiated NCO NWs are featured by ultrafine NiO/CoO nanoparticles, which show high stability during prolonged cycles in terms of morphology and the particle size, therefore maintaining an excellent catalytic effect to oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. Li-O2 battery using this catalyst has demonstrated an initial capacity of 29,280 mAh g-1 and has retained a stable capacity of over 1,000 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles based on the weight of NCO active material. Direct in-situ TEM observation conclusively reveals the lithiation/delithiation process of as-prepared NCO NWs, clarifying the NCO/Li electrochemical reaction mechanism that can be extended to other transition-metal oxides and providing the in depth understandings on the catalysts and battery chemistries of other ternary transition-metal oxides.

Silica decorated on porous activated carbon nanofiber composites for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, So Yeun; Kim, Bo-Hye

2016-10-01

A hybrid of silica decorated on porous activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) is fabricated in the form of a web via electrospinning and an activation process as an electrode material for electrochemical capacitors in an organic electrolyte. The introduction of PhSiH3 (PS) into the polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution induces a porous ACNF structure containing silica nanoparticles (NPs) via the spontaneous sol-gel process of PS by steam in the subsequent physical activation process. These inorganic-organic hybrid composites of porous ACNF containing silica NPs show superior specific capacitance and energy density in electrochemical tests, along with good rate capability and excellent cycle life in an organic electrolyte, which is attributed to the combination of ACNF's high surface area and silica's hydrophilicity. The electrochemical performance decreases with increasing PS concentration, and this trend is consistent with the specific surface area results, which reveal the rapid formation of a double layer.

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Illuminating Performance Evolution of Porous Core–Shell Structured Nickel/Nickel Oxide Anode Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Bo; Li, Minsi; Li, Xifei; Bai, Zhimin; Dong, Lei; Li, Dejun

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The electrochemical reaction kinetics of the Ni/NiO anode was studied for the first time. • Charge transfer resistance is main contribution to total resistance during discharge process. • The slow growth of the SEI film is responsible for the capacity fading upon cycling. • Some promising strategies to optimize NiO anode performance were summarized. - Abstract: The electrochemical reaction kinetics of the porous core–shell structured Ni/NiO anode for Li ion battery application is systematically investigated by monitoring the electrochemical impedance evolution for the first time. The electrochemical impedance under prescribed condition is measured by using impedance spectroscopy in equilibrium conditions at various depths of discharge (DOD) during charge–discharge cycles. The Nyquist plots of the binder-free porous Ni/NiO electrode are interpreted with a selective equivalent circuit composed of solution resistance, solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film, charge transfer and solid state diffusion. The impedance analysis shows that the change of charge transfer resistance is the main contribution to the total resistance change during discharge, and the surface configuration of the obtained electrode may experience significant change during the first two cycles. Meanwhile, the increase of internal resistance reduced the utilization efficiency of the active material may be another convincing factor to increase the irreversible capacity. In addition, the impedance evolution of the as-prepared electrode during charge–discharge cycles reveals that the slow growth of the SEI film is responsible for the capacity fading after long term cycling. As a result, several strategies are summarized to optimize the electrochemical performances of transition metal oxide anodes for lithium ion batteries

Electrochemical performance studies of MnO2 nanoflowers recovered from spent battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, Gomaa A.M.; Tan, Ling Ling; Jose, Rajan; Yusoff, Mashitah M.; Chong, Kwok Feng

2014-01-01

Highlights: • MnO 2 is recovered from spent zinc–carbon batteries as nanoflowers structure. • Recovered MnO 2 nanoflowers show high specific capacitance. • Recovered MnO 2 nanoflowers show stable electrochemical cycling up to 900 cycles. • Recovered MnO 2 nanoflowers show low resistance in EIS data. - Abstract: The electrochemical performance of MnO 2 nanoflowers recovered from spent household zinc–carbon battery is studied by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. MnO 2 nanoflowers are recovered from spent zinc–carbon battery by combination of solution leaching and electrowinning techniques. In an effort to utilize recovered MnO 2 nanoflowers as energy storage supercapacitor, it is crucial to understand their structure and electrochemical performance. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the recovery of MnO 2 in birnessite phase, while electron microscopy analysis shows the MnO 2 is recovered as 3D nanostructure with nanoflower morphology. The recovered MnO 2 nanoflowers exhibit high specific capacitance (294 F g −1 at 10 mV s −1 ; 208.5 F g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 ) in 1 M Na 2 SO 4 electrolyte, with stable electrochemical cycling. Electrochemical data analysis reveal the great potential of MnO 2 nanoflowers recovered from spent zinc–carbon battery in the development of high performance energy storage supercapacitor system

Electrochemical thermodynamic measurement system

Science.gov (United States)

Reynier, Yvan [Meylan, FR; Yazami, Rachid [Los Angeles, CA; Fultz, Brent T [Pasadena, CA

2009-09-29

The present invention provides systems and methods for accurately characterizing thermodynamic and materials properties of electrodes and electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems. Systems and methods of the present invention are configured for simultaneously collecting a suite of measurements characterizing a plurality of interconnected electrochemical and thermodynamic parameters relating to the electrode reaction state of advancement, voltage and temperature. Enhanced sensitivity provided by the present methods and systems combined with measurement conditions that reflect thermodynamically stabilized electrode conditions allow very accurate measurement of thermodynamic parameters, including state functions such as the Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy of electrode/electrochemical cell reactions, that enable prediction of important performance attributes of electrode materials and electrochemical systems, such as the energy, power density, current rate and the cycle life of an electrochemical cell.

Effect of ultrasound on electrochemical chloride extraction from mortar

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yiqun; Yao, Wu; Zuo, Junqing

2018-03-01

In this paper, the effect of auxiliary ultrasound on electrochemical chloride extraction (ECE) was studied. The chloride removal efficiency was investigated by examining the chloride content with ultrasound-assisted ECE and changing the introducing time of ultrasound. The experimental results showed that removal of chloride ions was noted to be more effective in ECE treatment assisted with ultrasound treatment (UT). In addition, the lower w/c ratio led to more distinct effect of ultrasonic cavitation on chloride removal. Electrochemical behaviors measured with different treatment revealed that UT treatment was effective on moderating the corrosion condition. Microstructural analyses revealed a significant alteration in composition and morphology of cementitious phases with UT treatment. Pull-out tests indicated that ultrasound had a certain negative impact on the bond strength. Although the effect of introducing ultrasound in the first 2 weeks or the last 2 weeks on the extraction efficiency was not obvious, intermittent ultrasound could not only ensure the chloride extraction efficiency, but also reduce the adverse effect of ultrasound on the bond strength.

Aptamer-Based Electrochemical Sensing of Lysozyme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Vasilescu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Protein analysis and quantification are required daily by thousands of laboratories worldwide for activities ranging from protein characterization to clinical diagnostics. Multiple factors have to be considered when selecting the best detection and quantification assay, including the amount of protein available, its concentration, the presence of interfering molecules, as well as costs and rapidity. This is also the case for lysozyme, a 14.3-kDa protein ubiquitously present in many organisms, that has been identified with a variety of functions: antibacterial activity, a biomarker of several serious medical conditions, a potential allergen in foods or a model of amyloid-type protein aggregation. Since the design of the first lysozyme aptamer in 2001, lysozyme became one of the most intensively-investigated biological target analytes for the design of novel biosensing concepts, particularly with regards to electrochemical aptasensors. In this review, we discuss the state of the art of aptamer-based electrochemical sensing of lysozyme, with emphasis on sensing in serum and real samples.

Multifunctional Graphene-based Hybrid Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Energy Storage.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Sanju

Intense research in renewable energy is stimulated by global demand of electric energy. Electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems namely, supercapacitors and batteries, represent the most efficient and environmentally benign technologies. Moreover, controlled nanoscaled architectures and surface chemistry of electrochemical electrodes is enabling emergent next-generation efficient devices approaching theoretical limit of energy and power densities. This talk will present our recent activities to advance design, development and deployment of composition, morphology and microstructure controlled two- and three-dimensional graphene-based hybrids architectures. They are chemically and molecularly bridged with carbon nanotubes, conducting polymers, transition metal oxides and mesoproprous silicon wrapped with graphene nanosheets as engineered electrodes for supercapacitor cathodes and battery anodes. They showed significant enhancement in terms of gravimetric specific capacitance, interfacial capacitance, charging-discharging rate and cyclability. We will also present fundamental physical-chemical interfacial processes (ion transfer kinetics and diffusion), imaging electroactive sites, and topography at electrode/electrolyte interface governing underlying electrochemical mechanisms via scanning electrochemical microscopy. KY NSF EPSCoR.

Electrochemical Preparation of Polyaniline Nanowires with the Used Electrolyte Solution Treated with the Extraction Process and Their Electrochemical Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Wu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Electrochemical polymerization of aniline is one of the most promising methods to prepare polyaniline (PANI materials. However, during this process, the electrolyte solution must be replaced after electropolymerization of a certain time because of the generation and the accumulation of the by-products, which have significant effects on the morphology, purity and properties of PANI products. Treatment and recycling of the used electrolyte solution are worthwhile to study to reduce the high treatment cost of the used electrolyte solution containing aniline and its polymerization by-products. Here, the composition of the used electrolyte solution was separated and determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD in the range of ultraviolet and visible (UV-Vis light. The analysis results revealed that the used electrolyte solution consisted of aniline, p-hydroquinone (HQ, p-benzoquinone (BQ, co-oligomers of aniline and p-benzoquinone (CAB and acid. Then, n-octanol and 2-octanone were selected as extracts to remove HQ, BQ and CAB from the used electrolyte solution. Following that, the recycled electrolyte solution was prepared by adjusting the concentration of aniline and acid of the aqueous phase, and the electrochemical polymerization process was conducted. Finally, the obtained PANI was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM and electrochemical methods. The experimental results clearly demonstrate that the morphology and specific capacitance of PANI produced from the recycled electrolyte solution can be recovered completely. This research paves the way for reusing the used electrolyte solution for aniline electrochemical polymerization.

Electrochemical Preparation of Polyaniline Nanowires with the Used Electrolyte Solution Treated with the Extraction Process and Their Electrochemical Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Ying; Wang, Jixiao; Ou, Bin; Zhao, Song; Wang, Zhi; Wang, Shichang

2018-02-12

Electrochemical polymerization of aniline is one of the most promising methods to prepare polyaniline (PANI) materials. However, during this process, the electrolyte solution must be replaced after electropolymerization of a certain time because of the generation and the accumulation of the by-products, which have significant effects on the morphology, purity and properties of PANI products. Treatment and recycling of the used electrolyte solution are worthwhile to study to reduce the high treatment cost of the used electrolyte solution containing aniline and its polymerization by-products. Here, the composition of the used electrolyte solution was separated and determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) in the range of ultraviolet and visible (UV-Vis) light. The analysis results revealed that the used electrolyte solution consisted of aniline, p-hydroquinone (HQ), p-benzoquinone (BQ), co-oligomers of aniline and p-benzoquinone (CAB) and acid. Then, n-octanol and 2-octanone were selected as extracts to remove HQ, BQ and CAB from the used electrolyte solution. Following that, the recycled electrolyte solution was prepared by adjusting the concentration of aniline and acid of the aqueous phase, and the electrochemical polymerization process was conducted. Finally, the obtained PANI was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electrochemical methods. The experimental results clearly demonstrate that the morphology and specific capacitance of PANI produced from the recycled electrolyte solution can be recovered completely. This research paves the way for reusing the used electrolyte solution for aniline electrochemical polymerization.

Calcium phosphate/porous silicon biocomposites prepared by cyclic deposition methods: Spin coating vs electrochemical activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hernandez-Montelongo, J., E-mail: jacobo.hernandez@uam.es [Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Gallach, D.; Naveas, N.; Torres-Costa, V. [Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Climent-Font, A. [Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Centro de Microanálisis de Materiales (CMAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049 (Spain); García-Ruiz, J.P. [Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049 (Spain); Manso-Silvan, M. [Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

2014-01-01

Porous silicon (PSi) provides an excellent platform for bioengineering applications due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and bioresorbability. However, to promote its application as bone engineering scaffold, deposition of calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramics in its hydroxyapatite (HAP) phase is in progress. In that sense, this work focuses on the synthesis of CaP/PSi composites by means of two different techniques for CaP deposition on PSi: Cyclic Spin Coating (CSC) and Cyclic Electrochemical Activation (CEA). Both techniques CSC and CEA consisted on alternate Ca and P deposition steps on PSi. Each technique produced specific morphologies and CaP phases using the same independent Ca and P stem-solutions at neutral pH and at room temperature. The brushite (BRU) phase was favored with the CSC technique and the hydroxyapatite (HAP) phase was better synthesized using the CEA technique. Analyses by elastic backscattering spectroscopy (EBS) on CaP/PSi structures synthesized by CEA supported that, by controlling the CEA parameters, an HAP coating with the required Ca/P atomic ratio of 1.67 can be promoted. Biocompatibility was evaluated by bone-derived progenitor cells, which grew onto CaP/PSi prepared by CSC technique with a long-shaped actin cytoskeleton. The density of adhered cells was higher on CaP/PSi prepared by CEA, where cells presented a normal morphological appearance and active mitosis. These results can be used for the design and optimization of CaP/PSi composites with enhanced biocompatibility for bone-tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Proposed cyclic methods produce specific morphologies and CaP phases in biocomposites. • The brushite phase is favored in the biocomposite produced by Cyclic Spin Coating. • The hydroxyapatite phase is favored in the biocomposite produced by Cyclic Electrochemical Activation. • The Ca/P atomic ratio of hydroxyapatite was validated by elastic backscattering spectroscopy. • Cells grown showed morphological and

Calcium phosphate/porous silicon biocomposites prepared by cyclic deposition methods: Spin coating vs electrochemical activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez-Montelongo, J.; Gallach, D.; Naveas, N.; Torres-Costa, V.; Climent-Font, A.; García-Ruiz, J.P.; Manso-Silvan, M.

2014-01-01

Porous silicon (PSi) provides an excellent platform for bioengineering applications due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and bioresorbability. However, to promote its application as bone engineering scaffold, deposition of calcium phosphate (CaP) ceramics in its hydroxyapatite (HAP) phase is in progress. In that sense, this work focuses on the synthesis of CaP/PSi composites by means of two different techniques for CaP deposition on PSi: Cyclic Spin Coating (CSC) and Cyclic Electrochemical Activation (CEA). Both techniques CSC and CEA consisted on alternate Ca and P deposition steps on PSi. Each technique produced specific morphologies and CaP phases using the same independent Ca and P stem-solutions at neutral pH and at room temperature. The brushite (BRU) phase was favored with the CSC technique and the hydroxyapatite (HAP) phase was better synthesized using the CEA technique. Analyses by elastic backscattering spectroscopy (EBS) on CaP/PSi structures synthesized by CEA supported that, by controlling the CEA parameters, an HAP coating with the required Ca/P atomic ratio of 1.67 can be promoted. Biocompatibility was evaluated by bone-derived progenitor cells, which grew onto CaP/PSi prepared by CSC technique with a long-shaped actin cytoskeleton. The density of adhered cells was higher on CaP/PSi prepared by CEA, where cells presented a normal morphological appearance and active mitosis. These results can be used for the design and optimization of CaP/PSi composites with enhanced biocompatibility for bone-tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Proposed cyclic methods produce specific morphologies and CaP phases in biocomposites. • The brushite phase is favored in the biocomposite produced by Cyclic Spin Coating. • The hydroxyapatite phase is favored in the biocomposite produced by Cyclic Electrochemical Activation. • The Ca/P atomic ratio of hydroxyapatite was validated by elastic backscattering spectroscopy. • Cells grown showed morphological and

Electrochemically active functionalization of graphene for development of prototype biosensing devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halder, Arnab; Ulstrup, Jens; Chi, Qijin

nanosheets, (2) loading of different enzymes on functionalized graphene matrix, and (3) electrochemical performances of the functionalized nanaohybrid materials based prototype sensors. These latest advancements could be crucial for the design and fabrication of low-cost, flexible and disposable biosensors....

High surface area synthesis, electrochemical activity, and stability of tungsten carbide supported Pt during oxygen reduction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Chhina, H.; Campbell, S.; Kesler, O.

The oxidation of carbon catalyst supports to carbon dioxide gas leads to degradation in catalyst performance over time in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The electrochemical stability of Pt supported on tungsten carbide has been evaluated on a carbon-based gas diffusion layer (GDL) at 80 °C and compared to that of HiSpec 4000™ Pt/Vulcan XC-72R in 0.5 M H 2SO 4. Due to other electrochemical processes occurring on the GDL, detailed studies were also performed on a gold mesh substrate. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity was measured both before and after accelerated oxidation cycles between +0.6 V and +1.8 V vs. RHE. Tafel plots show that the ORR activity remained high even after accelerated oxidation tests for Pt/tungsten carbide, while the ORR activity was extremely poor after accelerated oxidation tests for HiSpec 4000™. In order to make high surface area tungsten carbide, three synthesis routes were investigated. Magnetron sputtering of tungsten on carbon was found to be the most promising route, but needs further optimization.

High surface area synthesis, electrochemical activity, and stability of tungsten carbide supported Pt during oxygen reduction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chhina, H. [Automotive fuel cell corporation, 9000 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, BC (Canada); Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, 5 King' s College Road, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Campbell, S. [Automotive fuel cell corporation, 9000 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, BC (Canada); Kesler, O. [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, 5 King' s College Road, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

2008-04-15

The oxidation of carbon catalyst supports to carbon dioxide gas leads to degradation in catalyst performance over time in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The electrochemical stability of Pt supported on tungsten carbide has been evaluated on a carbon-based gas diffusion layer (GDL) at 80 C and compared to that of HiSpec 4000 trademark Pt/Vulcan XC-72R in 0.5 M H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}. Due to other electrochemical processes occurring on the GDL, detailed studies were also performed on a gold mesh substrate. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity was measured both before and after accelerated oxidation cycles between +0.6 V and +1.8 V vs. RHE. Tafel plots show that the ORR activity remained high even after accelerated oxidation tests for Pt/tungsten carbide, while the ORR activity was extremely poor after accelerated oxidation tests for HiSpec 4000 trademark. In order to make high surface area tungsten carbide, three synthesis routes were investigated. Magnetron sputtering of tungsten on carbon was found to be the most promising route, but needs further optimization. (author)

Nanoscale visualization of redox activity at lithium-ion battery cathodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Yasufumi; Kumatani, Akichika; Munakata, Hirokazu; Inomata, Hirotaka; Ito, Komachi; Ino, Kosuke; Shiku, Hitoshi; Unwin, Patrick R; Korchev, Yuri E; Kanamura, Kiyoshi; Matsue, Tomokazu

2014-11-17

Intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions at electrode surfaces are central to the operation of lithium-ion batteries. Yet, on the most important composite cathode surfaces, this is a rather complex process involving spatially heterogeneous reactions that have proved difficult to resolve with existing techniques. Here we report a scanning electrochemical cell microscope based approach to define a mobile electrochemical cell that is used to quantitatively visualize electrochemical phenomena at the battery cathode material LiFePO4, with resolution of ~100 nm. The technique measures electrode topography and different electrochemical properties simultaneously, and the information can be combined with complementary microscopic techniques to reveal new perspectives on structure and activity. These electrodes exhibit highly spatially heterogeneous electrochemistry at the nanoscale, both within secondary particles and at individual primary nanoparticles, which is highly dependent on the local structure and composition.

Enhanced electrochemical oxidation of synthetic dyeing wastewater using SnO2-Sb-doped TiO2-coated granular activated carbon electrodes with high hydroxyl radical yields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Xinyang; Wu, Yue; Zhu, Wei; Xue, Fangqing; Qian, Yi; Wang, Chengwen

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We study granular activated carbon (GAC) electrodes coated with catalysts. • GAC coated with ATOT demonstrates an impressive ·OH yield. • This electrode can be used in continuous-flow three-dimensional electrode reactors. • We use Rhodamine B as a model organic compound for removal. • The GAC/ATOT performs better than all other electrodes examined. - Abstract: In this study, granular activated carbon (GAC) coated with SnO 2 -Sb doped TiO 2 (GAC/ATOT) with a high hydroxyl radical (·OH) yield is prepared via the sol-gel method. This material is utilized as a granular electrode in a continuous-flow three-dimensional electrode reactor (CTDER) for the enhanced treatment of synthetic dyeing wastewater containing Rhodamine B (RhB). We then characterize the physical properties, electrochemical properties, and electrochemical oxidation performance of the granular electrode. The results show that using the GAC/ATOT electrode in a CTDER significantly enhances the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, decreases the energy consumption, and improves the current efficiency of the wastewater. This is primarily attributed to the higher catalytic activity of GAC/ATOT for ·OH production compared to that of other candidates, such as TiO 2 coated GAC (GAC/T), Sb doped SnO 2 coated GAC (GAC/ATO), and pure GAC. The mechanism of the enhanced electrochemical oxidation afforded by using GAC/ATOT indicates that the high ·OH yield in the reactor packed with GAC/ATOT electrodes contributes to the enhanced electrochemical oxidation performance with respect to organic compounds.

Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage in a Highly Ordered Mesoporous Carbon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan eLiu

2014-10-01

Full Text Available A highly order mesoporous carbon has been synthesized through a strongly acidic, aqueous cooperative assembly route. The structure and morphology of the carbon material were investigated using TEM, SEM and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The carbon was proven to be meso-structural and consisted of graphitic micro-domain with larger interlayer space. AC impedance and electrochemical measurements reveal that the synthesized highly ordered mesoporous carbon exhibits a promoted electrochemical hydrogen insertion process and improved capacitance and hydrogen storage stability. The meso-structure and enlarged interlayer distance within the highly ordered mesoporous carbon are suggested as possible causes for the enhancement in hydrogen storage. Both hydrogen capacity in the carbon and mass diffusion within the matrix were improved.

Synthesis of Ultra-Small Platinum, Palladium and Gold Nanoparticles by Shewanella loihica PV-4 Electrochemically Active Biofilm and Their Enhanced Catalytic Activities

KAUST Repository

Ahmed, Elaf

2018-02-21

Ultra-small nanoparticles (USNPs) of noble metals have a great potential in a variety of applications due to their high surface areas and high reactivity. This works employed electrochemically active biofilms (EABs) composed of a single bacterium strain of Shewanella loihica PV-4 and successfully synthesized USNPs of noble metal Au, Pd, and Pt. The synthesized USNPs had a size range between 2 and 7 nm and exhibited excellent catalytic performance in dye decomposition. The results of this work shine lights on the use of EABs in nanoparticle synthesis.

Electrochemical fabrication of Sn nanowires on titania nanotube guide layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djenizian, Thierry; Hanzu, Ilie; Premchand, Yesudas D; Vacandio, Florence; Knauth, Philippe

2008-01-01

We describe a novel approach for the fabrication of tailored nanowires using a two-step electrochemical process. It is demonstrated that self-organized TiO 2 nanotubes can be used to activate and guide the electrochemical growth of Sn crystallites, leading to the formation of vertical features with a high aspect ratio. We show that the dimensions and the density of Sn crystallites depend on the electrodeposition parameters

Preparation and electrochemical characterization of polyaniline/activated carbon composites as an electrode material for supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Misoon; Kim, Seok

2012-01-01

Polyaniline (PANI)/activated carbon (AC) composites were prepared by a chemical oxidation polymerization. To find an optimum ratio between PANI and AC which shows superior electrochemical properties, the preparation was carried out in changing the amount of added aniline monomers. The morphology of prepared composites was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The structural and thermal properties were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The electrochemical properties were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Composites showed a summation of capacitances that consisted of two origins. One is double-layer capacitance by ACs and the other is faradic capacitance by redox reaction of PANI. Fiber-like PANIs are coated on the surface of ACs and they contribute to the large surface for redox reaction. The vacancy among fibers provided the better diffusion and accessibility of ion. High capacitances of composites were originated from the network structure having vacancy made by PANI fibers. It was found that the composite prepared with 5 ml of aniline monomer and 0.25 g of AC showed the highest capacitance. Capacitance of 771 F/g was obtained at a scan rate of 5 mV/s.

Electrochemical formation of uranium-zirconium alloy in LiCl-KCl melts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murakami, Tsuyoshi, E-mail: m-tsuyo@criepi.denken.or.j [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Komae-shi, Tokyo 201-8511 (Japan); Kato, Tetsuya; Kurata, Masaki [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Komae-shi, Tokyo 201-8511 (Japan); Yamana, Hajimu [Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494 (Japan)

2009-11-15

Since zirconium is considered an electrochemically active species under practical conditions of the electrorefining process, it is crucial to understand the electrochemical behavior of zirconium in LiCl-KCl melts containing actinide ions. In this study, the electrochemical codeposition of uranium and zirconium on a solid cathode was performed. It was found that the delta-(U, Zr) phase, which is the only intermediate phase of the uranium-zirconium binary alloy system, was deposited on a tantalum substrate by potentiostatic electrolysis at -1.60 V (vs. Ag{sup +}/Ag) in LiCl-KCl melts containing 0.13 in mol% UCl{sub 3} and 0.23 in mol% ZrCl{sub 4} at 773 K. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the electrochemical formation of the delta-(U, Zr) phase. The relative partial molar properties of uranium in the delta-(U, Zr) phase were evaluated by measuring the open-circuit-potentials of the electrochemically prepared delta-phase electrode.

Electrochemical formation of uranium-zirconium alloy in LiCl-KCl melts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Tsuyoshi; Kato, Tetsuya; Kurata, Masaki; Yamana, Hajimu

2009-01-01

Since zirconium is considered an electrochemically active species under practical conditions of the electrorefining process, it is crucial to understand the electrochemical behavior of zirconium in LiCl-KCl melts containing actinide ions. In this study, the electrochemical codeposition of uranium and zirconium on a solid cathode was performed. It was found that the δ-(U, Zr) phase, which is the only intermediate phase of the uranium-zirconium binary alloy system, was deposited on a tantalum substrate by potentiostatic electrolysis at -1.60 V (vs. Ag + /Ag) in LiCl-KCl melts containing 0.13 in mol% UCl 3 and 0.23 in mol% ZrCl 4 at 773 K. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the electrochemical formation of the δ-(U, Zr) phase. The relative partial molar properties of uranium in the δ-(U, Zr) phase were evaluated by measuring the open-circuit-potentials of the electrochemically prepared δ-phase electrode.

Electrochemical and Corrosion Properties of Aluminum Brass in Seawater Desalination Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong JU

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The corrosion behavior and mechanism of aluminum brass (HAl77-2 in seawater desalination plant were investigated using electrochemical measurement, Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX analysis. The electrochemical results revealed that the corrosion of HAl77-2 in the desalination artificial seawater depended on chloride ion concentrations, displaying a maximum with a chloride ion concentration of 2.3 wt.%. Corrosion rate of HAl77-2 initial increased and subsequently decreased with the increasing of chloride ion concentration. Moreover, corrosion of HAl77-2 becomes more severe when temperature rises. The above results obtained by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization tests were in a good agreement. The results of SEM and EDX methods showed selective localized corrosion appeared remarkably on the surface of HAl77-2.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.23.4.17170

Electrochemically active biofilm and photoelectrocatalytic regeneration of the titanium dioxide composite electrode for advanced oxidation in water treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennani, Yasmina; Peters, Marjolein C.F.M.; Appel, Peter W.; Rietveld, Luuk C.

2015-01-01

A novel bio-photoelectrocatalytic system was used to effectively reduce phenol as a model organic pollutant through the utilization of energy derived from bacteria and the use of solar energy for activation of TiO 2 . In such a system, a synergistic effect occurs between the bio-electrochemical and photocatalytic oxidation processes. TiO 2 /Ti composite electrodes were operated with variable biofilm coverage (partially developed biofilm after 6 days and fully developed biofilms after 12, 20 and 40 days at room temperature and pH 7). The study depicted the effectiveness of biofilm formation in enhancing the electron transfer. Kinetic analysis showed that the system exhibited a more rapid phenol degradation at a rate two times higher than rates by individual photo(electro) catalytic and biodegradable methods. Higher current density (8.4 × 10 −2 mAcm −2 ) and phenol removal efficiency of 62% after four hours of irradiation were observed especially with electrochemically active biofilm developed after 20 days. TiO 2 /Ti composite electrode. After the additional application of cleaning process, the TiO 2 /Ti composite electrode could be used several times with nearly the same efficiency, leading to decrease in the final cost of the treatment process.

Electrochemical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Hun

2007-02-01

This book explains potentiometry, voltametry, amperometry and basic conception of conductometry with eleven chapters. It gives the specific descriptions on electrochemical cell and its mode, basic conception of electrochemical analysis on oxidation-reduction reaction, standard electrode potential, formal potential, faradaic current and faradaic process, mass transfer and overvoltage, potentiometry and indirect potentiometry, polarography with TAST, normal pulse and deferential pulse, voltammetry, conductometry and conductometric titration.

Preparation of activated carbon hollow fibers from ramie at low temperature for electric double-layer capacitor applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xuan; Zhao, Wei; Wang, Yi; Wang, Chengyang; Chen, Mingming; Qi, Tao; Hua, Chao; Ma, Mingguo

2013-12-01

Activated carbon hollow fibers (ACHFs) with high surface area were prepared from inexpensive, renewable ramie fibers (RFs) by a single-step activation method under lower temperature than that of other reports. The effects of activation conditions on the pore structure and turbostratic structure of ACHFs were investigated systematically. The results show that ACHFs surface area decreased but micropore volume and conductivity increased as the increase of activation temperature and activation time. The electrochemical measurements of supercapacitors fabricated from these ACHFs electrodes reveal that the electrochemical properties improved with the enhancing of activation degree. However, too high activation temperature can make the ion diffusion resistance increase. It suggests that pore structure and conductivity are as important as surface area to decide the electrochemical performances of ACHFs electrode materials. A maximum capacity of 287 F g(-1) at 50 mA g(-1) was obtained for the ACHFs electrode prepared under suitable conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical characterization of oxide film formed at high temperature on Alloy 690

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abraham, Geogy J., E-mail: gja@barc.gov.in [Materials Science Division, BARC, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Bhambroo, Rajan [Deptt. of Metallurgical Engg. and Mat. Sci., IIT Bombay, Mumbai 400 076 (India); Kain, V. [Materials Science Division, BARC, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Shekhar, R. [CCCM, BARC, Hyderabad 500 062 (India); Dey, G.K. [Materials Science Division, BARC, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Raja, V.S. [Deptt. of Metallurgical Engg. and Mat. Sci., IIT Bombay, Mumbai 400 076 (India)

2012-02-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer GD-QMS studies of high temperature oxide film formed on Alloy 690. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Defect density reduced with increase in temperature. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electrochemical behaviour of oxide film correlated to the Cr-content in oxide. - Abstract: High temperature passivation studies on Alloy 690 were carried out in lithiated water at 250 Degree-Sign C, 275 Degree-Sign C and 300 Degree-Sign C for 72 h. The passive films were characterized by glow discharge-quadrupole mass spectroscopy (GD-QMS) for compositional variation across the depth and micro laser Raman spectroscopy for oxide composition on the surface. The defect density in the oxide films was established from the Mott-Schottky analysis using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Electrochemical experiments at room temperature in chloride medium revealed best passivity behaviour by the oxide film formed at 300 Degree-Sign C for 72 h. The electrochemical studies were correlated to the chromium (and oxygen) content of the oxide films. Autoclaving at 300 Degree-Sign C resulted in the best passive film formation on Alloy 690 in lithiated water.

Microfabricated Electrochemical Cell-Based Biosensors for Analysis of Living Cells In Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Wang

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Cellular biochemical parameters can be used to reveal the physiological and functional information of various cells. Due to demonstrated high accuracy and non-invasiveness, electrochemical detection methods have been used for cell-based investigation. When combined with improved biosensor design and advanced measurement systems, the on-line biochemical analysis of living cells in vitro has been applied for biological mechanism study, drug screening and even environmental monitoring. In recent decades, new types of miniaturized electrochemical biosensor are emerging with the development of microfabrication technology. This review aims to give an overview of the microfabricated electrochemical cell-based biosensors, such as microelectrode arrays (MEA, the electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS technique, and the light addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS. The details in their working principles, measurement systems, and applications in cell monitoring are covered. Driven by the need for high throughput and multi-parameter detection proposed by biomedicine, the development trends of electrochemical cell-based biosensors are also introduced, including newly developed integrated biosensors, and the application of nanotechnology and microfluidic technology.

Fabrication of high-aspect-ratio microgrooves using an electrochemical discharge micromilling process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Min-Seop; Chae, Ki Woon; Min, Byung-Kwon

2017-01-01

In this study, we created high-aspect-ratio microgrooves in hard, brittle materials using an electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) process by introducing microtextured machining tool. To enhance the electrical discharge activity, the morphology of the tool side surface was treated via micro-electrical discharge machining to produce fine microprotrusive patterns. The resulting microtextured surface morphology enhanced the electric field and played a key role in improving the step milling depth in the ECDM process. Using the FEM analysis, the evaluation of the field enhancement factor is also addressed. Our experimental investigation revealed microgrooves having an aspect ratio of 1:4, with high geometric accuracy and crack-free surfaces, using one-step ECDM. (paper)

Investigation on the electrochemical activation process of Li1.20Ni0.32Co0.004Mn0.476O2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daichun Tang

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The lithium-rich layered oxides are one of the most attractive cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Here, two types of Li1.20Ni0.32Co0.004Mn0.476O2 were synthesized using Li2CO3 and LiOH as lithium sources. An electrochemical activation process occurs in Li1.2Ni0.32Co0.004Mn0.476O2 prepared from Li2CO3 (LLO-1, while no obvious activation in Li1.2Ni0.32Co0.004Mn0.476O2 prepared from LiOH (LLO-2 is observed. Via advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM, we found that Li2MnO3-like structure is rich in the surface region of LLO-2. The study provides a direct explanation for the electrochemical activation of lithium-rich materials. The sample with more LiMO2-like phase at the surface region shows a better cycling performance. It is likely that more LiMO2-like phase at the surface region could stabilize the interface and improve the cycling performance of the Li-rich cathode materials.

Electrochemical aspects of microbiologically influenced corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Licina, G.J.

1989-01-01

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is a topic that has gained considerable interest over the past decade, particularly in the oil production and nuclear power generation industries. Failures of stainless steels and copper-nickel alloys under conditions that would not be expected to be at all demanding such as during lay-up have been observed as a result of MIC. Failures in the time period between system construction and its operation are often associated with biological activity. Finally, MIC is generally associated with normally stagnant systems or systems which experience intermittent flow conditions. The diverse and redundant design philosophy of nuclear plants necessitates that a large number of systems are operated in this manner. Some of these systems are safety related while still others support safety related systems. As a result, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and all nuclear utilities have become increasingly concerned with MIC. The purpose of this workshop is to provide a review of the most current technology related to the fundamental aspects of microbiologically influenced corrosion, its diagnosis, and its control. This paper reviews how microbes can influence the electrochemical processes that influence and often control corrosion; ways that these processes (hence, MIC) may be monitored; and electrochemical methods for their control. Examples of the influence of microbiological activity on anodic and cathodic reactions on steels, stainless steels, and copper based alloys in both aerated and dearated environments are provided since the electrochemical effects can be significantly different for each combination. 45 refs

Catalytic and electrochemical behaviour of solid oxide fuel cell operated with simulated-biogas mixtures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dang-Long, T., E-mail: 3TE14098G@kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Hydrogen Energy Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University Motooka 744, Nishiku, Fukuoka, 810-0395 (Japan); Quang-Tuyen, T., E-mail: tran.tuyen.quang.314@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp [International Research Center for Hydrogen Energy, Kyushu University Motooka 744, Nishiku, Fukuoka, 810-0395 (Japan); Shiratori, Y., E-mail: shiratori.yusuke.500@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Hydrogen Energy Systems, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University Motooka 744, Nishiku, Fukuoka, 810-0395 (Japan); International Research Center for Hydrogen Energy, Kyushu University Motooka 744, Nishiku, Fukuoka, 810-0395 (Japan)

2016-06-03

Being produced from organic matters of wastes (bio-wastes) through a fermentation process, biogas mainly composed of CH{sub 4} and CO{sub 2} and can be considered as a secondary energy carrier derived from solar energy. To generate electricity from biogas through the electrochemical process in fuel cells is a state-of-the-art technology possessing higher energy conversion efficiency without harmful emissions compared to combustion process in heat engines. Getting benefits from high operating temperature such as direct internal reforming ability and activation of electrochemical reactions to increase overall system efficiency, solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system operated with biogas becomes a promising candidate for distributed power generator for rural applications leading to reductions of environmental issues caused by greenhouse effects and bio-wastes. CO{sub 2} reforming of CH{sub 4} and electrochemical oxidation of the produced syngas (H{sub 2}–CO mixture) are two main reaction processes within porous anode material of SOFC. Here catalytic and electrochemical behavior of Ni-ScSZ (scandia stabilized-zirconia) anode in the feed of CH{sub 4}–CO{sub 2} mixtures as simulated-biogas at 800 °C were evaluated. The results showed that CO{sub 2} had strong influences on both reaction processes. The increase in CO{sub 2} partial pressure resulted in the decrease in anode overvoltage, although open-circuit voltage was dropped. Besides that, the simulation result based on a power-law model for equimolar CH{sub 4}−CO{sub 2} mixture revealed that coking hazard could be suppressed along the fuel flow channel in both open-circuit and closed-circuit conditions.

Engineering the bioelectrochemical interface using functional nanomaterials and microchip technique toward sensitive and portable electrochemical biosensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Xiaofang; Dong, Shaojun; Wang, Erkang

2016-02-15

Electrochemical biosensors have played active roles at the forefront of bioanalysis because they have the potential to achieve sensitive, specific and low-cost detection of biomolecules and many others. Engineering the electrochemical sensing interface with functional nanomaterials leads to novel electrochemical biosensors with improved performances in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, stability and simplicity. Functional nanomaterials possess good conductivity, catalytic activity, biocompatibility and high surface area. Coupled with bio-recognition elements, these features can amplify signal transduction and biorecognition events, resulting in highly sensitive biosensing. Additionally, microfluidic electrochemical biosensors have attracted considerable attention on account of their miniature, portable and low-cost systems as well as high fabrication throughput and ease of scaleup. For example, electrochemical enzymetic biosensors and aptamer biosensors (aptasensors) based on the integrated microchip can be used for portable point-of-care diagnostics and environmental monitoring. This review is a summary of our recent progress in the field of electrochemical biosensors, including aptasensors, cytosensors, enzymatic biosensors and self-powered biosensors based on biofuel cells. We presented the advantages that functional nanomaterials and microfluidic chip technology bring to the electrochemical biosensors, together with future prospects and possible challenges. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

One-pot hydrothermal synthesis, characterization and electrochemical properties of CuS nanoparticles towards supercapacitor applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnamoorthy, Karthikeyan; Rao, Alluri Nagamalleswara; Jae Kim, Sang; Kumar Veerasubramani, Ganesh

2014-01-01

In this article, we have investigated the electrochemical properties of CuS nanoparticles for supercapacitor applications. The CuS nanoparticles are prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal approach using copper nitrate and thiourea as starting materials. The x-ray diffraction study revealed the formation of covellite CuS. The field-emission scanning electron microscope studies suggested the formation of cubic shaped CuS nanoparticles. The electrochemical studies such as cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed the pseudocapacitive nature of the CuS electrodes. The CuS electrode shows a specific capacitance of about 101.34 F g −1 from the cyclic voltammetry at a scan rate of 5 mV s −1 . The electrochemical impedance spectra analyzed using Nyquist plot confirmed the pseudocapacitive behavior of the CuS electrodes. (paper)

Mine Waste Technology Program Electrochemical Tailings Cover

Science.gov (United States)

This report summarizes the results of Mine Waste Technology Program (MWTP) Activity III, Project 40, Electrochemical Tailings Cover, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and jointly administered by EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). MSE Technology A...

Enzyme-Free Electrochemical Glucose Sensors Prepared by Dealloying Pd-Ni-P Metallic Glasses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuqiao Zeng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We report the formation of enzyme-free electrochemical glucose sensors by electrochemical dealloying palladium-containing Pd-Ni-P metallic glasses. When metallic glasses with different Pd contents are used as the dealloying precursor alloys, palladium-based nanoporous metals with different ligament and pore sizes can be obtained. The chemical compositions of the nanoporous metals also vary according to the different precursor compositions. All the as-obtained nanoporous metals exhibit electrochemical catalytic activity towards the oxidation of d-glucose, indicating that the nanoporous metals prepared by dealloying the Pd-Ni-P metallic glasses are promising materials for enzyme-free electrochemical glucose sensor.

Effect of uniaxial stress on the electrochemical properties of graphene with point defects

Science.gov (United States)

Szroeder, Paweł; Sagalianov, Igor Yu.; Radchenko, Taras M.; Tatarenko, Valentyn A.; Prylutskyy, Yuriy I.; Strupiński, Włodzimierz

2018-06-01

We report a calculational study of electron states and the resulting electrochemical properties of uniaxially strained graphene with point defects. For this study the reduction of ferricyanide to ferrocyanide serves as a benchmark electrochemical reaction. We find that the heterogeneous electron transfer activity of the perfect graphene electrode rises under uniaxial strain. However, evolution of the cathodic reaction rate depends on the direction of strain. For moderate lattice deformations, the zigzag strain improves electrochemical performance better than the armchair strain. Standard rate constant increases by 50% at the zigzag strain of 10%. Vacancies, covalently bonded moieties, charged adatoms and substitutional impurities in the zigzag strained graphene induce changes in the shape of the curve of the cathodic reaction rate. However, this changes do not translate into the electrocatalytic activity. Vacancies and covalently bonded moieties at concentration of 0.1% do not affect the electrochemical performance. Charged adatoms and substitutional impurities give a slight increase in the standard rate constant by, respectively, 2.2% and 3.4%.

Antioxidant activities and radical scavenging activities of flavonoids studied by the electrochemical methods and ESR technique based on the novel paramagnetic properties of poly(aniline-co-5-aminosalicylic acid)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Yifei; Mu, Shaolin

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: ESR spectra of the PAASA/RGO/graphite electrodes: (1) in the buffer solution consisting of 0.20 M phosphate and methanol (80: 20, v/v), (2) in the buffer solutions containing 150 μM of (+)-catechin. -- Abstract: Four kinds of flavonoid, viz. flavanone naringenin, Flavone apigenin, flavonol kaempferol, and flavanol (+)-catechin, are used to investigate their antioxidant and radical scavenging activitis in the water-methanol solution of pH 6.3, using the electrochemical methods and electron spin resonance (ESR) technique. Poly(aniline-co-5-aminosalicylic acid) (PAASA) is first used as a radical source that was polymerized on a reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/glassy carbon (GC) disk or on the RGO/graphite fiber electrode. The assessment of the antioxidant activities is performed using both cyclic voltammetry and the open circuit potential measurement. On the basis of results from both electrochemical mathods, the order of the antioxidant actitvities of flavonoids is as follows: (+)-catechin > kaempferol > apigenin > naringenin However, the difference in the antioxidant activities between naringenin and apigenin is very small. On the basis of the ESR signal intensities of PAASA, the order of the radical scavenging activities of flavonoids is in good agreement with that of the above antioxdant activities.Three oxidation peaks on the cyclic voltammograms of (+)-catechin are first detected, which gives us a deep insight into the oxidation mechanism of (+)-catechin

Evaluation of Antioxidant Activities of Some Small Fruits Containing Anthocyanins Using Electrochemical and Chemical Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adina Căta

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to estimate the antioxidant capacity of some fruits extracts containing anthocyanins (strawberry, raspberry, elderberry, mulberry, blackberry, bilberry, black and red currant using an electrochemical technique and three classical chemical methods based on reaction between antioxidants and a chromogen compound. evaluation of antioxidant activities of extracts was performed by using FRAP (ferric reducing/antioxidant capacity, ABTS (2,2’-azinobis[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate] and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assays. Antioxidant activities of the extracts were correlated with their content of monomeric anthocyanins and total phenolics. Good correlations were obtained especially between antioxidant activities and total phenolics content. Cyclic voltammetry was used for the evaluation of overall reducing capacity of the extracts using a glassy carbon electrode. Reducing capacity of selected fruits extracts was assessed based on the half-peak potential (E1/2 of the first oxidation peak. The oxidation potentials characterized by E1/2 value were not correlated with the antioxidant activities evaluated by the classical methods. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Characterization of the activity of ultrasound emitted in a perpendicular liquid flow using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and electrochemical mass transfer measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Barthès, Magali; Mazue, Gerald; Bonnet, Dimitri; Viennet, Remy; Hihn, Jean-Yves; Bailly, Yannick

2015-05-01

The present work is dedicated to the study of the interactions between a liquid circulation and a perpendicular acoustic wave propagation. A specific experimental setup was designed to study one transducer operating at 20 kHz, with the help of electrochemical mass transfer measurements combined with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) determination. Electrodes were located on the wall opposite to the acoustic emission. Experiments were performed for various Reynolds numbers: from 0 to 21700 (different liquid flow rates and viscosities). Both PIV and electrochemical measurements methods were found to be relevant, and had delivered complementary information. Even if PIV showed that the plume due to streaming was highly deflected by the additional flow, electrochemical measurements showed that there was still an activity, higher than in silent conditions, on the wall facing the transducer. Thus the ultrasound contribution remained noticeable on the surface opposite to the transducer even for a disturbed hydrodynamic environment due to the presence of a liquid circulation perpendicular to the wave propagation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultra-nanocrystalline diamond nanowires with enhanced electrochemical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shalini, Jayakumar; Lin, Yi-Chieh; Chang, Ting-Hsun; Sankaran, Kamatchi Jothiramalingam; Chen, Huang-Chin; Lin, I.-Nan; Lee, Chi-Young; Tai, Nyan-Hwa

2013-01-01

The effects of N 2 incorporation in Ar/CH 4 plasma on the electrochemical properties and microstructure of ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) films are reported. While the electrical conductivity of the films increased monotonously with increasing N 2 content (up to 25%) in the plasma, the electrochemical behavior was optimized for UNCD films grown in (Ar–10% N 2 )/CH 4 plasma. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the main factor resulting in high conductivity in the films was the formation of needle-like nanodiamond grains and the induction graphite layer encapsulating these grains. The electrochemical process for N 2 -incorporated UNCD films can readily be activated due to the presence of nanographite along the grain boundaries of the films. The formation of needle-like diamond grains was presumably due to the presence of CN species that adhered to the existing nanodiamond clusters, which suppressed radial growth of the nanodiamond crystals, promoting anisotropic growth and the formation of needle-like nanodiamond. The N 2 -incorporated UNCD films outperformed other electrochemical electrode materials, such as boron-doped diamond and glassy carbon, in that the UNCD electrodes could sense dopamine, urea, and ascorbic acid simultaneously in the same mixture with clear resolution

Electrochemically assisted deposition of strontium modified magnesium phosphate on titanium surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meininger, M.; Wolf-Brandstetter, C.; Zerweck, J.; Wenninger, F.; Gbureck, U.; Groll, J.; Moseke, C.

2016-01-01

Electrochemically assisted deposition was utilized to produce ceramic coatings on the basis of magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) on corundum-blasted titanium surfaces. By the addition of defined concentrations of strontium nitrate to the coating electrolyte Sr 2+ ions were successfully incorporated into the struvite matrix. By variation of deposition parameters it was possible to fabricate coatings with different kinetics of Sr 2+ into physiological media, whereas the release of therapeutically relevant strontium doses could be sustained over several weeks. Morphological and crystallographic examinations of the immersed coatings revealed that the degradation of struvite and the release of Sr 2+ ions were accompanied by a transformation of the coating to a calcium phosphate based phase similar to low-crystalline hydroxyapatite. These findings showed that strontium doped struvite coatings may provide a promising degradable coating system for the local application of strontium or other biologically active metal ions in the implant–bone interface. - Highlights: • Sr-doped struvite coatings have been deposited on titanium by electrochemically assisted deposition. • Sr content can be adjusted by means of process time, current density and pulse mode. • Sr-doped coatings release therapeutically relevant Sr doses in physiological media for several weeks. • During immersion in physiological media Sr-doped struvite coatings transform into a low crystalline calcium phosphate phase.

Soft landing of bare PtRu nanoparticles for electrochemical reduction of oxygen.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Grant E; Colby, Robert; Engelhard, Mark; Moon, Daewon; Laskin, Julia

2015-08-07

Magnetron sputtering of two independent Pt and Ru targets coupled with inert gas aggregation in a modified commercial source has been combined with soft landing of mass-selected ions to prepare bare 4.5 nm diameter PtRu nanoparticles on glassy carbon electrodes with controlled size and morphology for electrochemical reduction of oxygen in solution. Employing atomic force microscopy (AFM) it is shown that the nanoparticles bind randomly to the glassy carbon electrode at a relatively low coverage of 7 × 10(4) ions μm(-2) and that their average height is centered at 4.5 nm. Scanning transmission electron microscopy images obtained in the high-angle annular dark field mode (HAADF-STEM) further confirm that the soft-landed PtRu nanoparticles are uniform in size. Wide-area scans of the electrodes using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal the presence of both Pt and Ru in atomic concentrations of ∼9% and ∼33%, respectively. Deconvolution of the high energy resolution XPS spectra in the Pt 4f and Ru 3d regions indicates the presence of both oxidized Pt and Ru. The substantially higher loading of Ru compared to Pt and enrichment of Pt at the surface of the nanoparticles is confirmed by wide-area analysis of the electrodes using time-of-flight medium energy ion scattering (TOF-MEIS) employing both 80 keV He(+) and O(+) ions. The activity of electrodes containing 7 × 10(4) ions μm(-2) of bare 4.5 nm PtRu nanoparticles toward the electrochemical reduction of oxygen was evaluated employing cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 0.1 M HClO4 and 0.5 M H2SO4 solutions. In both electrolytes a pronounced reduction peak was observed during O2 purging of the solution that was not evident during purging with Ar. Repeated electrochemical cycling of the electrodes revealed little evolution in the shape or position of the voltammograms indicating high stability of the nanoparticles supported on glassy carbon. The reproducibility of the nanoparticle synthesis and deposition was

A Novel of Multi-wall Carbon Nanotubes/Chitosan Electrochemical Sensor for Determination of Cupric ion

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Funeng; Li, Lei

2018-03-01

A multi-wall carbon nanotubes/Chitosan electrochemical sensor had been fabricated by dropping CHS/MWNT solution directly onto the GC surface. The sensor was charactered by cyclic voltammetry and AC impedance with K3Fe(CN)6 as a electrochemical probe; Cyclic voltammograms(CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) indicated that the active area and electrochemical behavior of the sensor increased and improved significantly after the electrode was modified by carbon nanotubes dispersed by the chitosan. The sensor showed good electrocatalytic activity of K3Fe(CN)6. Also, from the cyclic voltammograms, we can see the process was diffusion controlled on the bare electrode and kinetics and diffusion controlled on the modified electrode. Finally Cu2+ responsed sensitively at the sensor which supplied a new method for the detection of Cu2+.

Graphene-Paper Based Electrochemical Sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Minwei; Halder, Arnab; Cao, Xianyi

2017-01-01

in electrochemical sensors and energy technologies amongothers. In this chapter, we present some examples to overview recent advances in theresearch and development of two-dimensional (2D) graphene papers as new materialsfor electrochemical sensors. The chapter covers the design, fabrication, functionalizationand...... functionalization ofgraphene papers with polymer and nanoscale functional building blocks for electrochemical-sensing purposes. In terms of electrochemical-sensing applications, the emphasis ison enzyme-graphene and nanoparticle-graphene paper-based systems for the detectionof glucose. We finally conclude...

Layered double hydroxide materials coated carbon electrode: New challenge to future electrochemical power devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Djebbi, Mohamed Amine; Braiek, Mohamed; Namour, Philippe; Ben Haj Amara, Abdesslem; Jaffrezic-Renault, Nicole

2016-01-01

Highlights: • MgAl and ZnAl LDH nanosheets were chemically synthesized and deposited over carbon electrode materials. • Catalytic performance of both LDHs was investigated for Fe(II) reduction reaction. • Satisfactory results have been achieved with the MgAl LDH material. • MgAl and ZnAl LDH modified carbon felt were applied in MFC as an efficient anode catalyst. • The LDH-modified anode significantly increased power performance of MFC. - Abstract: Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been widely used in the past years due to their unique physicochemical properties and promising applications in electroanalytical chemistry. The present paper is going to focus exclusively on magnesium-aluminum and zinc-aluminum layered double hydroxides (MgAl & ZnAl LDHs) in order to investigate the property and structure of active cation sites located within the layer structure. The MgAl and ZnAl LDH nanosheets were prepared by the constant pH co-precipitation method and uniformly supported on carbon-based electrode materials to fabricate an LDH electrode. Characterization by powder x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed the LDH form and well-crystallized materials. Wetting surface properties (hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity) of both prepared LDHs were recorded by contact angle measurement show hydrophilic character and basic property. The electrochemical performance of these hybrid materials was investigated by mainly cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry techniques to identify the oxidation/reduction processes at the electrode/electrolyte interface and the effect of the divalent metal cations in total reactivity. The hierarchy of the modified electrode proves that the electronic conductivity of the bulk material is considerably dependent on the divalent cation and affects the limiting parameter of the overall redox process. However

Layered double hydroxide materials coated carbon electrode: New challenge to future electrochemical power devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Djebbi, Mohamed Amine, E-mail: mohamed.djebbi@etu.univ-lyon1.fr [Institut des Sciences Analytiques UMR CNRS 5280, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne (France); Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux Lamellaires et Nano-Matériaux Hybrides, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, 7021 Bizerte (Tunisia); Braiek, Mohamed [Institut des Sciences Analytiques UMR CNRS 5280, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne (France); Namour, Philippe [Institut des Sciences Analytiques UMR CNRS 5280, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne (France); Irstea, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne (France); Ben Haj Amara, Abdesslem [Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux Lamellaires et Nano-Matériaux Hybrides, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, 7021 Bizerte (Tunisia); Jaffrezic-Renault, Nicole [Institut des Sciences Analytiques UMR CNRS 5280, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne (France)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • MgAl and ZnAl LDH nanosheets were chemically synthesized and deposited over carbon electrode materials. • Catalytic performance of both LDHs was investigated for Fe(II) reduction reaction. • Satisfactory results have been achieved with the MgAl LDH material. • MgAl and ZnAl LDH modified carbon felt were applied in MFC as an efficient anode catalyst. • The LDH-modified anode significantly increased power performance of MFC. - Abstract: Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been widely used in the past years due to their unique physicochemical properties and promising applications in electroanalytical chemistry. The present paper is going to focus exclusively on magnesium-aluminum and zinc-aluminum layered double hydroxides (MgAl & ZnAl LDHs) in order to investigate the property and structure of active cation sites located within the layer structure. The MgAl and ZnAl LDH nanosheets were prepared by the constant pH co-precipitation method and uniformly supported on carbon-based electrode materials to fabricate an LDH electrode. Characterization by powder x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed the LDH form and well-crystallized materials. Wetting surface properties (hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity) of both prepared LDHs were recorded by contact angle measurement show hydrophilic character and basic property. The electrochemical performance of these hybrid materials was investigated by mainly cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry techniques to identify the oxidation/reduction processes at the electrode/electrolyte interface and the effect of the divalent metal cations in total reactivity. The hierarchy of the modified electrode proves that the electronic conductivity of the bulk material is considerably dependent on the divalent cation and affects the limiting parameter of the overall redox process. However

Active counter electrode in a-SiC electrochemical metallization memory

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, K. A.; Fan, J.; Huang, R.; Zhong, L.; Gowers, R.; Ou, J. Y.; Jiang, L.; De Groot, C. H.

2017-08-01

Cu/amorphous-SiC (a-SiC) electrochemical metallization memory cells have been fabricated with two different counter electrode (CE) materials, W and Au, in order to investigate the role of CEs in a non-oxide semiconductor switching matrix. In a positive bipolar regime with Cu filaments forming and rupturing, the CE influences the OFF state resistance and minimum current compliance. Nevertheless, a similarity in SET kinetics is seen for both CEs, which differs from previously published SiO2 memories, confirming that CE effects are dependent on the switching layer material or type. Both a-SiC memories are able to switch in the negative bipolar regime, indicating Au and W filaments. This confirms that CEs can play an active role in a non-oxide semiconducting switching matrix, such as a-SiC. By comparing both Au and W CEs, this work shows that W is superior in terms of a higher R OFF/R ON ratio, along with the ability to switch at lower current compliances making it a favourable material for future low energy applications. With its CMOS compatibility, a-SiC/W is an excellent choice for future resistive memory applications.

Addition of nitrite enhances the electrochemical defluorination of 2-fluoroaniline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Huajun; Liang, Yuxiang; Guo, Kun; Long, Yuyang; Cong, Yanqing; Shen, Dongsheng

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A method for improving defluorination performance by in situ self-assembly of pollutants was developed. • The mechanisms of 2-FA modification and defluorination are discussed. • Positively-charged diazonium salt is used to weaken the C–F bond. - Abstract: This study introduces a novel approach that uses the interaction of pollutants with added nitrite to produce diazonium salts, which cause in situ self-assembly of the pollutants on carbon electrodes, to improve their 2-fluoroaniline (2-FA) defluorination and removal performance. The 2-FA degradation performance, electrode properties, electrochemical properties and degradation pathway were investigated. The reactor containing NO_2"− achieved a 2-FA removal efficiency of 90.1% and a defluorination efficiency of 38% within 48 h, 1.4 and 2.3 times higher than the corresponding results achieved without NO_2"−, respectively. The residual NO_2"− was less than 0.5 mg/L in the reactor containing added NO_2"−, which would not cause serious secondary pollution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results proved that the carbon anode surface was successfully modified with benzene polymer, and electrochemical tests confirmed that the electrochemical activity of the modified anode was enhanced significantly. The C–F bond was weakened by the effect of the positive charge of the benzenediazonium groups, and the high electrochemical activity of the carbon anode enhanced the electrochemical performance of the system to accelerate defluorination. Thus, the present electrical method involving nitrite nitrogen is very promising for the treatment of wastewater containing fluoroaniline compounds.

Effect of oxygen implantation on the electrochemical properties of palladium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujihana, T.; Ueshima, M.; Takahashi, K.; Iwaki, M.

1995-01-01

Hydrogen presence in metals has significant effects on their properties. A stress caused by hydrogen migration leads to cracks in metals. The suppression of hydrogen incorporation for the protection of such hydrogen embrittlement is one of the most important subjects for industrial engineering. In contrast, the development of active materials for hydrogen absorption and desorption reactions is expected to make a potable storage of hydrogen which is clean and virtually inexhaustible fuel. The electrochemical properties of O + -implanted Pd measured by cyclic voltammetry in a 0.25 mol dm -3 H 2 SO 4 solution were investigated in relation to their composition and structure. Implantation of 16 O + was performed with doses between 10 17 and 10 18 ions cm -2 at 150 keV, and at nearly room temperature. SIMS, ERD combined with RBS, and XRD were used to analyze the composition depth profile and structure of O + -implanted Pd surface layers. The H atoms were accumulated with a gaussian distribution and carbon materials containing the solid solution of PdCx (x = 0.13--0.15) were also formed in the near surface layers during O + -implantation. The distribution of implanted oxygen changed from gaussian to trapezoidal as the dose increased, accompanied by the crystal growth of Pd(OH) 2 , and simultaneously, the amount of accumulated H atoms increased. The voltammetric measurements revealed that with an increase in the dose, the hydrogen absorption was suppressed at the early stage of sweep cycles, and at the final stage, the redox reaction of both hydrogen and Pd was activated. From these results, the authors propose that the carbon materials containing the PdCx formed during O + -implantation suppress the hydrogen absorption, and the metallic Pd like a Pd-black formed by the reduction of Pd(OH) 2 during voltammetric measurements causes the electrochemical activation of O + -implanted Pd

Use of electrochemically activated aqueous solutions in the manufacture of fur materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Danylkovych, Anatoliy G; Lishchuk, Viktor I; Romaniuk, Oksana O

2016-01-01

The influence of characteristics of electrochemically activated aqueous processing mediums in the treatment of fur skins with different contents of fatty substances was investigated. The use of electroactive water, namely anolytes and catholytes, forgoing antiseptics or surface-active materials, helped to restore the hydration of fur skins and to remove from them soluble proteins, carbohydrates and fatty substances. The activating effect of anolyte and catholyte in solutions of water on the processes of treating raw furs is explained by their special physical and chemical properties, namely the presence of free radicals, ions and molecules of water which easily penetrate cells' membranes and into the structure of non-collagen components and microfiber structure of dermic collagen. The stage of lengthy acid and salt treatment is excluded from the technical treatment as a result of using electroactivated water with high oxidizing power. A low-cost technology of processing different kinds of fur with the use of electroactivated water provides for substantial economy of water and chemical reagents, a two to threefold acceleration of the soaking and tanning processes and creation of highly elastic fur materials with a specified set of physical and chemical properties. At the same time the technology of preparatory processes of fur treatment excludes the use of such toxic antiseptics as formalin and sodium silicofluoride, which gives grounds to regard it as ecologically safe.

Green synthesis of cobalt (II, III) oxide nanoparticles using Moringa Oleifera natural extract as high electrochemical electrode for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Matinise, N.; Mayedwa, N.; Fuku, X. G.; Mongwaketsi, N.; Maaza, M.

2018-05-01

The research work involved the development of a better, inexpensive, reliable, easily and accurate way for the fabrication of Cobalt (II, III) oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles through a green synthetic method using Moringa Oleifera extract. The electrochemical activity, crystalline structure, morphology, isothermal behaviour and optical properties of Co3O4 nanoparticles were studied using various characterization techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis confirmed the formation of Co3O4 nanoparticles. The pseudo-capacitor behaviour of spinel Co3O4 nanoparticles on Nickel foam electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3M KOH solution. The CV curve revealed a pairs of redox peaks, indicating the pseudo-capacitive characteristics of the Ni/Co3O4 electrode. EIS results showed a small semicircle and Warburg impedance, indicating that the electrochemical process on the surface electrode is kinetically and diffusion controlled. The charge-discharge results indicating that the specific capacitance Ni/Co3O4 electrode is approximately 1060 F/g at a discharge current density of at 2 A/g.

Influence of fabrication procedure on the electrochemical performance of Ag/AgCl reference electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stoica, Daniela [Department of Biomedical and Inorganic Chemistry, Laboratoire National de Metrologie et d' Essais, 1 Rue Gaston Boissier, 75015 Paris (France); Brewer, Paul J., E-mail: paul.brewer@npl.co.uk [Analytical Science Division, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW (United Kingdom); Brown, Richard J.C. [Analytical Science Division, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW (United Kingdom); Fisicaro, Paola [Department of Biomedical and Inorganic Chemistry, Laboratoire National de Metrologie et d' Essais, 1 Rue Gaston Boissier, 75015 Paris (France)

2011-11-30

The influence of several parameters in the preparation procedure of thermal-electrolytic Ag/AgCl electrodes on the resulting electrode performance has been studied. In particular, we report the effect on electrode performance of subtle variations in the preparation of silver oxide paste used for electrode manufacture, in thermal annealing conditions employed and in the procedure for electrochemically converting a fraction of the electrode from silver to silver chloride. Scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have been used to study the characteristics of the electrodes produced. This work reveals a correlation between the electrochemical behaviour and surface physical characteristics - in particular electrode porosity. The outputs of this study have positive implications for improving the accuracy and comparability of primary pH measurement.

Electrochemical and spectroscopic investigations of the K2SO4-V2O5 molten electrolyte

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Douglas S.; Winnick, Jack; Boghosian, Soghomon

1999-01-01

A 60 mol % K(2)SO(4)J/40 mol % V2O5 molten salt mixture was tested for electrochemical activity to determine its propensity for sulfate transport. Results of cyclic voltammetry showed a high electrochemical activity due likely to the reduction and oxidation of bulk, as opposed to minor, species...

Thermally responsive polymer electrolytes for inherently safe electrochemical energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Jesse C.

Electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs), supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries have emerged as premier candidates to meet the rising demands in energy storage; however, such systems are limited by thermal hazards, thermal runaway, fires and explosions, all of which become increasingly more dangerous in large-format devices. To prevent such scenarios, thermally-responsive polymer electrolytes (RPEs) that alter properties in electrochemical energy storage devices were designed and tested. These RPEs will be used to limit or halt device operation when temperatures increase beyond a predetermined threshold, therefore limiting further heating. The development of these responsive systems will offer an inherent safety mechanism in electrochemical energy storage devices, while preserving the performance, lifetimes, and versatility that large-format systems require. Initial work focused on the development of a model system that demonstrated the concept of RPEs in an electrochemical device. Aqueous electrolyte solutions of polymers exhibiting properties that change in response to temperature were developed for applications in EDLCs and supercapacitors. These "smart materials" provide a means to control electrochemical systems where polymer phase separation at high temperatures affects electrolyte properties and inhibits device performance. Aqueous RPEs were synthesized using N-isopropylacrylamide, which governs the thermal properties, and fractions of acrylic acid or vinyl sulfonic acids, which provide ions to the solution. The molecular properties of these aqueous RPEs, specifically the ionic composition, were shown to influence the temperature-dependent electrolyte properties and the extent to which these electrolytes control the energy storage characteristics of a supercapacitor device. Materials with high ionic content provided the highest room temperature conductivity and electrochemical activity; however, RPEs with low ionic content provided the highest "on

Electrochemical behavior of cysteine at a CuGeO3 nanowires modified glassy carbon electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Yongping; Pei Lizhai; Chu Xiangfeng; Zhang Wangbing; Zhang Qianfeng

2010-01-01

A CuGeO 3 nanowire modified glassy carbon electrode was fabricated and characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveal that electron transfer through nanowire film is facile compared with that of bare glassy carbon electrode. The modified electrode exhibited a novel electrocatalytic behavior to the electrochemical reactions of L-cysteine in neutral solution, which was not reported previously. Two pairs of semi-reversible electrochemical peaks were observed and assigned to the processes of oxidation/reduction and adsorption/desorption of cysteine at the modified electrode, respectively. The electrochemical response of cysteine is poor in alkaline condition and is enhanced greatly in acidic solution, suggesting that hydrogen ions participate in the electrochemical oxidation process of cysteine. The intensities of two anodic peaks varied linearly with the concentration of cysteine in the range of 1 x 10 -6 to 1 x 10 -3 mol L -1 , which make it possible to sensitive detection of cysteine with the CuGeO 3 nanowire modified electrode. Furthermore, the modified electrode exhibited good reproducibility and stability.

Electrochemical force microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalinin, Sergei V.; Jesse, Stephen; Collins, Liam F.; Rodriguez, Brian J.

2017-01-10

A system and method for electrochemical force microscopy are provided. The system and method are based on a multidimensional detection scheme that is sensitive to forces experienced by a biased electrode in a solution. The multidimensional approach allows separation of fast processes, such as double layer charging, and charge relaxation, and slow processes, such as diffusion and faradaic reactions, as well as capturing the bias dependence of the response. The time-resolved and bias measurements can also allow probing both linear (small bias range) and non-linear (large bias range) electrochemical regimes and potentially the de-convolution of charge dynamics and diffusion processes from steric effects and electrochemical reactivity.

Electrosynthesis of Clozapine Drug Derivative via an EC Electrochemical Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esmail Tammari

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The fact that oxidation, as one of the main routes of phase I metabolism of drugs, follows by conjugation reactions, and also formation of nitrenium ion as one of the clozapine oxidation products, directed us to investigate the oxidation of clozapine (CLZ in the presence of nucleophile. The oxidation of clozapine (CLZ has been studied on a glassy carbon electrode in the absence and presence of 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA as nucleophile in aqueous medium by means of cyclic voltammetry and on the graphite rods in controlled-potential coulometry. Cyclic voltammetry studies were realized for CLZ in the pHs 1.0 to 8.0. Results indicate that the electrochemical behavior of CLZ depends on the pH. Based on the obtained electrochemical results, an ECE mechanism was proposed to explain the electrochemical oxidation of CLZ. The results revealed that oxidized CLZ participates in Michael type addition reaction with TBA and via an EC mechanism converts to the corresponding new dibenzodiazepin derivatives. The product has been characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS.

A study of nitroxide polyradical/activated carbon composite as the positive electrode material for electrochemical hybrid capacitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Hui-qiao; Zou, Ying; Xia, Yong-yao [Chemistry Department and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

2007-01-01

We present a new concept of the hybrid electrochemical capacitor technology in which a poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy methacrylate) nitroxide polyradical/activated carbon composite (PTMA-AC) is used as the positive electrode material and activated carbon is used as the negative electrode material. On the positive electrode, both reversible reduction and oxidation of nitroxide polyradical and non-faradic ion sorption/de-sorption of activated carbon are involved during charge and discharge process. The capacity of the composite electrode is 30% larger than that of the pure activated carbon electrode. A hybrid capacitor fabricated by the PTMA-AC composite positive electrode and the activated carbon negative electrode shows a good cycling life, it can be charged/discharged for over 1000 cycles with slight capacity loss. The hybrid capacitor also has a good rate capability, it maintains 80% of the initial capacity even at the high discharge current of up to 20C. (author)

SERS- and Electrochemically Active 3D Plasmonic Liquid Marbles for Molecular-Level Spectroelectrochemical Investigation of Microliter Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Charlynn Sher Lin; Lee, Hiang Kwee; Phan-Quang, Gia Chuong; Han, Xuemei; Lee, Mian Rong; Yang, Zhe; Ling, Xing Yi

2017-07-17

Liquid marbles are emergent microreactors owing to their isolated environment and the flexibility of materials used. Plasmonic liquid marbles (PLMs) are demonstrated as the smallest spectroelectrochemical microliter-scale reactor for concurrent spectro- and electrochemical analyses. The three-dimensional Ag shell of PLMs are exploited as a bifunctional surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platform and working electrode for redox process modulation. The combination of SERS and electrochemistry (EC) capabilities enables in situ molecular read-out of transient electrochemical species, and elucidate the potential-dependent and multi-step reaction dynamics. The 3D configuration of our PLM-based EC-SERS system exhibits 2-fold and 10-fold superior electrochemical and SERS performance than conventional 2D platforms. The rich molecular-level electrochemical insights and excellent EC-SERS capabilities offered by our 3D spectroelectrochemical system are pertinent in charge transfer processes. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrochemical impedance-based DNA sensor using a modified single walled carbon nanotube electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weber, Jessica E. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States); Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Research Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States); Pillai, Shreekumar [Center for NanoBiotechnology Research, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL (United States); Ram, Manoj Kumar, E-mail: mkram@usf.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States); Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Research Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States); Kumar, Ashok [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States); Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Research Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States); Singh, Shree R. [Center for NanoBiotechnology Research, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL (United States)

2011-07-20

Carbon nanotubes have become promising functional materials for the development of advanced electrochemical biosensors with novel features which could promote electron-transfer with various redox active biomolecules. This paper presents the detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium using chemically modified single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with single stranded DNA (ssDNA) on a polished glassy carbon electrode. Hybridization with the corresponding complementary ssDNA has shown a shift in the impedance studies due to a higher charge transfer in ssDNA. The developed biosensor has revealed an excellent specificity for the appropriate targeted DNA strand. The methodologies to prepare and functionalize the electrode could be adopted in the development of DNA hybridization biosensor.

Methanol oxidation reaction on core-shell structured Ruthenium-Palladium nanoparticles: Relationship between structure and electrochemical behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Kübler, Markus; Jurzinsky, Tilman; Ziegenbalg, Dirk; Cremers, Carsten

2018-01-01

In this work the relationship between structural composition and electrochemical characteristics of Palladium(Pd)-Ruthenium(Ru) nanoparticles during alkaline methanol oxidation reaction is investigated. The comparative study of a standard alloyed and a precisely Ru-core-Pd-shell structured catalyst allows for a distinct investigation of the electronic effect and the bifunctional mechanism. Core-shell catalysts benefit from a strong electronic effect and an efficient Pd utilization. It is found that core-shell nanoparticles are highly active towards methanol oxidation reaction for potentials ≥0.6 V, whereas alloyed catalysts show higher current outputs in the lower potential range. However, differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) experiments reveal that the methanol oxidation reaction on core-shell structured catalysts proceeds via the incomplete oxidation pathway yielding formaldehyde, formic acid or methyl formate. Contrary, the alloyed catalyst benefits from the Ru atoms at its surface. Those are found to be responsible for high methanol oxidation activity at lower potentials as well as for complete oxidation of CH3OH to CO2 via the bifunctional mechanism. Based on these findings a new Ru-core-Pd-shell-Ru-terrace catalyst was synthesized, which combines the advantages of the core-shell structure and the alloy. This novel catalyst shows high methanol electrooxidation activity as well as excellent selectivity for the complete oxidation pathway.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Study of a TCAA Derivative – A potential bipolar redox-active material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagemann, Tino; Winsberg, Jan; Wild, Andreas; Schubert, Ulrich S.

2017-01-01

The 2,3,7,8-tetracyano-1,4,5,6,9,10-hexazaanthracene (TCAA) derivatives represent an interesting substance class for future research on organic electronic devices, such as solar cells, organic batteries or redox-flow batteries (RFBs). Because of their multivalent redox behavior they are potentially “bipolar”, usable both as cathode and anode activ charge-storage materials. Furthermore, they show a strong absorption and fluorescence behavior both in solution and solid state, rendering them a promising emitter for electroluminescence devices, like lamps or displays. In order to evaluate a TCAA for electrochemical applications the derivative 2,3,7,8-tetracyano-5,10-diphenyl-5,10-dihydrodipyrazino[2,3-b:2′,3′-e] pyrazine (2) was synthesized in two straightforward synthesis steps. The electrochemical behavior of 2 was initially determined by density functional theory (DFT) calculation and afterwards investigated via rotating disc electrode (RDE), UV–vis–NIR spectroelectrochemical as well as cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. It features a quasi-reversible oxidation and re-reduction at E ½ = 1.42 V vs. Fc + /Fc with a peak split of 96 mV and a quasi-reversible reduction and re-oxidation at E ½ = −1.49 V vs. Fc + /Fc with a peak split of 174 mV, which lead to a theoretical potential difference of 2.91 V.

Materials for electrochemical capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Patrice; Gogotsi, Yury

2008-11-01

Electrochemical capacitors, also called supercapacitors, store energy using either ion adsorption (electrochemical double layer capacitors) or fast surface redox reactions (pseudo-capacitors). They can complement or replace batteries in electrical energy storage and harvesting applications, when high power delivery or uptake is needed. A notable improvement in performance has been achieved through recent advances in understanding charge storage mechanisms and the development of advanced nanostructured materials. The discovery that ion desolvation occurs in pores smaller than the solvated ions has led to higher capacitance for electrochemical double layer capacitors using carbon electrodes with subnanometre pores, and opened the door to designing high-energy density devices using a variety of electrolytes. Combination of pseudo-capacitive nanomaterials, including oxides, nitrides and polymers, with the latest generation of nanostructured lithium electrodes has brought the energy density of electrochemical capacitors closer to that of batteries. The use of carbon nanotubes has further advanced micro-electrochemical capacitors, enabling flexible and adaptable devices to be made. Mathematical modelling and simulation will be the key to success in designing tomorrow's high-energy and high-power devices.

Optimization on electrochemical synthesis of HKUST-1 as candidate catalytic material for Green diesel production

Science.gov (United States)

Lestari, W. W.; Nugraha, R. E.; Winarni, I. D.; Adreane, M.; Rahmawati, F.

2016-04-01

In the effort to support the discovery of new renewable energy sources in Indonesia, biofuel is one of promising options. The conversion of vegetable oil into ready-biofuel, especially green diesel, needs several steps, one of which is a hydrogenation or hydro-deoxygenation reaction. In this case, the catalyst plays a very important role regarding to its activity and selectivity, and Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) becoming a new generation of heterogeneous catalyst in this area. In this research, a preliminary study to optimize electrochemical synthesis of the catalytic material based on MOFs, namely HKUST-1 [Cu3(BTC)2], has been conducted. Some electrochemical reaction parameters were tested, for example by modifying the electrochemical synthetic conditions, i.e. by performing variation of voltages (12, 13, 14, and 15 Volt), temperatures (RT, 40, 60, and 80 °C) and solvents (ethanol, water, methanol and dimethyl-formamide (DMF)). Material characterization was carried out by XRD, SEM, FTIR, DTA/TG and SAA. The results showed that the optimum synthetic conditions of HKUST-1 are performed at room temperature in a solvent combination of water: ethanol (1: 1) and a voltage of 15 Volt for 2 hours. The XRD-analysis revealed that the resulted peaks are identical to the simulated powder pattern generated from single crystal data and comparable to the peaks of solvothermal method. However, the porosity of the resulting material through electrochemical method is still in the range of micro-pore according to IUPAC and 50% smaller than the porosity resulted from solvothermal synthesis. The corresponding compounds are thermally stable until 300 °C according to TG/DTA.

The effect of electrochemical CO annealing on platinum–cobalt nanoparticles in acid medium and their correlation to the oxygen reduction reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciapina, Eduardo G.; Ticianelli, Edson A.

2011-01-01

Highlights: ► Modification of the surface properties of Pt 3 Co/C electrocatalyst. ► Electrochemical CO annealing in acid media generated a Pt-rich surface. ► In situ XAS revealed modifications in the Pt 5d band occupancy after CO annealing. ► The CO-annealed sample exhibited stronger interaction with oxygenated species. ► Increased Pt utilization in the CO-annealed Pt 3 Co/C electrocatalyst. - Abstract: This paper describes a modification of the surface properties of a carbon-supported Pt 3 Co catalyst resulting from an electrochemical cycling treatment in a 0.1 M HClO 4 and in a CO-saturated 0.1 M HClO 4 solution (electrochemical CO-annealing). The procedure generated a Pt-rich surface with electrochemical properties different from that presented by the as-received (untreated) sample. This was evidenced by a shift in the CO stripping peak to more positive potentials in the CO stripping voltammetry, and by an increased charge of H upd region and a modification of the oxide reduction peak observed in the base cyclic voltammogram. In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments conducted in the dispersive mode revealed differences in the electronic 5d band occupancy after the CO annealing, whereas the behavior of the intensity of the white-line as function of the potential for this material approached that found for pure Pt/C nanoparticles, in contrast to the small potential dependence profile exhibited by the as-received Pt 3 Co nanoparticles. Mass activities towards the oxygen reduction reaction measured by rotating disk experiments carried out at 1600 rpm in a O 2 -saturated solution at 25 °C increased from 0.10 A/mg of Pt to 0.19 A/mg of Pt, evidencing the higher Pt utilization in the CO-annealed Pt 3 Co/C electrocatalyst. The origin of the different electrochemical behavior is discussed.

Optical and electrochemical studies of polyaniline/SnO2 fibrous nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manivel, P.; Ramakrishnan, S.; Kothurkar, Nikhil K.; Balamurugan, A.; Ponpandian, N.; Mangalaraj, D.; Viswanathan, C.

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: Fiber with porous like structure of PANI/SnO 2 nanocomposites were prepared by simplest in situ chemical polymerization method. The PL emission spectra revealed that the band from 404 and 436 nm which is related with oxygen vacancies. The excellent electrochemical properties of composite electrode show the specific capacitance of 173 F/g at a scan rate of 25 m V/s. Display Omitted Highlights: ► Self assembled PANI/SnO 2 nanocomposites were synthesized by simple polymerization method. ► Electrochemical behavior of PANI/SnO 2 nanocomposites electrode was analyzed by CV. ► Nanocomposites exhibit a higher specific capacitance of 173 F/g, compared with pure SnO 2 . -- Abstract: Polyaniline (PANI)/tin oxide (SnO 2 ) fibrous nanocomposites were successfully prepared by an in situ chemical polymerization method with suitable conditions. The obtained composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence (PL), electrical conductivity and cyclic voltammetry studies (CV). The XRD pattern of the as-prepared sample shows the presence of tetragonal SnO 2 and the crystalline structure of SnO 2 was not affected with the incorporation of PANI. The FTIR analysis confirms the uniform attachment of PANI on the surface of SnO 2 nanostructures. SEM images show a fibrous agglomerated structure of PANI/SnO 2 . The PL emission spectra revealed that the band from 404 and 436 nm which is related with oxygen vacancies. The electrochemical behavior of the PANI/SnO 2 composite electrode was evaluated in a H 2 SO 4 solution using cyclic voltammetry. The composite electrode exhibited a specific capacitance of 173 F/g at a scan rate 25 mV/s. Thus the as-prepared PANI/SnO 2 composite shows excellent electrochemical properties, suggesting that this composite is a promising material for supercapacitors.

Microwave assisted synthesis of MnO2 on nickel foam-graphene for electrochemical capacitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bello, A.; Fashedemi, O.O.; Fabiane, M.; Lekitima, J.N.; Ozoemena, K.I.; Manyala, N.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Three-dimensional synthesis of graphene using CVD. •Hydrothermal deposition (microwave irradiation) of MnO 2 on graphene. •Morphologies of the composite reveals flower-like nanostructures of MnO 2 on graphene. •Composite exhibit excellent electrochemical performance. -- Abstract: A green chemistry approach (hydrothermal microwave irradiation) has been used to deposit manganese oxide on nickel foam-graphene. The 3D graphene was synthesized using nickel foam template by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM) have been used to characterize structure and surface morphology of the composite, respectively. The Raman spectroscopy measurements on the samples reveal that 3D graphene consists of mostly few layers with low defect density. The composite was tested in a three electrode configuration for electrochemical capacitor, and exhibited a specific capacitance of 305 F g −1 at a current density of 1 A g −1 and showed excellent cycling stability. The obtained results demonstrate that microwave irradiation technique could be a promising approach to synthesis graphene based functional materials for electrochemical applications

Thermal and electrochemical stability of tungsten carbide catalyst supports

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chhina, H. [Ballard Power Systems, 9000 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, BC (Canada); Department of Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Campbell, S. [Ballard Power Systems, 9000 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, BC (Canada); Kesler, O. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada)

2007-02-10

The thermal and electrochemical stability of tungsten carbide (WC), with and without a catalyst dispersed on it, have been investigated to evaluate the potential suitability of the material as an oxidation-resistant catalyst support. Standard techniques currently used to disperse Pt on carbon could not be used to disperse Pt on WC, so an alternative method was developed and used to disperse Pt on both commercially available WC and on carbon for comparison of stability. Electrochemical testing was performed by applying oxidation cycles between +0.6 V and +1.8 V to the support-catalyst material combinations and monitoring the activity of the supported catalyst over 100 oxidation cycles. Comparisons of activity change with cumulative oxidation cycles were made between C and WC supports with comparable loadings of catalyst by weight, solid volume, and powder volume. WC was found to be more thermally and electrochemically stable than currently used carbon support material Vulcan XC-72R. However, further optimization of the particle sizes and dispersion of Pt/WC catalyst/support materials and of comparison standards between new candidate materials and existing carbon-based supports are required. (author)

Anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactor and process for wastewater treatment

KAUST Repository

Amy, Gary; Katuri, Krishna; Werner, Craig; Saikaly, Pascal; Sandoval, Rodrigo Jimenez; Lai, Zhiping; Chen, Wei; Jeon, Sungil

2015-01-01

the electrochemically active microorganisms and the hydrogenotrophic methanogens (for example, the key functional microbial communities, including EAB, methanogens and possible synergistic fermenters) in the vessel. The cathode membrane electrode can be suitable

A critical revisit of the key parameters used to describe microbial electrochemical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Mohita; Bajracharya, Suman; Gildemyn, Sylvia; Patil, Sunil A.; Alvarez-Gallego, Yolanda; Pant, Deepak; Rabaey, Korneel; Dominguez-Benetton, Xochitl

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Abstract: Many microorganisms have the innate capability to discharge and/or receive electrons to and from solid state materials such as electrodes. This ability is now used towards innovative processes in wastewater treatment, power generation, production of fuels and biochemicals, bioremediation, desalination and resource recovery, among others. Despite being a dynamic field in science and technology, significant challenges remain towards industrial implementation which include representation of judicious performance indicators. This critical review outlines the progress in current density evaluated per projected surface area of electrodes, the most wide-spread performance indicator. It also proposes guidelines to correct current and exchange current per porous surface area, biofilm covered area, electrochemically- or bioelectrochemically- active surface area, of the electrodes. Recommendations for indicators to describe the environmental and electrochemical robustness of electrochemically-active biofilms are portrayed, including preservation of the predominant functionality as well as electrochemical mechanistic and phenomenological features. A few additional key elements for industrial processing are depicted. Whereas Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are the main focus, some important parameters for reporting on cathodic bioproduction performance are also discussed. This critical revision aims to provide key parameters to compare the whole spectrum of microbial electrochemical systems in a consistent way

Electrochemically deposited hybrid nickel-cobalt hexacyanoferrate nanostructures for electrochemical supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Safavi, A.; Kazemi, S.H.; Kazemi, H.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Nanostructured hybrid nickel-cobalt hexacyanoferrate is used in supercapacitors. → A high capacitance (765 F g -1 ) is obtained at a specific current of 0.2 A g -1 . → Long cycle-life and excellent stability are demonstrated during 1000 cycles. - Abstract: This study describes the use of electrodeposited nanostructured hybrid nickel-cobalt hexacyanoferrate in electrochemical supercapacitors. Herein, various compositions of nickel and cobalt hexacyanoferrates (Ni/CoHCNFe) nanostructures are electrodeposited on an inexpensive stainless steel substrate using cyclic voltammetric (CV) method. The morphology of the electrodeposited nanostructures is studied using scanning electron microscopy, while their electrochemical characterizations are investigated using CV, galvanostatic charge and discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that the nanostructures of hybrid metal cyanoferrate, shows a much higher capacitance (765 F g -1 ) than those obtained with just nickel hexacyanoferrate (379 F g -1 ) or cobalt hexacyanoferrate (277 F g -1 ). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results confirm the favorable capacitive behavior of the electrodeposited materials. The columbic efficiency is approximately 95% based on the charge and discharge experiments. Long cycle-life and excellent stability of the nanostructured materials are also demonstrated during 1000 cycles.

Electrochemically deposited hybrid nickel-cobalt hexacyanoferrate nanostructures for electrochemical supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Safavi, A., E-mail: safavi@chem.susc.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71454 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nanotechnology Research Institute, Shiraz University, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kazemi, S.H., E-mail: habibkazemi@iasbs.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan 45137-66731 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kazemi, H. [Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71454 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-10-30

Highlights: > Nanostructured hybrid nickel-cobalt hexacyanoferrate is used in supercapacitors. > A high capacitance (765 F g{sup -1}) is obtained at a specific current of 0.2 A g{sup -1}. > Long cycle-life and excellent stability are demonstrated during 1000 cycles. - Abstract: This study describes the use of electrodeposited nanostructured hybrid nickel-cobalt hexacyanoferrate in electrochemical supercapacitors. Herein, various compositions of nickel and cobalt hexacyanoferrates (Ni/CoHCNFe) nanostructures are electrodeposited on an inexpensive stainless steel substrate using cyclic voltammetric (CV) method. The morphology of the electrodeposited nanostructures is studied using scanning electron microscopy, while their electrochemical characterizations are investigated using CV, galvanostatic charge and discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that the nanostructures of hybrid metal cyanoferrate, shows a much higher capacitance (765 F g{sup -1}) than those obtained with just nickel hexacyanoferrate (379 F g{sup -1}) or cobalt hexacyanoferrate (277 F g{sup -1}). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results confirm the favorable capacitive behavior of the electrodeposited materials. The columbic efficiency is approximately 95% based on the charge and discharge experiments. Long cycle-life and excellent stability of the nanostructured materials are also demonstrated during 1000 cycles.

Gold nanoparticle-based electrochemical biosensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pingarron, Jose M.; Yanez-Sedeno, Paloma; Gonzalez-Cortes, Araceli

2008-01-01

The unique properties of gold nanoparticles to provide a suitable microenvironment for biomolecules immobilization retaining their biological activity, and to facilitate electron transfer between the immobilized proteins and electrode surfaces, have led to an intensive use of this nanomaterial for the construction of electrochemical biosensors with enhanced analytical performance with respect to other biosensor designs. Recent advances in this field are reviewed in this article. The advantageous operational characteristics of the biosensing devices designed making use of gold nanoparticles are highlighted with respect to non-nanostructured biosensors and some illustrative examples are commented. Electrochemical enzyme biosensors including those using hybrid materials with carbon nanotubes and polymers, sol-gel matrices, and layer-by-layer architectures are considered. Moreover, electrochemical immunosensors in which gold nanoparticles play a crucial role in the electrode transduction enhancement of the affinity reaction as well as in the efficiency of immunoreagents immobilization in a stable mode are reviewed. Similarly, recent advances in the development of DNA biosensors using gold nanoparticles to improve DNA immobilization on electrode surfaces and as suitable labels to improve detection of hybridization events are considered. Finally, other biosensors designed with gold nanoparticles oriented to electrically contact redox enzymes to electrodes by a reconstitution process and to the study of direct electron transfer between redox proteins and electrode surfaces have also been treated

Gold nanoparticle-based electrochemical biosensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pingarron, Jose M.; Yanez-Sedeno, Paloma; Gonzalez-Cortes, Araceli [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2008-08-01

The unique properties of gold nanoparticles to provide a suitable microenvironment for biomolecules immobilization retaining their biological activity, and to facilitate electron transfer between the immobilized proteins and electrode surfaces, have led to an intensive use of this nanomaterial for the construction of electrochemical biosensors with enhanced analytical performance with respect to other biosensor designs. Recent advances in this field are reviewed in this article. The advantageous operational characteristics of the biosensing devices designed making use of gold nanoparticles are highlighted with respect to non-nanostructured biosensors and some illustrative examples are commented. Electrochemical enzyme biosensors including those using hybrid materials with carbon nanotubes and polymers, sol-gel matrices, and layer-by-layer architectures are considered. Moreover, electrochemical immunosensors in which gold nanoparticles play a crucial role in the electrode transduction enhancement of the affinity reaction as well as in the efficiency of immunoreagents immobilization in a stable mode are reviewed. Similarly, recent advances in the development of DNA biosensors using gold nanoparticles to improve DNA immobilization on electrode surfaces and as suitable labels to improve detection of hybridization events are considered. Finally, other biosensors designed with gold nanoparticles oriented to electrically contact redox enzymes to electrodes by a reconstitution process and to the study of direct electron transfer between redox proteins and electrode surfaces have also been treated. (author)

Preparation of activated carbon from sorghum pith and its structural and electrochemical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Senthilkumar, S.T.; Senthilkumar, B. [Solid State Ionics and Energy Devices Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046 (India); Balaji, S. [Materials Laboratory, Thiagarajar Advanced Research Center, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai 625015 (India); Sanjeeviraja, C. [Department of Physics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630003 (India); Kalai Selvan, R., E-mail: selvankram@buc.edu.in [Solid State Ionics and Energy Devices Laboratory, Department of Physics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046 (India)

2011-03-15

Research highlights: {yields} Sorghum pith as the cost effective raw material for activated carbon preparation. {yields} Physicochemical method/KOH activation for preparation of activated carbon is inexpensive. {yields} Activated carbon having lower surface area surprisingly delivered a higher specific capacitance. {yields} Treated at 500 {sup o}C activated carbon exceeds maximum specific capacitances of 320.6 F/g at 10 mV/s. -- Abstract: The cost effective activated carbon (AC) has been prepared from sorghum pith by NaOH activation at various temperatures, including 300 {sup o}C (AC1), 400 {sup o}C (AC2) and 500 {sup o}C (AC3) for the electrodes in electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) applications. The amorphous nature of the samples has been observed from X-ray diffraction and Raman spectral studies. Subsequently, the surface functional groups, surface morphology, pore diameter and specific surface area have been identified through FT-IR, SEM, histogram and N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption isotherm methods. The electrochemical characterization of AC electrodes has been examined using cyclic voltammetry technique in the potential range of -0.1-1.2 V in 1.0 M H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} electrolyte at different scan rates (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 100 mV/s). The maximum specific capacitances of 320.6 F/g at 10 mV/s and 222.1 F/g at 100 mV/s have been obtained for AC3 electrode when compared with AC1 and AC2 electrodes. Based on the characterization studies, it has been inferred that the activated carbon prepared from sorghum pith may be one of the innovative carbon electrode materials for EDLC applications.

Electrochemical Behavior of Pure Copper in Phosphate Buffer Solutions: A Comparison Between Micro- and Nano-Grained Copper

Science.gov (United States)

Imantalab, O.; Fattah-alhosseini, A.; Keshavarz, M. K.; Mazaheri, Y.

2016-02-01

In this work, electrochemical behavior of annealed (micro-) and nano-grained pure copper (fabricated by accumulative roll bonding process) in phosphate buffer solutions of various pH values ranging from 10.69 to 12.59 has been studied. Before any electrochemical measurements, evaluation of microstructure was obtained by optical microscope and transmission electron microscopy. To investigate the electrochemical behavior of the samples, the potentiodynamic polarization, Mott-Schottky analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were carried out. Potentiodynamic polarization plots and EIS measurements revealed that as a result of grain refinement, the passive behavior of the nano-grained sample was improved compared to that of annealed pure copper. Also, Mott-Schottky analysis indicated that the passive films behaved as p-type semiconductors and grain refinement did not change the semiconductor type of passive films.

Silver-coated LiVPO4F composite with improved electrochemical performance as cathode material for lithium-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bo; Yang, Lin

2015-12-01

Nano-structured LiVPO4F/Ag composite cathode material has been successfully synthesized via a sol-gel route. The structural and physical properties, as well as the electrochemical performance of the material are compared with those of the pristine LiVPO4F. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveal that Ag particles are uniformly dispersed on the surface of LiVPO4F without destroying the crystal structure of the bulk material. An analysis of the electrochemical measurements show that the Ag-modified LiVPO4F material exhibits high discharge capacity, good cycle performance (108.5 mAh g-1 after 50th cycles at 0.1 C, 93% of initial discharge capacity) and excellent rate behavior (81.8 mAh g-1 for initial discharge capacity at 5 C). The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results reveal that the adding of Ag decreases the charge-transfer resistance (Rct) of LiVPO4F cathode. This study demonstrates that Ag-coating is a promising way to improve the electrochemical performance of the pristine LiVPO4F for lithium-ion batteries cathode material.

Electrochemical Applications in Metal Bioleaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanne, Christoph Kurt; Schippers, Axel

2017-12-10

Biohydrometallurgy comprises the recovery of metals by biologically catalyzed metal dissolution from solids in an aqueous solution. The application of this kind of bioprocessing is described as "biomining," referring to either bioleaching or biooxidation of sulfide metal ores. Acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms are the key to successful biomining. However, minerals such as primary copper sulfides are recalcitrant to dissolution, which is probably due to their semiconductivity or passivation effects, resulting in low reaction rates. Thus, further improvements of the bioleaching process are recommendable. Mineral sulfide dissolution is based on redox reactions and can be accomplished by electrochemical technologies. The impact of electrochemistry on biohydrometallurgy affects processing as well as analytics. Electroanalysis is still the most widely used electrochemical application in mineralogical research. Electrochemical processing can contribute to bioleaching in two ways. The first approach is the coupling of a mineral sulfide to a galvanic partner or electrocatalyst (spontaneous electron transfer). This approach requires only low energy consumption and takes place without technical installations by the addition of higher redox potential minerals (mostly pyrite), carbonic material, or electrocatalytic ions (mostly silver ions). Consequently, the processed mineral (often chalcopyrite) is preferentially dissolved. The second approach is the application of electrolytic bioreactors (controlled electron transfer). The electrochemical regulation of electrolyte properties by such reactors has found most consideration. It implies the regulation of ferrous and ferric ion ratios, which further results in optimized solution redox potential, less passivation effects, and promotion of microbial activity. However, many questions remain open and it is recommended that reactor and electrode designs are improved, with the aim of finding options for simplified

The electrochemical reduction processes of solid compounds in high temperature molten salts.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Wei; Wang, Dihua

2014-05-21

Solid electrode processes fall in the central focus of electrochemistry due to their broad-based applications in electrochemical energy storage/conversion devices, sensors and electrochemical preparation. The electrolytic production of metals, alloys, semiconductors and oxides via the electrochemical reduction of solid compounds (especially solid oxides) in high temperature molten salts has been well demonstrated to be an effective and environmentally friendly process for refractory metal extraction, functional materials preparation as well as spent fuel reprocessing. The (electro)chemical reduction of solid compounds under cathodic polarizations generally accompanies a variety of changes at the cathode/melt electrochemical interface which result in diverse electrolytic products with different compositions, morphologies and microstructures. This report summarizes various (electro)chemical reactions taking place at the compound cathode/melt interface during the electrochemical reduction of solid compounds in molten salts, which mainly include: (1) the direct electro-deoxidation of solid oxides; (2) the deposition of the active metal together with the electrochemical reduction of solid oxides; (3) the electro-inclusion of cations from molten salts; (4) the dissolution-electrodeposition process, and (5) the electron hopping process and carbon deposition with the utilization of carbon-based anodes. The implications of the forenamed cathodic reactions on the energy efficiency, chemical compositions and microstructures of the electrolytic products are also discussed. We hope that a comprehensive understanding of the cathodic processes during the electrochemical reduction of solid compounds in molten salts could form a basis for developing a clean, energy efficient and affordable production process for advanced/engineering materials.

Reversible mechano-electrochemical writing of metallic nanostructures with the tip of an atomic force microscope

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Obermair

2012-12-01

Full Text Available We recently introduced a method that allows the controlled deposition of nanoscale metallic patterns at defined locations using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM as a “mechano-electrochemical pen”, locally activating a passivated substrate surface for site-selective electrochemical deposition. Here, we demonstrate the reversibility of this process and study the long-term stability of the resulting metallic structures. The remarkable stability for more than 1.5 years under ambient air without any observable changes can be attributed to self-passivation. After AFM-activated electrochemical deposition of copper nanostructures on a polycrystalline gold film and subsequent AFM imaging, the copper nanostructures could be dissolved by reversing the electrochemical potential. Subsequent AFM-tip-activated deposition of different copper nanostructures at the same location where the previous structures were deleted, shows that there is no observable memory effect, i.e., no effect of the previous writing process on the subsequent writing process. Thus, the four processes required for reversible information storage, “write”, “read”, “delete” and “re-write”, were successfully demonstrated on the nanometer scale.

Reversible mechano-electrochemical writing of metallic nanostructures with the tip of an atomic force microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Obermair, Christian; Kress, Marina; Wagner, Andreas; Schimmel, Thomas

2012-01-01

We recently introduced a method that allows the controlled deposition of nanoscale metallic patterns at defined locations using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) as a "mechano-electrochemical pen", locally activating a passivated substrate surface for site-selective electrochemical deposition. Here, we demonstrate the reversibility of this process and study the long-term stability of the resulting metallic structures. The remarkable stability for more than 1.5 years under ambient air without any observable changes can be attributed to self-passivation. After AFM-activated electrochemical deposition of copper nanostructures on a polycrystalline gold film and subsequent AFM imaging, the copper nanostructures could be dissolved by reversing the electrochemical potential. Subsequent AFM-tip-activated deposition of different copper nanostructures at the same location where the previous structures were deleted, shows that there is no observable memory effect, i.e., no effect of the previous writing process on the subsequent writing process. Thus, the four processes required for reversible information storage, "write", "read", "delete" and "re-write", were successfully demonstrated on the nanometer scale.

Addition of nitrite enhances the electrochemical defluorination of 2-fluoroaniline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Huajun [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012 (China); Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Hangzhou 310012 (China); Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Liang, Yuxiang [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012 (China); Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Hangzhou 310012 (China); Guo, Kun [Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Long, Yuyang [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012 (China); Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Hangzhou 310012 (China); Cong, Yanqing, E-mail: yqcong@hotmail.com [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012 (China); Shen, Dongsheng [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012 (China); Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Hangzhou 310012 (China)

2015-12-30

Highlights: • A method for improving defluorination performance by in situ self-assembly of pollutants was developed. • The mechanisms of 2-FA modification and defluorination are discussed. • Positively-charged diazonium salt is used to weaken the C–F bond. - Abstract: This study introduces a novel approach that uses the interaction of pollutants with added nitrite to produce diazonium salts, which cause in situ self-assembly of the pollutants on carbon electrodes, to improve their 2-fluoroaniline (2-FA) defluorination and removal performance. The 2-FA degradation performance, electrode properties, electrochemical properties and degradation pathway were investigated. The reactor containing NO{sub 2}{sup −} achieved a 2-FA removal efficiency of 90.1% and a defluorination efficiency of 38% within 48 h, 1.4 and 2.3 times higher than the corresponding results achieved without NO{sub 2}{sup −}, respectively. The residual NO{sub 2}{sup −} was less than 0.5 mg/L in the reactor containing added NO{sub 2}{sup −}, which would not cause serious secondary pollution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results proved that the carbon anode surface was successfully modified with benzene polymer, and electrochemical tests confirmed that the electrochemical activity of the modified anode was enhanced significantly. The C–F bond was weakened by the effect of the positive charge of the benzenediazonium groups, and the high electrochemical activity of the carbon anode enhanced the electrochemical performance of the system to accelerate defluorination. Thus, the present electrical method involving nitrite nitrogen is very promising for the treatment of wastewater containing fluoroaniline compounds.

Technology Base Research Project for electrochemical energy storage

Science.gov (United States)

Kinoshita, K.

1985-06-01

The DOE Electrochemical Energy Storage Program is divided into two projects: (1) the exploratory technology development and testing (ETD) project and (2) the technology base research (TBR) project. The role of the TBR Project is to perform supporting research for the advanced battery systems under development by the ETD Project, and to evaluate new systems with potentially superior performance, durability and/or cost characteristics. The specific goal of the TBR Project is to identify the most promising electrochemical technologies and transfer them to industry and/or the ETD Project for further development and scale-up. This report summarizes the research, financial, and management activities relevant to the TBR Project in CY 1984. General problem areas addressed by the project include identification of new electrochemical couples for advanced batteries, determination of technical feasibility of the new couples, improvements in battery components and materials, establishment of engineering principles applicable to electrochemical energy storage and conversion, and the assessment of fuel-cell technology for transportation applications. Major emphasis is given to applied research which will lead to superior performance and lower life-cycle costs. The TBR Project is divided into three major project elements: exploratory research, applied science research, and air systems research.

Electrochemical properties of arc-black and carbon nano-balloon as electrochemical capacitor electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, T; Suda, Y; Uruno, H; Takikawa, H; Tanoue, H; Ue, H; Aoyagi, N; Okawa, T; Shimizu, K

2012-01-01

In this study, we used two types of carbon nanomaterials, arc-black (AcB) which has an amorphous structure and carbon nano-balloon (CNB) which has a graphitic structure as electrochemical capacitor electrodes. We made a coin electrode from these carbon materials and fabricated an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) that sandwiches a separator between the coin electrodes. On the other hand, RuO 2 was loaded on these carbon materials, and we fabricated a pseudo-capacitor that has an ion insertion mechanism into RuO 2 . For comparison with these carbon materials, activated carbon (AC) was also used for a capacitor electrode. The electrochemical properties of all the capacitors were evaluated in 1M H 2 SO 4 aqueous solution. As a result of EDLC performance, AcB electrode had a higher specific capacitance than AC electrode at a high scan rate (≥ 100 mV/s). In the evaluation of pseudo-capacitor performance, RuO 2 -loaded CNB electrode showed a high specific capacitance of 734 F/g per RuO 2 weight.

Electrochemical behavior and voltammetric determination of acetaminophen based on glassy carbon electrodes modified with poly(4-aminobenzoic acid)/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite films.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wencai; Huang, Hui; Gao, Xiaochun; Ma, Houyi

2014-12-01

Poly(4-aminobenzoic acid)/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide composite film modified glassy carbon electrodes (4-ABA/ERGO/GCEs) were fabricated by a two-step electrochemical method. The electrochemical behavior of acetaminophen at the modified electrode was investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that 4-ABA/ERGO composite films possessed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of acetaminophen. The electrochemical reaction of acetaminophen at 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE is proved to be a surface-controlled process involving the same number of protons and electrons. The voltammetric determination of acetaminophen performed with the 4-ABA/ERGO modified electrode presents a good linearity in the range of 0.1-65 μM with a low detection limit of 0.01 μM (S/N=3). In the case of using the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE, acetaminophen and dopamine can be simultaneously determined without mutual interference. Furthermore, the 4-ABA/ERGO/GCE has good reproducibility and stability, and can be used to determine acetaminophen in tablets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Redox poly[Ni(saldMp)] modified activated carbon electrode in electrochemical supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao Fei [Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083 (China); Li Jianling, E-mail: lijianling@ustb.edu.c [Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083 (China); Zhang Yakun; Wang Xindong [Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083 (China); Kang Feiyu [Department of Material Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100083 (China)

2010-08-01

The complex (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediaminebis(salicylideneaminato))-nickel(II), [Ni(saldMp)], was oxidatively electropolymerized on activated carbon (AC) electrode in acetonitrile solution. The poly[Ni(saldMp)] presented an incomplete coated film on the surface of carbon particles of AC electrode by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical behaviors of poly[Ni(saldMp)] modified activated carbon (PAC) electrode were evaluated in different potential ranges by cyclic voltammetry. Counterions and solvent swelling mainly occurred up to 0.6 V for PAC electrode by the comparison of D{sup 1/2}C values calculated from chronoamperometry experiments. Both the Ohmic resistance and Faraday resistance of PAC electrode gradually approached to those of AC electrode when its potential was ranging from 1.2 V to 0.0 V. Galvanostatic charge/discharge experiments indicated that both the specific capacitance and energy density were effectively improved by the reversible redox reaction of poly[Ni(saldMp)] film under the high current density up to 10 mA cm{sup -2} for AC electrode. The specific capacitance of PAC electrode decreased during the first 50 cycles but thereafter it remained constant for the next 200 cycles. This study showed the redox polymer may be an attractive material in supercapacitors.

Electrochemical Switching of Conductance with Diarylethene-Based Redox-Active Polymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Logtenberg, Hella; van der Velde, Jasper H. M.; de Mendoza, Paula

2012-01-01

Reversible switching of conductance using redox triggered switching of a polymer-modified electrode is demonstrated. A bifunctional monomer comprising a central electroswitchable core and two bithiophene units enables formation of a film through anodic electropolymerization. The conductivity...... of the polymer can be switched electrochemically in a reversible manner by redox triggered opening and closing of the diarylethene unit. In the closed state, the conductivity of the modified electrode is higher than in the open state....

Electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen peroxide: Rotating disk electrode and fuel cell studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobyntseva, Elena; Kallio, Tanja; Alexeyeva, Nadezda; Tammeveski, Kaido; Kontturi, Kyoesti

2007-01-01

The electrochemical reduction of oxygen on various catalysts was studied using the thin-layer rotating disk electrode (RDE) method. High-surface-area carbon was modified with an anthraquinone derivative and gold nanoparticles. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and cationic polyelectrolyte (FAA) were used as binders in the preparation of thin-film electrodes. Our primary goal was to find a good electrocatalyst for the two-electron reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. All electrochemical measurements were carried out in 0.1 M KOH. Cyclic voltammetry was used in order to characterise the surface processes of the modified electrodes in O 2 -free electrolyte. The RDE results revealed that the carbon-supported gold nanoparticles are active catalysts for the four-electron reduction of oxygen in alkaline solution. Anthraquinone-modified high-area carbon catalyses the two-electron reduction at low overpotentials, which is advantageous for hydrogen peroxide production. In addition, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell technology was used for the generation of hydrogen peroxide. The cell was equipped with a bipolar membrane which consisted of commercial Nafion 117 as a cation-exchange layer and FT-FAA as an anion-exchange layer. The bipolar membranes were prepared by a hot pressing method. Use of the FAA ionomer as a binder for the anthraquinone-modified carbon catalyst resulted in production of hydrogen peroxide

Electrochemical Sensors for Clinic Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guang Li

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Demanded by modern medical diagnosis, advances in microfabrication technology have led to the development of fast, sensitive and selective electrochemical sensors for clinic analysis. This review addresses the principles behind electrochemical sensor design and fabrication, and introduces recent progress in the application of electrochemical sensors to analysis of clinical chemicals such as blood gases, electrolytes, metabolites, DNA and antibodies, including basic and applied research. Miniaturized commercial electrochemical biosensors will form the basis of inexpensive and easy to use devices for acquiring chemical information to bring sophisticated analytical capabilities to the non-specialist and general public alike in the future.

Electrochemical biosensors for hormone analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahadır, Elif Burcu; Sezgintürk, Mustafa Kemal

2015-06-15

Electrochemical biosensors have a unique place in determination of hormones due to simplicity, sensitivity, portability and ease of operation. Unlike chromatographic techniques, electrochemical techniques used do not require pre-treatment. Electrochemical biosensors are based on amperometric, potentiometric, impedimetric, and conductometric principle. Amperometric technique is a commonly used one. Although electrochemical biosensors offer a great selectivity and sensitivity for early clinical analysis, the poor reproducible results, difficult regeneration steps remain primary challenges to the commercialization of these biosensors. This review summarizes electrochemical (amperometric, potentiometric, impedimetric and conductometric) biosensors for hormone detection for the first time in the literature. After a brief description of the hormones, the immobilization steps and analytical performance of these biosensors are summarized. Linear ranges, LODs, reproducibilities, regenerations of developed biosensors are compared. Future outlooks in this area are also discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the Electrochemical Behavior of PVD Ti-Coated AISI 304 Stainless Steel in Borate Buffer Solution

Science.gov (United States)

Fattah-alhosseini, Arash; Elmkhah, Hassan; Attarzadeh, Farid Reza

2017-04-01

This work aims at studying the electrochemical behavior of annealed pure titanium (Ti) and nano-structured (NS) Ti coating in borate buffer solutions. Cathodic arc evaporation was successfully applied to deposit NS Ti coating. Samples were characterized by means of scanning electron microscope and x-ray diffraction. Potentiodynamic polarization tests, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Mott-Schottky analysis were employed to discuss the electrochemical behavior of samples thoroughly. Electrochemical measurements showed that the deposited NS Ti coating offers a superior passivity in borate buffer solutions of pH 9.0 and 9.5. Mott-Schottky analysis revealed that all passive films are of n-type semiconducting nature in these alkaline solutions and the deposition process did not alter the semiconducting type of passive films formed on samples. Additionally, this analysis showed that the NS Ti coating possessed lower levels of donor densities. Finally, all electrochemical tests showed that passive behavior of the NS Ti samples was superior, mainly due to the formation of thicker and less defective passive films.

Electrochemical decontamination of metallic surfaces by means of a movable electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mihai, F.; Nicu, M.; Cazan, L.; Turcanu, C.

1998-01-01

Electrochemical decontamination can be considered to be a decontamination assisted by an electrochemical field. The method is applied to the metallic surface decontamination for contaminants of any physico-chemical nature. The physico-chemical phenomenon that is the basis for the electrochemical methods is the anodic layer dissolution. By dissolution of the superficial layer any radioactive contaminant on the surface or entrapped within the surface oxide is eliminated. Electrochemical decontamination, also known as electropolishing, involves the use of the object to be cleaned as an anode in an electrochemical cell. The passage of current results in anodic dissolution of the surface material. Generally, there are many methods of application for electropolishing. The most common method is immersing the object to be decontaminated in a tank filled with a suitable electrolyte. The electrochemical method with movable electrode involves the use of 'in situ' mobile devices that are able to electropolish punctual surfaces in places difficult to access. The advantages are the simplicity of the setup, short times of application and reduced waste volumes. Phosphoric and sulphuric acid mixture is used as the electrolyte in electropolishing because of its stability, safety and applicability to a variety of alloy systems. The method was applied to decontaminate carbon steel, aluminium and copper. Used contaminants are mixtures of 60 Co and 134 Cs; 60 Co and 65 Zn; 60 Co, 65 Zn and 134 Cs. After preparation, the samples were kept in laboratory conditions about one month, to simulate real conditions and to let the chemical reactions between contaminant and sample material constitution to complete. To calculate decontamination factor characteristic for each studied decontamination method the following radiometric measurements are necessary: - activity measurement after radioisotope solution contamination representing initial activity Λ in ; - activity measurement after

Kinetic study on electrochemical oxidation of catechols in the ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

glassy carbon electrode in different experimental conditions. The electrogenerated ... cancer activities.5 Catechols can be easily oxidized electrochemically to ... from unity and approaches to zero in basic solution. This behavior is related to the ...

effect of electrochemical oxidation of a viscose rayon based ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DJFLEX

KEYWORDS: Viscose rayon based activated carbon cloth; Sorption isotherms; Electrochemical oxidation; Arsenic .... (AAS ) in acetylene-air flame emission mode. 2.9. Quality ..... of the EO ACC thereby restricting the number of binding sites for ...

Methionine – Au Nanoparticle Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode: a Novel Platform for Electrochemical Detection of Hydroquinone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiahong HE

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A high sensitive electrochemical sensor based on methionine/gold nanoparticles (MET/AuNPs modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE was fabricated for the quantitative detection of hydroquinone (HQ. The as-modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD techniques. The electrochemical performance of the sensor to HQ was investigated by using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry, which revealed its excellent electrocatalytic activity and reversibility towards HQ. The separation of anodic and cathodic peak (∆Ep was decreased from 471 mV to 75 mV. The anodic peak current achieved under the optimum conditions was linear with the HQ concentration ranging from 8 μM to 400 μM with the detection limit 0.12 μM (3σ. The as-fabricated sensor also showed a good selectivity towards HQ without demonstrating interference from other coexisting species. Furthermore, the sensor showed a good performance for HQ detection in environmental water, which suggests its potential practical application. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.4.6477

Effect of Amine Adlayer on Electrochemical Uric Acid Sensor Conducted on Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sumi; Kim, Kyuwon [Incheon National University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-03-15

The electrochemical biosensing efficiency of uric acid (UA) detection on an electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO)-decorated electrode surface was studied by using various amine linkers used to immobilize ERGO. The amine linkers aminoethylphenyldiazonium , 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine), 3-aminopro-pyltriethoxysilane, and polyethyleneimine were coated on indium-tin-oxide electrode surfaces through chemical or electrochemical deposition methods. ERGO-decorated surfaces were prepared by the electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO), which was immobilized on the amine-coated electrode surfaces through the electrostatic interaction between GO and the ammonium ion of the linker on the surface. We monitored the sensing results of electrochemical UA detection with differential pulse voltammetry. The ERGO-modified surface presented electrocatalytic oxidation of UA and ascorbic acid. Among the different amines tested, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane provided the best biosensing performance in terms of sensitivity and reproducibility.

Effect of Amine Adlayer on Electrochemical Uric Acid Sensor Conducted on Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sumi; Kim, Kyuwon

2016-01-01

The electrochemical biosensing efficiency of uric acid (UA) detection on an electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO)-decorated electrode surface was studied by using various amine linkers used to immobilize ERGO. The amine linkers aminoethylphenyldiazonium , 2,2'-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine), 3-aminopro-pyltriethoxysilane, and polyethyleneimine were coated on indium-tin-oxide electrode surfaces through chemical or electrochemical deposition methods. ERGO-decorated surfaces were prepared by the electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO), which was immobilized on the amine-coated electrode surfaces through the electrostatic interaction between GO and the ammonium ion of the linker on the surface. We monitored the sensing results of electrochemical UA detection with differential pulse voltammetry. The ERGO-modified surface presented electrocatalytic oxidation of UA and ascorbic acid. Among the different amines tested, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane provided the best biosensing performance in terms of sensitivity and reproducibility.

A high-performance flexible fibre-shaped electrochemical capacitor based on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yingru; Sheng, Kaixuan; Yuan, Wenjing; Shi, Gaoquan

2013-01-11

A fibre-shaped solid electrochemical capacitor based on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide has been fabricated, exhibiting high specific capacitance and rate capability, long cycling life and attractive flexibility.

Electrochemical gate-controlled electron transport of redox-active single perylene bisimide molecular junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, C; Mishchenko, A; Li, Z; Pobelov, I; Wandlowski, Th; Li, X Q; Wuerthner, F; Bagrets, A; Evers, F

2008-01-01

We report a scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiment in an electrochemical environment which studies a prototype molecular switch. The target molecules were perylene tetracarboxylic acid bisimides modified with pyridine (P-PBI) and methylthiol (T-PBI) linker groups and with bulky tert-butyl-phenoxy substituents in the bay area. At a fixed bias voltage, we can control the transport current through a symmetric molecular wire Au|P-PBI(T-PBI)|Au by variation of the electrochemical 'gate' potential. The current increases by up to two orders of magnitude. The conductances of the P-PBI junctions are typically a factor 3 larger than those of T-PBI. A theoretical analysis explains this effect as a consequence of shifting the lowest unoccupied perylene level (LUMO) in or out of the bias window when tuning the electrochemical gate potential VG. The difference in on/off ratios reflects the variation of hybridization of the LUMO with the electrode states with the anchor groups. I T -E S(T) curves of asymmetric molecular junctions formed between a bare Au STM tip and a T-PBI (P-PBI) modified Au(111) electrode in an aqueous electrolyte exhibit a pronounced maximum in the tunneling current at -0.740, which is close to the formal potential of the surface-confined molecules. The experimental data were explained by a sequential two-step electron transfer process

Electrochemical behaviour of the Eu3+/Eu2+ system in propionic media studied by cyclic chrono potentiometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brotto, M.E.

1989-01-01

The electrochemical behaviour of the Eu 3 + / Eu 2 + system in propionic media was studied by means of current reversal chrono potentiometry and cyclic chrono potentiometry. Sodium perchlorate was employed as supporting electrolyte. The experiments were carried out at (25.0 ± 0.1) 0 C. The studied variables were the concentration of the electro active species, the composition of the solution and the current density. The cyclic chrono potentiometry results reveal that the charge transfer reaction is followed by the (H 3 O) + ion assisted irreversible catalytic reaction in which the Eu 3 + species is regenerated. (author)

Electrochemical surface modification of titanium in dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyo-Han; Ramaswamy, Narayanan

2009-01-01

Titanium and its alloys have good biocompatibility with body cells and tissues and are widely used for implant applications. However, clinical procedures place more stringent and tough requirements on the titanium surface necessitating artificial surface treatments. Among the many methods of titanium surface modification, electrochemical techniques are simple and cheap. Anodic oxidation is the anodic electrochemical technique while electrophoretic and cathodic depositions are the cathodic electrochemical techniques. By anodic oxidation it is possible to obtain desired roughness, porosity and chemical composition of the oxide. Anodic oxidation at high voltages can improve the crystallinity of the oxide. The chief advantage of this technique is doping of the coating of the bath constituents and incorporation of these elements improves the properties of the oxide. Electrophoretic deposition uses hydroxyapatite (HA) powders dispersed in a suitable solvent at a particular pH. Under these operating conditions these particles acquire positive charge and coatings are obtained on the cathodic titanium by applying an external electric field. These coatings require a post-sintering treatment to improve the coating properties. Cathodic deposition is another type of electrochemical method where HA is formed in situ from an electrolyte containing calcium and phosphate ions. It is also possible to alter structure and/or chemistry of the obtained deposit. Nano-grained HA has higher surface energy and greater biological activity and therefore emphasis is being laid to produce these coatings by cathodic deposition.

Fabrication and electrochemical characterization of multi-walled carbon nanotube electrodes for applications to nano-electrochemical sensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Sookhyun; Choi, Hyonkwang; Jeon, Minhyon; Vedala, Harindra; Kim, Taehyung; Choi, Wonbong

2010-01-01

In this study, we fabricated and electrochemically characterized two types of individual carbon nanotube electrodes: an as-produced multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) electrode and a modified MWNT electrode. As-produced MWNTs were electrically contacted with Au/Ti layers by using nanolithography and RF magnetron sputtering. Open-ended modified MWNT electrodes were fabricated by using a reactive ion etching treatment under an oxygen atmosphere. We also performed cyclic voltammetry measurements to detect aqueous dopamine solutions with different concentrations. We found that an individual MWNT electrode, which had a small effective area, showed good electrochemical performance. The electrocatalytic behavior of the modified electrode, which had 'broken' open ends were better than that of the as-produced electrode with respect to sensitivity. The modified electrode was capable of detecting dopamine at the picomolar level. Therefore, an individual modified MWNT electrode has potential for applications to active components in nanobiosensors.

Mechanochemical preparation of polydiphenylamine and its electrochemical performance in hybrid supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palaniappan, SP. [Department of Industrial Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Alagappa University, Alagappapuram, Karaikudi 630003, Tamil Nadu (India); Manisankar, P., E-mail: pms11@rediffmail.com [Department of Industrial Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Alagappa University, Alagappapuram, Karaikudi 630003, Tamil Nadu (India)

2011-07-01

Highlights: > For the first time, a simple to adopt, greener, rapid and efficient alternative route was successfully developed for preparing different PDPA salts. > For the first time, a judicial attempt was made to evaluate the performance of mechanochemically prepared PDPA-H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} as cathode material in asymmetric hybrid supercapacitors. > The results obtained are highly promising and the physicochemical properties of PDPA salts could be fine-tuned in the future for large scale applications in energy storage devices. - Abstract: A simple mechanochemical route for the synthesis of high quality inorganic anion doped polydiphenylamines (PDPAs) is reported in this article. Elemental analysis performed for the PDPAs indicated the presence of dopant anions in the polymeric chain. PDPA prepared in the presence of 96 wt% H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} (PDPA-H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}) was found to be better doped than the other polymeric salts. Spectroscopic profiles of the polymers showed that the PDPAs were in a doped conducting state. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the as-prepared polymeric powders revealed the presence of more crystalline phases in PDPA-H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}. Field emission scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) images highlighted the formation of inorganic anion doped PDPA particles with different sizes (80-100 nm). Electrochemical studies performed for the polymeric particles depicted the redox behavior and good electrochemical activity of PDPA salts. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential thermal analysis (DTA) proved that all the PDPA salts were thermally stable up to 300 deg. C. The electrochemical performance of PDPA-H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} in hybrid supercapacitors was evaluated due to its superior physicochemical properties. The maximum specific capacitance of the hybrid supercapacitor constructed out of PDPA-H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} powder was found to be 108 F g{sup -1}.

Embroidered electrochemical sensors on gauze for rapid quantification of wound biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiyuan; Lillehoj, Peter B

2017-12-15

Electrochemical sensors are an attractive platform for analytical measurements due to their high sensitivity, portability and fast response time. These attributes also make electrochemical sensors well suited for wearable applications which require excellent flexibility and durability. Towards this end, we have developed a robust electrochemical sensor on gauze via a unique embroidery fabrication process for quantitative measurements of wound biomarkers. For proof of principle, this biosensor was used to detect uric acid, a biomarker for wound severity and healing, in simulated wound fluid which exhibits high specificity, good linearly from 0 to 800µM, and excellent reproducibility. Continuous sensing of uric acid was also performed using this biosensor which reveals that it can generate consistent and accurate measurements for up to 7h. Experiments to evaluate the robustness of the embroidered gauze sensor demonstrate that it offers excellent resilience against mechanical stress and deformation, making it a promising wearable platform for assessing and monitoring wound status in situ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemically assisted deposition of strontium modified magnesium phosphate on titanium surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meininger, M. [Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, D-97070 Würzburg (Germany); Wolf-Brandstetter, C. [Max Bergmann Center for Biomaterials, Technical University of Dresden, Budapester Straße 27, D-01069 Dresden (Germany); Zerweck, J.; Wenninger, F.; Gbureck, U.; Groll, J. [Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, D-97070 Würzburg (Germany); Moseke, C., E-mail: claus.moseke@fmz.uni-wuerzburg.de [Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, D-97070 Würzburg (Germany)

2016-10-01

Electrochemically assisted deposition was utilized to produce ceramic coatings on the basis of magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) on corundum-blasted titanium surfaces. By the addition of defined concentrations of strontium nitrate to the coating electrolyte Sr{sup 2+} ions were successfully incorporated into the struvite matrix. By variation of deposition parameters it was possible to fabricate coatings with different kinetics of Sr{sup 2+} into physiological media, whereas the release of therapeutically relevant strontium doses could be sustained over several weeks. Morphological and crystallographic examinations of the immersed coatings revealed that the degradation of struvite and the release of Sr{sup 2+} ions were accompanied by a transformation of the coating to a calcium phosphate based phase similar to low-crystalline hydroxyapatite. These findings showed that strontium doped struvite coatings may provide a promising degradable coating system for the local application of strontium or other biologically active metal ions in the implant–bone interface. - Highlights: • Sr-doped struvite coatings have been deposited on titanium by electrochemically assisted deposition. • Sr content can be adjusted by means of process time, current density and pulse mode. • Sr-doped coatings release therapeutically relevant Sr doses in physiological media for several weeks. • During immersion in physiological media Sr-doped struvite coatings transform into a low crystalline calcium phosphate phase.

Integrated circuit-based electrochemical sensor for spatially resolved detection of redox-active metabolites in biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellin, Daniel L; Sakhtah, Hassan; Rosenstein, Jacob K; Levine, Peter M; Thimot, Jordan; Emmett, Kevin; Dietrich, Lars E P; Shepard, Kenneth L

2014-01-01

Despite advances in monitoring spatiotemporal expression patterns of genes and proteins with fluorescent probes, direct detection of metabolites and small molecules remains challenging. A technique for spatially resolved detection of small molecules would benefit the study of redox-active metabolites that are produced by microbial biofilms and can affect their development. Here we present an integrated circuit-based electrochemical sensing platform featuring an array of working electrodes and parallel potentiostat channels. 'Images' over a 3.25 × 0.9 mm(2) area can be captured with a diffusion-limited spatial resolution of 750 μm. We demonstrate that square wave voltammetry can be used to detect, identify and quantify (for concentrations as low as 2.6 μM) four distinct redox-active metabolites called phenazines. We characterize phenazine production in both wild-type and mutant Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 colony biofilms, and find correlations with fluorescent reporter imaging of phenazine biosynthetic gene expression.

Electrochemical Analysis of Neurotransmitters

Science.gov (United States)

Bucher, Elizabeth S.; Wightman, R. Mark

2015-07-01

Chemical signaling through the release of neurotransmitters into the extracellular space is the primary means of communication between neurons. More than four decades ago, Ralph Adams and his colleagues realized the utility of electrochemical methods for the study of easily oxidizable neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin and their metabolites. Today, electrochemical techniques are frequently coupled to microelectrodes to enable spatially resolved recordings of rapid neurotransmitter dynamics in a variety of biological preparations spanning from single cells to the intact brain of behaving animals. In this review, we provide a basic overview of the principles underlying constant-potential amperometry and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, the most commonly employed electrochemical techniques, and the general application of these methods to the study of neurotransmission. We thereafter discuss several recent developments in sensor design and experimental methodology that are challenging the current limitations defining the application of electrochemical methods to neurotransmitter measurements.

A graphene-based electrochemical sensor for sensitive detection of paracetamol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Xinhuang; Wang, Jun; Wu, Hong; Liu, Jun; Aksay, Ilhan A.; Lin, Yuehe

2010-05-15

An electrochemical sensor based on the electrocatalytic activity of functionalized graphene for sensitive detection of paracetamol is presented. The electrochemical behaviors of paracetamol on graphene-modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and square-wave voltammetry. The results showed that the graphene-modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity to paracetamol. A quasi-reversible redox process of paracetamol at the modified electrode was obtained, and the over-potential of paracetamol decreased significantly compared with that at the bare GCE. Such electrocatalytic behavior of graphene is attributed to its unique physical and chemical properties, e.g., subtle electronic characteristics, attractive π–π interaction, and strong adsorptive capability. The sensor shows great promise for simple, sensitive, and quantitative detection of paracetamol.

Ageing and Water-Based Processing of LiFeMnPO4 Secondary Agglomerates and Its Effects on Electrochemical Characteristics

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Benjamin Starke

2017-12-01

Full Text Available LiFeMnPO4 secondary agglomerates have been aged under different temperature and moisture conditions. The aged and pristine powder samples were then processed to water- and solvent-based cathodes. Structural studies by means of neutron and X-ray diffraction revealed that neither ageing nor water-based processing significantly modified the crystal structure of LiFeMnPO4 secondary agglomerates. Electrochemical characterization was carried out with full-cells. It was found that long-term cycling is similar independent of the solvent used for slurry preparation. Full-cells assembled with water-based cathodes show a better C-rate capability due to a more homogeneous distribution of cathode constituents compared to solvent-based ones. In no case was any negative effect of initial active material ageing on the electrochemical performance found. During ageing and processing, LiFeMnPO4 is effectively protected by carbon coating and water can be completely removed by drying since it is only reversibly bound. This contribution shows that LiFeMnPO4 secondary agglomerates allow simplified active material handling and have a high potential for sustainable water-based electrode manufacturing.

Electrochemical catalytic activity of tungsten trioxide- modified graphite felt toward VO2+/VO2+ redox reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Yang; Xu, Hongfeng; Xu, Pengcheng; Wu, Xiaoxin; Dong, Yiming; Lu, Lu

2014-01-01

A novel graphite felt electrode modified with tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) was developed to improve the electrochemical performance of graphite felt toward the VO 2 + /VO 2+ redox pair. WO 3 was prepared using a hydrothermal method, and the morphology of WO 3 structures was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical property of WO 3 -modified graphite felt toward VO 2 + /VO 2+ was carefully characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The hydrogen-vanadium redox flow battery (H-VRFB) test indicates that single cells using 1.1 mg cm −2 WO 3 -modified graphite felt exhibited excellent performance at 70 mA cm −2 , and the corresponding coulombic, voltage, and energy efficiencies were 99.1%, 88.66% and 87.86%, respectively

Conductive polymer/reduced graphene oxide/Au nano particles as efficient composite materials in electrochemical supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shabani Shayeh, J. [Center of Excellence in Electrochemistry, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ehsani, A., E-mail: a.ehsani@qom.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, P.O. Box 37185-359, Qom (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ganjali, M.R.; Norouzi, P. [Center of Excellence in Electrochemistry, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jaleh, B. [Physics Department, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan 65174 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-10-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • PANI/rGO/AuNPs as a ternary composite synthesized by electrodeposition. • Presence of rGO/AuNPs caused increasing the stability of electrodes. • Composite represented high specific capacitance, specific power and specific energy values than PANI. - Abstract: Polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide/Au nano particles (PANI/rGO/AuNPs) as a hybrid supercapacitor were deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) method as ternary composites and their electrochemical performance was evaluated in acidic medium. Scanning electron micrographs clearly revealed the formation of nanocomposites on the surface of the working electrode. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) clearly revealed the formation of nanocomposites on the surface of working electrode. Different electrochemical methods including galvanostatic charge–discharge (CD) experiments, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were carried out in order to investigate the applicability of the system as a supercapacitor. Based on the cyclic voltammogram results obtained, PANI/rGO/AuNPs gave higher specific capacitance, power and energy values than PANI at a current density of 1 mA cm{sup −2}. Specific capacitance (SC) of PANI and PANI/rGO/AuNPs electrodes calculated using CV method are 190 and 303 F g{sup −1}, respectively. The present study introduces new nanocomposite materials for electrochemical redox capacitors with advantages including long life cycle and stability due to synergistic effects of each component.

Conductive polymer/reduced graphene oxide/Au nano particles as efficient composite materials in electrochemical supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shabani Shayeh, J.; Ehsani, A.; Ganjali, M.R.; Norouzi, P.; Jaleh, B.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • PANI/rGO/AuNPs as a ternary composite synthesized by electrodeposition. • Presence of rGO/AuNPs caused increasing the stability of electrodes. • Composite represented high specific capacitance, specific power and specific energy values than PANI. - Abstract: Polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide/Au nano particles (PANI/rGO/AuNPs) as a hybrid supercapacitor were deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) method as ternary composites and their electrochemical performance was evaluated in acidic medium. Scanning electron micrographs clearly revealed the formation of nanocomposites on the surface of the working electrode. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) clearly revealed the formation of nanocomposites on the surface of working electrode. Different electrochemical methods including galvanostatic charge–discharge (CD) experiments, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were carried out in order to investigate the applicability of the system as a supercapacitor. Based on the cyclic voltammogram results obtained, PANI/rGO/AuNPs gave higher specific capacitance, power and energy values than PANI at a current density of 1 mA cm"−"2. Specific capacitance (SC) of PANI and PANI/rGO/AuNPs electrodes calculated using CV method are 190 and 303 F g"−"1, respectively. The present study introduces new nanocomposite materials for electrochemical redox capacitors with advantages including long life cycle and stability due to synergistic effects of each component.

Electrochemical corrosion behavior of Ni-containing hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy

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Abul Hossain

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Electrochemical corrosion characteristics of the thermally treated 2 wt % Ni-containing Al-6Si-0.5Mg alloy were studied in NaCl solutions. The corrosion behavior of thermally treated (T6 Al-6Si-0.5Mg (-2Ni alloys in 0.1 M NaCl solution was investigated by electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization technique consisting of linear polarization method using the fit of Tafel plot and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS techniques. Generally, linear polarization experiments revealed a decrease of the corrosion rate at thermal treated Al-6Si-0.5Mg-2Ni alloy. The EIS test results showed that there is no significant change in charge transfer resistance (Rct after addition of Ni to Al-6Si-0.5Mg alloy. The magnitude of the positive shift in the open circuit potential (OCP, corrosion potential (Ecorr and pitting corrosion potential (Epit increased with the addition of Ni to Al-6Si-0.5Mg alloy. The forms of corrosion in the studied Al-6Si-0.5Mg alloy (except Al-6Si-0.5Mg-2Ni alloy are pitting corrosion as obtained from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM study.

Electrochemical oxidation of organic waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almon, A.C.; Buchanan, B.R.

1990-01-01

Both silver catalyzed and direct electrochemical oxidation of organic species are examined in analytical detail. This paper describes the mechanisms, reaction rates, products, intermediates, capabilities, limitations, and optimal reaction conditions of the electrochemical destruction of organic waste. A small bench-top electrocell being tested for the treatment of small quantities of laboratory waste is described. The 200-mL electrochemical cell used has a processing capacity of 50 mL per day, and can treat both radioactive and nonradioactive waste. In the silver catalyzed process, Ag(I) is electrochemically oxidized to Ag(II), which attacks organic species such as tributylphosphate (TBP), tetraphenylborate (TPB), and benzene. In direct electrochemical oxidation, the organic species are destroyed at the surface of the working electrode without the use of silver as an electron transfer agent. This paper focuses on the destruction of tributylphosphate (TBP), although several organic species have been destroyed using this process. The organic species are converted to carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic acids

Electrochemical Nanoparticle-Enzyme Sensors for Screening Bacterial Contamination in Drinking Water

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Juhong; Jiang, Ziwen; Ackerman, Jonathan D.; Yazdani, Mahdieh; Hou, Singyuk

2015-01-01

Traditional plating and culturing methods used to quantify bacteria commonly require hours to days from sampling to results. We present here a simple, sensitive and rapid electrochemical method for bacteria detection in drinking water based on gold nanoparticle-enzyme complexes. The gold nanoparticles were functionalized with positively charged quaternary amine headgroups that could bind to enzymes through electrostatic interactions, resulting in inhibition of enzymatic activity. In the presence of bacteria, the nanoparticles released from the enzymes and preferentially bound to the bacteria, resulting in an increase in enzyme activity, releasing a redox-active phenol from the substrate. We employed this strategy for the electrochemical sensing of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, resulting in a rapid detection (<1h) with high sensitivity (102 CFU·mL−1). PMID:26042607

Electrochemical performances of lithium ion battery using alkoxides of group 13 as electrolyte solvent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, Fuminari; Masuda, Yuki; Nakayama, Masanobu; Wakihara, Masataka

2007-01-01

Tris(methoxy polyethylenglycol) borate ester (B-PEG) and aluminum tris(polyethylenglycoxide) (Al-PEG) were used as electrolyte solvent for lithium ion battery, and the electrochemical property of these electrolytes were investigated. These electrolytes, especially B-PEG, showed poor electrochemical stability, leading to insufficient discharge capacity and rapid degradation with cycling. These observations would be ascribed to the decomposition of electrolyte, causing formation of unstable passive layer on the surface of electrode in lithium ion battery at high voltage. However, significant improvement was observed by the addition of aluminum phosphate (AlPO 4 ) powder into electrolyte solvent. AC impedance technique revealed that the increase of interfacial resistance of electrode/electrolyte during cycling was suppressed by adding AlPO 4 , and this suppression could enhance the cell capabilities. We infer that dissolved AlPO 4 components formed electrochemically stable layer on the surface of electrode

The strategies of DNA immobilization and hybridization detection mechanism in the construction of electrochemical DNA sensor: A review

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Jahwarhar Izuan Abdul Rashid

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In recent years, electrochemical deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA sensor has recently emerged as promising alternative clinical diagnostic devices especially for infectious disease by exploiting DNA recognition events and converting them into an electrochemical signal. This is because the existing DNA diagnostic method possesses certain drawbacks such as time-consuming, expensive, laborious, low selectivity and sensitivity. DNA immobilization strategies and mechanism of electrochemical detection are two the most important aspects that should be considered before developing highly selective and sensitive electrochemical DNA sensor. Here, we focus on some recent strategies for DNA probes immobilization on the surface of electrochemical transducer such as adsorption, covalent bonding and Avidin/Streptavidin-Biotin interaction on the electrode surface for specific interaction with its complementary DNA target. A numerous approach for DNA hybridization detection based electrochemical technique that frequently used including direct DNA electrochemical detection and label based electrochemical (redox-active indicator, enzyme label and nanoparticles were also discussed in aiming to provide general guide for the design of electrochemical DNA sensor. We also discussed the challenges and suggestions to improve the application of electrochemical DNA sensor at point-care setting. Keywords: Electrochemical DNA sensor, DNA immobilization, DNA hybridization, Electrochemical mechanism

Electrochemical surface plasmon resonance sensor based on two-electrode configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Bing; Dong, Wei; Wen, Yizhang; Pang, Kai; Wang, Xiaoping; Li, Yazhuo; Zhan, Shuyue

2016-01-01

To obtain detailed information about electrochemistry reactions, a two-electrode electrochemical surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR) sensor has been proposed. We describe the theory of potential modulation for this novel sensor and determine the factors that can change the SPR resonance angle. The reference electrode in three-electrode configuration was eliminated, and comparing with several other electrode materials, activated carbon (AC) is employed as the suitable counter electrode for its potential stability. Just like three-electrode configuration, the simpler AC two-electrode system can also obtain detailed information about the electrochemical reactions. (paper)

Understanding of carbon-based supercapacitors ageing mechanisms by electrochemical and analytical methods

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yinghui; Soucaze-Guillous, Benoît; Taberna, Pierre-Louis; Simon, Patrice

2017-10-01

In order to shed light on ageing mechanisms of Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC), two kinds of activated carbons are studied in tetraethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate (Et4NBF4) in acetonitrile. In floating mode, it turns out that two different ageing mechanisms are observed, depending on the activated carbon electrode materials used. On one hand, carbon A exhibits a continuous capacitance and series resistance fall-off; on the other hand, for carbon B, only the series resistance degrades after ageing while the capacitance keeps unchanged. Additional electrochemical characterizations (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy - EIS - and diffusion coefficient calculations) were carried out showing that carbon A's ageing behavior is suspected to be primarily related to the carbon degradation while for carbon B a passivation occurs leading to the formation of a Solid Electrolyte Interphase-Like (SEI-L) film. These hypotheses are supported by TG-IR and Raman spectroscopy analysis. The outcome forms the latter is an increase of carbon defects on carbon A on positive electrode.

Electrochemical, morphological and microstructural characterization of carbon film resistor electrodes for application in electrochemical sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gouveia-Caridade, Carla; Soares, David M.; Liess, Hans-Dieter; Brett, Christopher M.A.

2008-01-01

The electrochemical and microstructural properties of carbon film electrodes made from carbon film electrical resistors of 1.5, 15, 140 Ω and 2.0 kΩ nominal resistance have been investigated before and after electrochemical pre-treatment at +0.9 V vs SCE, in order to assess the potential use of these carbon film electrodes as electrochemical sensors and as substrates for sensors and biosensors. The results obtained are compared with those at electrodes made from previously investigated 2 Ω carbon film resistors. Cyclic voltammetry was performed in acetate buffer and phosphate buffer saline electrolytes and the kinetic parameters of the model redox system Fe(CN) 6 3-/4- obtained. The 1.5 Ω resistor electrodes show the best properties for sensor development with wide potential windows, similar electrochemical behaviour to those of 2 Ω and close-to-reversible kinetic parameters after electrochemical pre-treatment. The 15 and 140 Ω resistor electrodes show wide potential windows although with slower kinetics, whereas the 2.0 kΩ resistor electrodes show poor cyclic voltammetric profiles even after pre-treatment. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy related these findings to the interfacial properties of the electrodes. Microstructural and morphological studies were carried out using contact mode Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Confocal Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. AFM showed more homogeneity of the films with lower nominal resistances, related to better electrochemical characteristics. X-ray diffraction and Confocal Raman spectroscopy indicate the existence of a graphitic structure in the carbon films

Electrochemical characteristics of Shewanella loihica on carbon nanotubes-modified graphite surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiaoming; Epifanio, Monica; Marsili, Enrico

2013-01-01

Highlights: • We deposited CNT coatings on graphite electrode by electrophoretic deposition. • CNT coating increased extracellular electron transfer in Shewanella loihica biofilms. • Thick electroactive biofilms hinder the electroactivity of CNT coatings. -- Abstract: High specific surface and electrocatalytic activity of the electrode surface favour extracellular electron transfer from electrochemically active biofilms to polarized electrodes. We coated layer-by-layer carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on graphite electrodes through electrophoretic deposition, thus increasing the electrocatalytic activity. After determining the optimal number of CNT layers through electrochemical methods, we grew Shewanella loihica PV-4 biofilms on the CNT-coated electrodes to quantify the increase in extracellular electron transfer rate compared with unmodified electrodes. Current density on CNT-modified electrodes was 1.7 times higher than that observed on unmodified electrodes after 48 h from inoculation. Rapid microbial cells attachment on CNT-coated electrodes, as determined from scanning electronic microscopy, explained the rapid increase of the current. Also, the CNT reduced the charge transfer resistance of the graphite electrodes, as measured by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. However, the electrocatalytic activity of the CNT-coated electrode decreased as the biofilm grew thicker and covered the CNT-coating. These result confirmed that surface-modified electrodes improve the electron transfer rate in thin biofilms (<5 μm), but are not feasible for power production in microbial fuel cells, where the biofilm thickness is much higher

Solvothermal Synthesis of Fe2O3 Loaded Activated Carbon as Electrode Materials for High-performance Electrochemical Capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Ying; Kang, Litao; Bai, Gailing; Li, Peiyang; Deng, Jiachun; Liu, Xuguang; Yang, Yongzhen; Gao, Feng; Liang, Wei

2014-01-01

This article describes a facile solvothermal synthesis method to prepare Fe 2 O 3 /AC composites for electrochemical capacitors from Iron (III) chloride hexahydrate (FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O), activated carbon (AC, from petroleum coke), and four different precipitants (i.e., NaOH, CH 3 COONa, HMT, CO(NH 2 ) 2 ). X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis show that the products consisted of nanosized α-Fe 2 O 3 (weight ratios: 48.1, 47.9, 44.2, 44.3%) loaded onto AC particles (∼ 20 μm). Significantly, both kind and dosage of precipitants exhibit effects on the specific capacitances of Fe 2 O 3 /AC composites. The highest specific capacitance reaches up to 240 F g −1 (at a current density of 1 A g −1 in 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte) when the molar ratio of CH 3 COONa: FeCl 3 is 9. On the other hand, the sample prepared with NaOH: FeCl 3 molar ratio being 1.5 exhibits excellent rate capability with specific capacitance of 215 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 , and 89.3, 82.3, 78.1, 72.6 and 65.1% capacity retention at 2, 5, 10, 20, and 40 A g −1 , respectively. These electrochemical performances are superior to other materials consisted of Fe 2 O 3 /carbon nanotube (CNT), graphene oxide (GO) or reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites, demonstrating the great potential of Fe 2 O 3 /AC composites in the development of high-performance electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors

Electrochemical lysis at the stage of endoresection for large posterior intraocular tumors

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Yu. A. Belyy

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to design the new combined technique of endoresection with intraoperative intraocular electrochemical lysis at the tumor destruction stage for large posterior intraocular tumors.Methods: 3 patients (3 eyes with large choroidal melanomas t3N0M0 (tumor thickness — 8-10 mm, base diameter — 13-15 mm, juxtapapillary localization. Mean age was 55.4 years old. Endoresection with intraoperational intraocular electrochemical lysis of the tumor was performed. Electrochemical lysis was performed with use of the technical unit ECU 300 (Soering, Germany and the original method of combined intratumoral positioning of two platinum electrodes: anode and cathode.Results: the tumor was removal completely in all 3 cases. the anatomical retinal reattachment was reached in all patients. Sclera was safe in all 3 cases. Visual acuity was not changed (NLP. At the place of the removal tumor a surgical choroidal coloboma without pigmentation all over scleral bed and periphery was shown in all cases in distant postoperative period (from 1.5 to 3 years. No local recurrences or metastasis were revealed in all patients.Conclusion: Further investigations in clinical group are necessarily to determinate the real possibilities of the combined method and the indications for endoresection with intraoperative intraocular electrochemical lysis for large intraocular tumors. 

Hexagonal nanorods of tungsten trioxide: Synthesis, structure, electrochemical properties and activity as supporting material in electrocatalysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salmaoui, Samiha; Sediri, Faouzi; Gharbi, Neji; Perruchot, Christian; Aeiyach, Salah; Rutkowska, Iwona A.; Kulesza, Pawel J.; Jouini, Mohamed

2011-01-01

Tungsten trioxide, unhydrated with hexagonal structure (h-WO 3 ), has been prepared by hydrothermal method at a temperature of 180 o C in acidified sodium tungstate solution. Thus prepared h-WO 3 has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method and using electrochemical techniques. The morphology has been examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM) and it is consistent with existence of nanorods of 50-70 nm diameter and up to 5 μm length. Cyclic voltammetric characterization of thin films of h-WO 3 nanorods has revealed reversible redox behaviour with charge-discharge cycling corresponding to the reversible lithium intercalation/deintercalation into the crystal lattice of the h-WO 3 nanorods. In propylene carbonate containing LiClO 4 , two successive redox processes of hexagonal WO 3 nanorods are observed at the scan rate of 50 mV/s. Such behaviour shall be attributed to the presence of at least two W atoms of different surroundings in the lattice structure of h-WO 3 nanorods. On the other hand, in aqueous LiClO 4 solution, only one redox process is observed at the scan rate of 10 mV/s. The above observations can be explained in terms of differences in the diffusion of ions inside two types of channel cavities existing in the structure of the h-WO 3 nanorods. Moreover, the material can be applied as active support for the catalytic bi-metallic Pt-Ru nanoparticles during electrooxidation of ethanol in acid medium (0.5 mol dm -3 H 2 SO 4 ).

Hexagonal nanorods of tungsten trioxide: Synthesis, structure, electrochemical properties and activity as supporting material in electrocatalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Salmaoui, Samiha; Sediri, Faouzi; Gharbi, Néji; Perruchot, Christian; Aeiyach, Salah; Rutkowska, Iwona A.; Kulesza, Pawel J.; Jouini, Mohamed

2011-07-01

Tungsten trioxide, unhydrated with hexagonal structure (h-WO 3), has been prepared by hydrothermal method at a temperature of 180 °C in acidified sodium tungstate solution. Thus prepared h-WO 3 has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method and using electrochemical techniques. The morphology has been examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM) and it is consistent with existence of nanorods of 50-70 nm diameter and up to 5 μm length. Cyclic voltammetric characterization of thin films of h-WO 3 nanorods has revealed reversible redox behaviour with charge-discharge cycling corresponding to the reversible lithium intercalation/deintercalation into the crystal lattice of the h-WO 3 nanorods. In propylene carbonate containing LiClO 4, two successive redox processes of hexagonal WO 3 nanorods are observed at the scan rate of 50 mV/s. Such behaviour shall be attributed to the presence of at least two W atoms of different surroundings in the lattice structure of h-WO 3 nanorods. On the other hand, in aqueous LiClO 4 solution, only one redox process is observed at the scan rate of 10 mV/s. The above observations can be explained in terms of differences in the diffusion of ions inside two types of channel cavities existing in the structure of the h-WO 3 nanorods. Moreover, the material can be applied as active support for the catalytic bi-metallic Pt-Ru nanoparticles during electrooxidation of ethanol in acid medium (0.5 mol dm -3 H 2SO 4).

Identifying the Active Surfaces of Electrochemically Tuned LiCoO2 for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Zhiyi; Chen, Guangxu; Li, Yanbin; Wang, Haotian; Xie, Jin

2017-01-01

Identification of active sites for catalytic processes has both fundamental and technological implications for rational design of future catalysts. Herein, we study the active surfaces of layered lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) using the enhancement effect of electrochemical delithiation (De-LCO). Our theoretical results indicate that the most stable (0001) surface has a very large overpotential for OER independent of lithium content. In contrast, edge sites such as the nonpolar (1120) and polar (0112) surfaces are predicted to be highly active and dependent on (de)lithiation. The effect of lithium extraction from LCO on the surfaces and their OER activities can be understood by the increase of Co 4+ sites relative to Co 3+ and by the shift of active oxygen 2p states. Experimentally, it is demonstrated that LCO nanosheets, which dominantly expose the (0001) surface show negligible OER enhancement upon delithiation. However, a noticeable increase in OER activity (~0.1 V in overpotential shift at 10 mA cm –2 ) is observed for the LCO nanoparticles, where the basal plane is greatly diminished to expose the edge sites, consistent with the theoretical simulations. In addition, we find that the OER activity of De-LCO nanosheets can be improved if we adopt an acid etching method on LCO to create more active edge sites, which in turn provides a strong evidence for the theoretical indication.

Effects of organic additives containing -NH2 and -SO3H on electrochemical properties of vanadium redox flow battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Zhangxing; Liu, Jianlei; Han, Huiguo; Chen, Yong; Zhou, Zhi; Zheng, Shijie; Lu, Wei; Liu, Suqin; He, Zhen

2013-01-01

Effects of methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and aminomethylsulfonic acid (AMSA) as additives for positive electrolyte on thermal stability and electrochemical performance are investigated. Both additives can improve the thermal stability of V(V) electrolyte, and AMSA has better effect, especially. The electrochemical results show that V(IV)/V(V) exhibits superior electrochemical activity and reversibility with additives, and the diffusion coefficient of V(IV) species, exchange current density and reaction rate constant become larger with additives in positive electrolyte. Among the two additives, AMSA has better effect for improvement of electrochemical activity and kinetics. The cell using positive electrolyte with additive of AMSA was assembled and the charge–discharge performance was evaluated. The assembled cell using AMSA as positive electrolyte additive shows good cycling performance, with higher energy efficiency (81.5%) and larger discharge capacity retention (40 cycles: 82.7%). The improved electrochemical performance may be ascribed to more active sites provided by -NH 2 group and the enhanced hydrophilicity of the electrode provided by -NH 2 and -SO 3 H groups

Detection of methyl salicylate using bi-enzyme electrochemical sensor consisting salicylate hydroxylase and tyrosinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Yi; Bullock, Hannah; Lee, Sarah A; Sekar, Narendran; Eiteman, Mark A; Whitman, William B; Ramasamy, Ramaraja P

2016-11-15

Volatile organic compounds have been recognized as important marker chemicals to detect plant diseases caused by pathogens. Methyl salicylate has been identified as one of the most important volatile organic compounds released by plants during a biotic stress event such as fungal pathogen infection. Advanced detection of these marker chemicals could help in early identification of plant diseases and has huge significance for agricultural industry. This work describes the development of a novel bi-enzyme based electrochemical biosensor consisting of salicylate hydroxylase and tyrosinase enzymes immobilized on carbon nanotube modified electrodes. The amperometric detection using the bi-enzyme platform was realized through a series of cascade reactions that terminate in an electrochemical reduction reaction. Electrochemical measurements revealed that the sensitivity of the bi-enzyme sensor was 30.6±2.7µAcm(-2)µM(-1) and the limit of detection and limit of quantification were 13nM (1.80ppb) and 39nM (5.39ppb) respectively. Interference studies showed no significant interference from the other common plant volatile compounds. Synthetic analyte studies revealed that the bi-enzyme based biosensor can be used to reliably detect methyl salicylate released by unhealthy plants. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A biofilm microreactor system for simultaneous electrochemical and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renslow, Ryan S.; Babauta, Jerome T.; Majors, Paul D.; Mehta, Hardeep S.; Ewing, R. James; Ewing, Thomas; Mueller, Karl T.; Beyenal, Haluk

2014-01-01

In order to fully understand electrochemically active biofilms and the limitations to their scale-up in industrial biofilm reactors, a complete picture of the microenvironments inside the biofilm is needed. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques are ideally suited for the study of biofilms and for probing their microenvironments because these techniques allow for non-invasive interrogation and in situ monitoring with high resolution. By combining NMR with simultaneous electrochemical techniques, it is possible to sustain and study live electrochemically active biofilms. Here, we introduce a novel biofilm microreactor system that allows for simultaneous electrochemical and NMR techniques (EC-NMR) at the microscale. Microreactors were designed with custom radiofrequency resonator coils, which allowed for NMR measurements of biofilms growing on polarized gold electrodes. For an example application of this system, we grew Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms. NMR was used to investigate growth media flow velocities, which were compared to simulated laminar flow, and electron donor concentrations inside the biofilms. We use Monte Carlo error analysis to estimate standard deviations of the electron donor concentration measurements within the biofilm. The EC-NMR biofilm microreactor system can ultimately be used to correlate extracellular electron transfer rates with metabolic reactions and explore extracellular electron transfer mechanisms

Electrochemical extraction of samarium from molten chlorides in pyrochemical processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castrillejo, Y.; Fernandez, P.; Medina, J.; Hernandez, P.; Barrado, E.

2011-01-01

This work concerns the electrochemical extraction of samarium from molten chlorides. In this way, the electrochemical behaviour of samarium ions has been investigated in the eutectic LiCl-KCl at the surface of tungsten, aluminium and aluminium coated tungsten electrodes. On a W inert electrode the electro-reduction of Sm(III) takes place in only one soluble-soluble electrochemical step Sm(III)/Sm(II). The electrochemical system Sm(II)/Sm(0) has not been observed within the electrochemical window, because of the prior reduction of Li(I) ions from the solvent, which inhibits the electro-extraction of Sm species from the salt on such a substrate. Sm metal in contact with the melt react to give Li(0) according to the reaction: Sm(0) + 2Li(I) ↔ Sm(II) + 2Li(0). On the contrary, on reactive Al electrodes the electrochemical system Sm(II)/Sm(0) was observed within the electroactive range. The potential shift of the redox couple is caused by the decrease of Sm activity in the metal phase due to the formation of Sm-Al alloys at the interface. The formation mechanism of the intermetallic compounds was studied in a melt containing: (i) both Sm(III) and Al(III) ions, using W and Al coated tungsten electrodes, and (ii) Sm(III) ions using an Al electrode. Analysis of the samples after potentiostatic electrolysis by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), allowed the identification of Al 3 Sm and Al 2 Sm.

Electrochemical extraction of samarium from molten chlorides in pyrochemical processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castrillejo, Y., E-mail: ycastril@qa.uva.es [QUIANE/Dept Quimica Analitica, F. de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, Prado de la Magdalena s/n, 47005 Valladolid (Spain); Fernandez, P. [QUIANE/Dept Quimica Analitica, F. de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, Prado de la Magdalena s/n, 47005 Valladolid (Spain); Medina, J. [Dept Fisica Materia Condensada Cristalografia y Mineralogia, F. de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, Prado de la Magdalena s/n, 47005 Valladolid (Spain); Hernandez, P. [Centro de Investigaciones Quimicas, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carr. Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5, C.P. 42076 Pachuca, Hidalgo (Mexico); Barrado, E. [QUIANE/Dept Quimica Analitica, F. de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, Prado de la Magdalena s/n, 47005 Valladolid (Spain)

2011-10-01

This work concerns the electrochemical extraction of samarium from molten chlorides. In this way, the electrochemical behaviour of samarium ions has been investigated in the eutectic LiCl-KCl at the surface of tungsten, aluminium and aluminium coated tungsten electrodes. On a W inert electrode the electro-reduction of Sm(III) takes place in only one soluble-soluble electrochemical step Sm(III)/Sm(II). The electrochemical system Sm(II)/Sm(0) has not been observed within the electrochemical window, because of the prior reduction of Li(I) ions from the solvent, which inhibits the electro-extraction of Sm species from the salt on such a substrate. Sm metal in contact with the melt react to give Li(0) according to the reaction: Sm(0) + 2Li(I) {r_reversible} Sm(II) + 2Li(0). On the contrary, on reactive Al electrodes the electrochemical system Sm(II)/Sm(0) was observed within the electroactive range. The potential shift of the redox couple is caused by the decrease of Sm activity in the metal phase due to the formation of Sm-Al alloys at the interface. The formation mechanism of the intermetallic compounds was studied in a melt containing: (i) both Sm(III) and Al(III) ions, using W and Al coated tungsten electrodes, and (ii) Sm(III) ions using an Al electrode. Analysis of the samples after potentiostatic electrolysis by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), allowed the identification of Al{sub 3}Sm and Al{sub 2}Sm.

Simulation of electrorefining process using time-dependent multi-component electrochemical model: REFIN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Byung Gi; Hwang, Il Soon [Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1999-10-01

REFIN model is applied to analyze a series of experiments that had been conducted by Tomczuk, et al. at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in the U.S.A.. Predicted results from REFIN model for the electrorefining experiment are compared with the published experimental results. It is demonstrated that REFIN model can predict faradic current of each element and electrochemical potential as a function of time over the entire campaign of the electrorefining experiment. The elemental concentration changes agree with the experimental results well. Elemental concentration changes during an open-circuit equilibration period are revealed to suggest that the electrorefining process could not be adequately described by the equilibrium model often applied for an electrode surface. Surface potential drop is changed according to equilibrium potential of chemical species with high activity in liquid metal.

Microstructures and Electrochemical Behavior of Ti-Mo Alloys for Biomaterials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Back-Sub Sung

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Ti alloy with 7 wt% Mo revealed a microstructure that contained only the orthorhombic α′′ phase of a fine acicular martensitic structure. The corrosion resistance of the Ti-Mo alloys increased as the Mo content increased. Based on the results obtained from the polarization curve and electrochemical impedance, the Ti-Mo alloys were shown to be corrosion resistant because of the passive films formed on their surfaces. No ion release was detected in SBF (simulated body fluid solution, while Ti ions were released in 0.1% lactic acid ranging from 0.05 to 0.12 μg/mL for the Ti-Mo alloys. In vitro tests showed that MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation on Ti-7 wt% Mo alloy was rather active compared to other Ti-Mo alloys and commercial-grade pure Ti.

Redox properties of structural Fe in clay minerals. 2. Electrochemical and spectroscopic characterization of electron transfer irreversibility in ferruginous smectite, SWa-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorski, Christopher A; Klüpfel, Laura; Voegelin, Andreas; Sander, Michael; Hofstetter, Thomas B

2012-09-04

Structural Fe in clay minerals is an important, albeit poorly characterized, redox-active phase found in many natural and engineered environments. This work develops an experimental approach to directly assess the redox properties of a natural Fe-bearing smectite (ferruginous smectite, SWa-1, 12.6 wt % Fe) with mediated electrochemical reduction (MER) and oxidation (MEO). By utilizing a suite of one-electron-transfer mediating compounds to facilitate electron transfer between structural Fe in SWa-1 and a working electrode, we show that the Fe2+/Fe3+ couple in SWa-1 is redox-active over a large range of potentials (from E(H) = -0.63 V to +0.61 V vs SHE). Electrochemical and spectroscopic analyses of SWa-1 samples that were subject to reduction and re-oxidation cycling revealed both reversible and irreversible structural Fe rearrangements that altered the observed apparent standard reduction potential (E(H)(ø)) of structural Fe. E(H)(ø)-values vary by as much as 0.56 V between SWa-1 samples with different redox histories. The wide range of E(H)-values over which SWa-1 is redox-active and redox history-dependent E(H)(ø)-values underscore the importance of Fe-bearing clay minerals as redox-active phases in a wide range of redox regimes.

Competitive effect of KOH activation on the electrochemical performances of carbon nanotubes for EDLC: Balance between porosity and conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Bin; Wu Feng; Su Yuefeng; Cao Gaoping; Chen Shi; Zhou Zhiming; Yang Yusheng

2008-01-01

This work is focused on the competitive effects on the performance of the electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) between porosity increase and simultaneous conductivity decrease for KOH-activated carbon nanotubes (CNTs). A series of the CNTs have been activated with KOH to enhance their surface areas for application in EDLCs. The microstructure of the activated carbon nanotubes (ACNTs) is characterized with N 2 adsorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation and electric conductivity measurement. Their electrochemical performances are evaluated in aqueous KOH electrolyte with galvanostatic charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, and ac impedance spectroscopy. It is found that the KOH activation enhances the specific surface area of the CNTs and its specific capacitance but decreases its electric conductivity and the rate performance in EDLC. By controlling the activation of the CNTs to balance the porosity and conductivity, ACNTs with both high capacitance and good rate performance are obtained

Electrochemical oxidation of propene by use of LSM₁₅/CGO₁₀ electrochemical reactor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ippolito, Davide; Andersen, Kjeld Bøhm; Kammer Hansen, Kent

2012-01-01

The propene catalytic oxidation was studied over an 11-layers porous electrochemical reactor made by La0.85Sr0.15MnO3 and Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 with the objective to simulate the abatement of exhaust gases emitted from Diesel engines. This work shows the possibility to enhance the catalytic activity th...... of catalysis (EPOC) was found at low temperature....

Electrochemical gating in scanning electrochemical microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ahonen, P.; Ruiz, V.; Kontturi, K.; Liljeroth, P.; Quinn, B.M.

2008-01-01

We demonstrate that scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) can be used to determine the conductivity of nanoparticle assemblies as a function of assembly potential. In contrast to conventional electron transport measurements, this method is unique in that electrical connection to the film is not

Electrochemical-thermal Modeling to Evaluate Active Thermal Management of a Lithium-ion Battery Module

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahiraei, Farid; Fartaj, Amir; Nazri, Gholam-Abbas

2017-01-01

Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used in hybrid electric and full electric vehicles (HEV and EV). In HEV, thermal management is a strict requirement to control the batteries temperature within an optimal range in order to enhance performance, safety, reduce cost, and prolong the batteries lifetime. The optimum design of a thermal management system depends on the thermo-electrochemical behavior of the batteries, operating conditions, and weight and volume constraints. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of various operating and design parameters on the thermal performance of a battery module consisted of six building block cells. An electrochemical-thermal model coupled to conjugate heat transfer and fluid dynamics simulations is used to assess the effectiveness of two indirect liquid thermal management approaches under the FUDC driving cycle. In this study, a novel pseudo 3D electrochemical-thermal model of the battery is used. It is found that the cooling plate thickness has a significant effect on the maximum and gradient of temperature in the module. Increasing the Reynolds number decreases the average temperature but at the expense of temperature uniformity. The results show that double channel cooling system has a lower maximum temperature and more uniform temperature distribution compared to a single channel cooling system.

Electrochemical Supercapacitive Performance of Spray-Deposited NiO Electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Abhijit A.; Chavan, U. J.

2018-04-01

Transition-metal oxides with porous structure are considered for use as promising electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors. Nanocrystalline nickel oxide (NiO) thin films have been prepared as active material for supercapacitors by spray pyrolysis. In this study, the effects of the film thickness on its structural, morphological, optical, electrical, and electrochemical properties were studied. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed cubic structure with average crystalline size of around 21 nm. Scanning electron microscopy showed porous morphology. The optical bandgap decreased from 3.04 eV to 2.97 eV with increase in the film thickness. Electrical resistivity measurements indicated semiconducting behavior. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge study revealed good pseudocapacitive behavior. Specific capacitance of 564 F g-1 at scan rate of 5 mV s-1 and 553 F g-1 at current density of 1 A g-1 was observed. An NiO-based supercapacitor delivered specific energy of 22.8 W h kg-1 at specific power of 2.16 kW kg-1, and retained 93.01% specific capacitance at current density of 1 A g-1 after 1000 cycles. Therefore, taking advantage of the porous morphology that exists in the nanostructure, such NiO materials can be considered for use as promising electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors.

Enhanced catalytic and dopamine sensing properties of electrochemically reduced conducting polymer nanocomposite doped with pure graphene oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wenting; Xu, Guiyun; Cui, Xinyan Tracy; Sheng, Ge; Luo, Xiliang

2014-08-15

Significantly enhanced catalytic activity of a nanocomposite composed of conducting polymer poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) doped with graphene oxide (GO) was achieved through a simple electrochemical reduction process. The nanocomposite (PEDOT/GO) was electrodeposited on an electrode and followed by electrochemical reduction, and the obtained reduced nanocomposite (PEDOT/RGO) modified electrode exhibited lowered electrochemical impedance and excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of dopamine. Based on the excellent catalytic property of PEDOT/RGO, an electrochemical sensor capable of sensitive and selective detection of DA was developed. The fabricated sensor can detect DA in a wide linear range from 0.1 to 175μM, with a detection limit of 39nM, and it is free from common interferences such as uric acid and ascorbic acid. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure dependent electrochemical performance of Li-rich layered oxides in lithium-ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Fang; Yao, Yuze; Wang, Haiyan; Xu, Gui-Liang; Amine, Khalil; Sun, Shi-Gang; Shao, Minhua

2017-04-08

Rational and precise control of the structure and dimension of electrode materials is an efficient way to improve their electrochemical performance. In this work, solvothermal or co-precipitation method is used to synthesize lithium-rich layered oxide materials of Li1.2Mn0.56Co0.12Ni0.12O2 (LLO) with various morphologies and structures, including microspheres, microrods, nanoplates, and irregular nanoparticles. These materials exhibit strong structure- dependent electrochemical properties. The porous hierarchical structured LLO microrods exhibit the best performance, delivering a discharge capacity of 264.6 mAh g(-1) at 0.5 C with over 91% retention after 100 cycles. At a high rate of 5 C, a high discharge capacity of 173.6 mAh g(-1) can be achieved. This work reveals the relationship between the morphologies and electrochemical properties of LLO cathode materials, and provides a feasible approach to fabricating robust and high-performance electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Fabrication of an electrically conductive mixed self-assembled monolayer and its application in an electrochemical immunosensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jung Bae; Namgung, Miok; Lee, Sang-Baek; Oh, Se Young

2008-01-01

Oligophenylethynylene thiol containing carboxylic acid in the tail group as a conducting wire bioreceptor was synthesized, and then its electrical property was investigated from the measurement of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Mixed self-assembled monolayer (SAM) consisting of 4-(2-(4-acetylthio)phenyl)ethynyl) benzoic acid (APBA) and butanethiol was fabricated in order to improve the electrical conductivity owing to the molecular orientation. We have examined the molecular orientation and the electrochemical activity of mixed SAM via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Especially, the prepared mixed SAM used as a bioreceptor in electrochemical prostate specific antigen (PSA) immunosensor showed higher electrochemical activity than that of the other SAMs

Characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krebs, L.C.; Ishida, Takanobu.

1991-12-01

The characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces has been accomplished through the use of four major electrochemical techniques. These were chronoamperometry, chronopotentiommetry, cyclic voltammetry, and linear sweep voltammetry. A systematic study on the under-potential deposition of several transition metals has been performed. The most interesting of these were: Ag, Cu, Cd, and Pb. It was determined, by subjecting the platinum electrode surface to a single potential scan between {minus}0.24 and +1.25 V{sub SCE} while stirring the solution, that the electrocatalytic activity would be regenerated. As a consequence of this study, a much simpler method for producing ultra high purity water from acidic permanganate has been developed. This method results in water that surpasses the water produced by pyrocatalytic distillation. It has also been seen that the wettability of polycrystalline platinum surfaces is greatly dependent on the quantity of oxide present. Oxide-free platinum is hydrophobic and gives a contact angle in the range of 55 to 62 degrees. We have also modified polycrystalline platinum surface with the electrically conducting polymer poly-{rho}-phenylene. This polymer is very stable in dilute sulfuric acid solutions, even under applied oxidative potentials. It is also highly resistant to electrochemical hydrogenation. The wettability of the polymer modified platinum surface is severely dependent on the choice of supporting electrolyte chosen for the electrochemical polymerization. Tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate produces a film that is as hydrophobic as Teflon, whereas tetraethylammonium perchlorate produces a film that is more hydrophilic than oxide-free platinum.

Characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krebs, Leonard C. [State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook, NY (United States); Ishida, Takanobu [State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook, NY (United States)

1991-12-01

The characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces has been accomplished through the use of four major electrochemical techniques. These were chronoamperometry, chronopotentiommetry, cyclic voltammetry, and linear sweep voltammetry. A systematic study on the under-potential deposition of several transition metals has been performed. The most interesting of these were: Ag, Cu, Cd, and Pb. It was determined, by subjecting the platinum electrode surface to a single potential scan between -0.24 and +1.25 V_SCE while stirring the solution, that the electrocatalytic activity would be regenerated. As a consequence of this study, a much simpler method for producing ultra high purity water from acidic permanganate has been developed. This method results in water that surpasses the water produced by pyrocatalytic distillation. It has also been seen that the wettability of polycrystalline platinum surfaces is greatly dependent on the quantity of oxide present. Oxide-free platinum is hydrophobic and gives a contact angle in the range of 55 to 62 degrees. We have also modified polycrystalline platinum surface with the electrically conducting polymer poly-ρ-phenylene. This polymer is very stable in dilute sulfuric acid solutions, even under applied oxidative potentials. It is also highly resistant to electrochemical hydrogenation. The wettability of the polymer modified platinum surface is severely dependent on the choice of supporting electrolyte chosen for the electrochemical polymerization. Tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate produces a film that is as hydrophobic as Teflon, whereas tetraethylammonium perchlorate produces a film that is more hydrophilic than oxide-free platinum.

Engineering Ru@Pt Core-Shell Catalysts for Enhanced Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction Mass Activity and Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Ariel; Strickler, Alaina; Higgins, Drew; Jaramillo, Thomas Francisco

2018-01-12

Improving the performance of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts is essential for the commercial efficacy of many renewable energy technologies, including low temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Herein, we report highly active and stable carbon-supported Ru@Pt core-shell nanoparticles (Ru@Pt/C) prepared by a wet chemical synthesis technique. Through rotating disc electrode testing, the Ru@Pt/C achieves an ORR Pt mass-based activity of 0.50 A mg Pt -1 at 0.9 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which exceeds the activity of the state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C catalyst as well as the Department of Energy 2020 PEFC electrocatalyst activity targets for transportation applications. The impact of various synthetic parameters, including Pt to Ru ratios and catalyst pretreatments (i.e., annealing) are thoroughly explored. Pt-based mass activity of all prepared Ru@Pt/C catalysts was found to exceed 0.4 mg Pt -1 across the range of compositions investigated, with the maximum activity catalyst having a Ru:Pt ratio of 1:1. This optimized composition of Ru@Pt/C catalyst demonstrated remarkable stability after 30,000 accelerated durability cycles (0.6 to 1.0 V vs. RHE at 125 mV s -1 ), maintaining 85% of its initial mass activity. Scanning transmission electron microscopy energy dispersive spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) analysis at various stages of electrochemical testing demonstrated that the Pt shell can provide sufficient protection against the dissolution of the otherwise unstable Ru core.

Electrochemically reduced graphene oxide-based electrochemical sensor for the sensitive determination of ferulic acid in A. sinensis and biological samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Linjie [School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Gou, Yuqiang [Lanzhou Military Command Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Gao, Xia; Zhang, Pei; Chen, Wenxia; Feng, Shilan [School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Hu, Fangdi, E-mail: hufd@lzu.edu.cn [School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Li, Yingdong, E-mail: lydj412@163.com [Gansu College of Tradition Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2014-09-01

An electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was used as a new voltammetric sensor for the determination of ferulic acid (FA). The morphology and microstructure of the modified electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy analysis, and the electrochemical effective surface areas of the modified electrodes were also calculated by chronocoulometry method. Sensing properties of the electrochemical sensor were investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). It was found that ERGO was electrodeposited on the surface of GCE by using potentiostatic method. The proposed electrode exhibited electrocatalytic activity to the redox of FA because of excellent electrochemical properties of ERGO. The transfer electron number (n), electrode reaction rate constant (k{sub s}) and electron-transfer coefficient (α) were calculated as 1.12, 1.24 s{sup −1}, and 0.40, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, the oxidation peak current was proportional to FA concentration at 8.49 × 10{sup −8} mol L{sup −1} to 3.89 × 10{sup −5} mol L{sup −1} with detection limit of 2.06 × 10{sup −8} mol L{sup −1}. This fabricated sensor also displayed acceptable reproducibility, long-term stability, and high selectivity with negligible interferences from common interfering species. The voltammetric sensor was successfully applied to detect FA in A. sinensis and biological samples with recovery values in the range of 99.91%-101.91%. - Highlights: • A novel ERGO–based electrochemical sensor of FA was successfully fabricated by using one-step electrodeposition method. • The electrode reaction was an adsorption–diffusion mixed controlled process. • The low detection limit with good selectivity and sensitivity were obtained. • This method was applied for the determination of FA in A. sinensis and biological samples.

Local deposition of anisotropic nanoparticles using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM).

Science.gov (United States)

Fedorov, Roman G; Mandler, Daniel

2013-02-28

We demonstrate localized electrodeposition of anisotropic metal nanoobjects, namely Au nanorods (GNR), on indium tin oxide (ITO) using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). A gold microelectrode was the source of the gold ions whereby double pulse chronoamperometry was employed to generate initially Au seeds which were further grown under controlled conditions. The distance between the microelectrode and the ITO surface as well as the different experimental parameters (electrodeposition regime, solution composition and temperature) were optimized to produce faceted gold seeds with the required characteristics (size and distribution). Colloidal chemical synthesis was successfully exploited for better understanding the role of the surfactant and different additives in breaking the crystallographic symmetry and anisotropic growth of GNR. Experiments performed in a conventional three-electrode cell revealed the most appropriate electrochemical conditions allowing high yield synthesis of nanorods with well-defined shape as well as nanocubes and bipyramids.

Evolution of the Corrosion Morphology on AZ31B Tracked Electrochemically and by In Situ Microscopy in Chloride-Containing Media

Science.gov (United States)

Melia, M. A.; Cain, T. W.; Briglia, B. F.; Scully, J. R.; Fitz-Gerald, J. M.

2017-11-01

The evolution of open-circuit corrosion morphology as a function of immersion time for Mg alloy AZ31B in 0.6-M NaCl solution was investigated. Real-time optical microscopy accompanied by simultaneous electrochemical characterization was used to characterize the filiform corrosion (FFC) of AZ31B. Specifically, the behavior of propagating corrosion filaments on the metal surface was observed, and correlations among polarization resistance, filament propagation rates, open-circuit potential, and active coverage of local corrosion sites were revealed. Three distinct stages of corrosion were observed in 0.6-M NaCl. An initial passive region, during which a slow potential rise occurred (termed stage I), a second FFC region (termed stage II) with shallow penetrating, distinct filaments, and a final FFC region (termed stage III) with deeper penetrating filaments, aligned to form a linear front. The electrochemical properties of each stage are discussed, providing insights into the penetration rates and corrosion model.

Electrochemical oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol: Synthesis and characterization of the formed ortho-benzoquinhydrone derivative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nematollahi, D.; Shayani-Jam, H.

2006-01-01

Electrochemical oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (1) has been studied in ethanol/water mixtures by means of cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential coulometry. The results revealed that 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benenzoquinone (2) derived from oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol participate in noncovalently linked interactions with 1 converted to an ortho-benzoquinhydrone (3). The structure of 3 was characterized by MS, IR, 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR. The 1 H NMR studies reveal that the benzoquinhydrone complex 3 is stabilized by one H-bonding interaction. In this work we derived a novel ortho-bezoquinhydrone type complex (3) based on electrochemical oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol at carbon electrode in an undivided cell

Rapid synthesis of Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles: Optical and electrochemical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romeiro, Fernanda C.; Marinho, Juliane Z.; Lemos, Samantha C.S. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Moura, Ana P. de [LIEC, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-900 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Freire, Poliana G. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Silva, Luis F. da; Longo, Elson [LIEC, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-900 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Munoz, Rodrigo A.A. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Lima, Renata C., E-mail: rclima@iqufu.ufu.br [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil)

2015-10-15

We report for the first time a rapid preparation of Zn{sub 1−2x}Co{sub x}Ni{sub x}O nanoparticles via a versatile and environmentally friendly route, microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MAH) method. The Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles present an effect on photoluminescence and electrochemical properties, exhibiting excellent electrocatalytic performance compared to undoped ZnO sample. Photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements indicated the reduction of the green–orange–red visible emission region after adding Co and Ni ions, revealing the formation of alternative pathways for the generated recombination. The presence of these metallic ions into ZnO creates different defects, contributing to a local structural disorder, as revealed by Raman spectra. Electrochemical experiments revealed that the electrocatalytic oxidation of dopamine on ZnO attached to multi-walled carbon nanotubes improved significantly in the Co, Ni co-doped ZnO samples when compared to pure ZnO. - Graphical abstract: Rapid synthesis of Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles: optical and electrochemical properties. Co, Ni co-doped ZnO hexagonal nanoparticles with optical and electrocatalytic properties were successfully prepared for the first time using a microwave hydrothermal method at mild conditions. - Highlights: • Co{sup 2+} and Ni{sup 2+} into ZnO lattice obtained a mild and environmentally friendly process. • The heating method strongly influences in the growth and shape of the particles. • Short-range defects generated by the ions insertion affects the photoluminescence. • Doped ZnO nanoparticles improve the electrocatalytic properties of pure oxide.

Efficient electrochemical regeneration of nicotinamide cofactors using a cyclopentadienyl-rhodium complex on functionalized indium tin oxide electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Soojin; Lee, Ga Ye; Lee, Jungha; Rajkumar, Eswaran; Baeg, Jin-Ook; Kim, Jinheung

2013-01-01

Functionalized ITO electrodes are used to regenerate NADH using [Cp*Rh(bpy)(H 2 O)] 2+ (Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) electrochemically in a buffer solution. Amino- and mercapto-functionalized electrodes featured higher activity and stability for electrocatalytic generation of NADH than a bare ITO electrode. Effect of metal nanoparticles was also studied on modified ITO electrodes and the addition of platinum nanoparticles even resulted in improved activity. The electrochemical regeneration was somewhat affected in the presence of dioxygen, but not significantly. In addition, a conversion of carbon dioxide was carried out utilizing the electrochemically generated NADH and formate dehydrogenase to produce formic acid

Electrochemical preparation of self-doped poly(N-(3-sulfonicpropion) anilide) and its application in sensing ethanol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Chunming; Chen Hui; Kong Jilie

2009-01-01

A novel containing sulfonic acid group aniline monomer, N-(3-sulfonicpropion) anilide, was synthesized in three steps and subsequently to be electropolymerized on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The resulting self-doped poly(N-(3-sulfonicpropion) anilide) (SPAN/GCE) held 79.5% electrochemical activity when transferred from 0.1 M pH 7.0 PBS to 0.1 M pH 10.0 PBS, indicating its remarkable extension of the redox activity. The SPAN/GCE was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and found that 30% of the nitrogen atoms are sulfonated. Preliminary experimental results show that after the immobilization of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) on the SPAN/GCE (ADH/SPAN/GCE), the ADH/SPAN/GCE showed good electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of ethanol. These reveal that the SPAN/GCE is quite promising in the fields of biosensors, biofuel cells and other bioelectrochemical devices.

Electrochemical processing of spent nuclear fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williamson, M. A.; Willit, J. L.; Barnes, L. A.; Figueroa, J.; Limmer, S. L.; Blaskovitz, R. [Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne (United States)

2008-08-15

Our work in developing the fuel cycles and electrochemical technologies needed for the treatment of spent light water reactor and spent fast reactor fuel is progressing well. Baseline flowsheets along with a theoretical material balance have been developed for treatment of each type of fuel. A discussion about the flowsheets provides the opportunity to present the status of our technology development activities and future research and development directions.

Electrochemical processing of spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williamson, M. A.; Willit, J. L.; Barnes, L. A.; Figueroa, J.; Limmer, S. L.; Blaskovitz, R.

2008-01-01

Our work in developing the fuel cycles and electrochemical technologies needed for the treatment of spent light water reactor and spent fast reactor fuel is progressing well. Baseline flowsheets along with a theoretical material balance have been developed for treatment of each type of fuel. A discussion about the flowsheets provides the opportunity to present the status of our technology development activities and future research and development directions

One-step electrochemical composite polymerization of polypyrrole integrated with functionalized graphene/carbon nanotubes nanostructured composite film for electrochemical capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Bing; Lu Xiangjun; Yuan Changzhou; Yang Sudong; Han Yongqin; Zhang Xiaogang; Che Qian

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: A novel one-step electrochemical co-deposition strategy was first proposed to prepare unique polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes (PPy/F-RGO/CNTs) ternary composites, where F-RGO, CNTs, and PPy were electrodeposited simultaneously to construct a three-dimensional (3-D) highly porous film electrode. Highlights: ► Isolated, water-soluble graphene was obtained through benzenesulfonic functionalization. ► PPy/F-RGO/CNTs ternary composite film was prepared via one-step electrochemical co-deposition route. ► PPy/F-RGO/CNTs film shows 3-D highly porous nanostructure and high electrical conductivity. ► PPy/F-RGO/CNTs film exhibits high capacitance, good high-rate performance with a remarkable cycling stability. - Abstract: A novel one-step electrochemical composite polymerization strategy was first proposed to prepare unique polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotubes (PPy/F-RGO/CNTs) ternary composites, where F-RGO, CNTs, and PPy were electrodeposited simultaneously to construct a three-dimensional (3-D) highly porous film electrode. Such ternary composite film electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance of 300 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 as well as a remarkable cycling stability at high rates, which is related to its unique nanostructure and high electrical conductivity. F-RGO and CNTs act as an electron-transporting backbone of a 3-D porous nanostructure, leaving adequate working space for facile electrolyte penetration and better faradaic utilization of the electro-active PPy. Furthermore, the straightforward approach proposed here can be readily extended to prepare other composite film electrodes with good electrochemical performance for energy storage.

Electrochemical evaluation of sweet sorghum fermentable sugar bioenergy feedstock

Science.gov (United States)

Redox active constituents of sorghum, e.g., anthocyanin, flavonoids, and aconitic acid, putatively contribute to its pest resistance. Electrochemical reactivity of sweet sorghum stem juice was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) for five male (Atlas, Chinese, Dale, Isidomba, N98) and three fema...

Long-term effect of set potential on biocathodes in microbial fuel cells: electrochemical and phylogenetic characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Xue; Sun, Yanmei; Liang, Peng; Huang, Xia

2012-09-01

The long-term effect of set potential on oxygen reducing biocathodes was investigated in terms of electrochemical and biological characteristics. Three biocathodes were poised at 200, 60 and -100 mV vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE) for 110 days, including the first 17 days for startup. Electrochemical analyses showed that 60 mV was the optimum potential during long-term operation. The performance of all the biocathodes kept increasing after startup, suggesting a period longer than startup time needed to make potential regulation more effective. The inherent characteristics without oxygen transfer limitation were studied. Different from short-term regulation, the amounts of biomass were similar while the specific electrochemical activity was significantly influenced by potential. Moreover, potential showed a strong selection for cathode bacteria. Clones 98% similar with an uncultured Bacteroidetes bacterium clone CG84 accounted for 75% to 80% of the sequences on the biocathodes that showed higher electrochemical activity (60 and -100 mV). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical model of the polyaniline based organic memristive device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demin, V. A.; Erokhin, V. V.; Kashkarov, P. K.; Kovalchuk, M. V.

2014-01-01

The electrochemical organic memristive device with polyaniline active layer is a stand-alone device designed and realized for reproduction of some synapse properties in the innovative electronic circuits, including the neuromorphic networks capable for learning. In this work, a new theoretical model of the polyaniline memristive is presented. The developed model of organic memristive functioning was based on the detailed consideration of possible electrochemical processes occuring in the active zone of this device. Results of the calculation have demonstrated not only the qualitative explanation of the characteristics observed in the experiment but also the quantitative similarities of the resultant current values. It is shown how the memristive could behave at zero potential difference relative to the reference electrode. This improved model can establish a basis for the design and prediction of properties of more complicated circuits and systems (including stochastic ones) based on the organic memristive devices