Nanoraspberry-like palladium/spongy nickel oxide for electrooxidation of five light fuels

The spongy nickel oxide (SNO) was synthesized the solution combustion method. The SNO was selected as a promoter to boost the catalytic activity of nanoraspberry-like palladium (NRPd) toward electrooxidation of five light fuels (LFs): methanol, ethanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, and ethylene glycol. The X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscope techniques were used for the materials characterization. In comparison with nonpromoted Pd, the NRPd-SNO electrocatalyst shown an excellent efficiency in parameters like the electrochemical active surface area and anti-CO poisoning behavior. The turnover data and the parameters, including reaction order, activation energy, and the coefficients of electron transfer and diffusion, were evaluated for the each process of LFs electrooxidation. The outcome for NRPd-SNO activity toward LFs electrooxidation was compared to some reported electrodes. The SNO increases the removal of intermediates created in the oxidation of LFs that can poison the surface of palladium catalyst. This is due to the presence of the lattice oxygens in SNO structure and Ni switching between its high and low valances. The compatibility of the adsorption process of LFs on the surface of the NRPd-SNO catalyst with different isotherms was determined by studying the Tafel polarization and calculating the surface coverage.     

Palladized dysprosium fluoride nanorods as a new performance catalyst in direct methanol fuel cell

Fuel cells are a new type of batteries that produce electricity from a continuous source of alcohols as long as fuel is inserted. In this study, decorated palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) on dysprosium fluoride (DyF₃) nanorods (DyFNRs)‐multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used for electrooxidation of methanol. DyFNRs were synthesized by the hydrothermal method, and the proposed multifunctional catalyst (DyFNRs/MWCNT‐PdNPs) was identified by several methods such as X‐ray diffraction, elemental mapping images, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays, and transmission electron microscopy which demonstrated a uniform distribution and high dispersion of the PdNPs on the supports. The electrocatalytic activity toward methanol electrooxidation on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with DyFNRs/MWCNT‐PdNPs (DyFNRs/MWCNT‐PdNPs/GCE) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). Experimental results showed a high improvement in oxidation potential and peak current of methanol electrooxidation by DyFNRs/MWCNT‐PdNPs in comparison to DyFNRs and PdNPs. The values of the catalytic rate constant (k) and physical dimension (D_s) for methanol oxidation on the DyFNRs/MWCNT‐PdNPs/GCE catalyst were calculated 0.008 s^?1 and 1.43, respectively. Moreover, the order of reaction was determined to be 0.43 and 0.13 for CH₃OH and NaOH, repectively. Finally, the synthesized catalyst was evaluated in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The single DMFC with proposed anodic catalyst, DyFNRs/MWCNT‐PdNPs, indicated a power density of 4.4 mW·cm^?2 at a current density of 18 mA·cm^?2 in alcohol (1 M) and NaOH (1 M).     

Investigation of the nanometals (Ni and Sn) in platinum binary and ternary electrocatalysts for methanol electrooxidation

The main purpose of our research is focused to increase anodic catalysts activity and thus to decrease noble metal loading in anodes for electrooxidation of methanol. Binary and ternary catalysts dispersed in chitosan, Pt-Ni, Pt-Sn and Pt-Ni-Sn are synthesized by reduction of appropriate metal salts with NaBH₄ in the chitosan solution. UV-vis spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the catalysts reveal the presence of metal nanoparticles (NPs). Performance of Pt-Ni, Pt-Sn, and Pt-Ni-Sn nanocomposites for methanol electrooxidation are examined by cyclic voltammetery and chronoamperometry methods. The effect of some experimental factors such as methanol, chitosan and electrolyte (H₂SO₄) concentrations, Ni and Sn amounts dispersed in chitosan on the current density and potential for the oxidation of methanol are studied and optimized. The electrochemical measurements show that the activity of Pt-Ni-SnNPs catalyst for methanol electrooxidation is higher than the activity of PtNPs, Pt-NiNPs and Pt-SnNPs catalysts.     

Determination of cyanide in wastewaters using modified glassy carbon electrode with immobilized silver hexacyanoferrate nanoparticles on multiwall carbon nanotube

The sensitive determination of cyanide in wastewaters using modified GC electrode with silver hexacyanoferrate nanoparticles (SHFNPs) immobilized on multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was reported. The immobilization of SHFNPs on MWCNT was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM image showed that the SHFNPs retained the spherical morphology after immobilized on MWCNT. The size of SHFNPs was examined around 27 nm. The GC/MWCNT-SHFNPs was used for the determination of cyanide in borax buffer (BB) solution (pH 8.0). Using square wave voltammetry, the current response of cyanide increases linearly while increasing its concentration from 40.0 nM to 150.0 μM and a detection limit was found to be 8.3 nM (S/N=3). The present modified electrode was also successfully used for the determination of 5.0 μM cyanide in the presence of common contaminants at levels presenting in industrial wastewaters. The practical application of the present modified electrode was demonstrated by measuring the concentration of cyanide in industrial wastewater samples. Moreover, the studied sensor exhibited high sensitivity, good reproducibility and long-term stability.     

The improvement of methanol oxidation using nano-electrocatalysts

ABSTRACT

In this study, a nano-scale perovskite LaMnO₃ (LaMnO₃NPs) was synthesised by a rapid microwave-assisted co-precipitation method and characterised by X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray techniques. A modified glassy carbon electrode with Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs), functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and LaMnO₃NPs as multifunctional catalyst was prepared and furthermore, its catalytic activity toward methanol oxidation was investigated. Based on the electrochemical studies, the PtNPs–CNTs–LaMnO₃NPs nanocomposite showed considerable activity for methanol oxidation in comparison to PtNPs, PtNPs–CNTs and PtNPs–LaMnO₃NPs. The results displayed the adding of CNTs and LaMnO₃NPs into PtNPs catalyst and the use of a more porous matrix of chitosan can improve the anode performance for methanol oxidation. The transition metals presence at catalyst structure caused to catalyse the methanol dehydrogenation. The decreasing the poisoning rate of the PtNPs with intermediates and by-products of anodic reaction was observed due to the bi-functional effect electrical and oxygen ion conductive perovskite. Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was designed, assembled and tested with suggested PtNPs–CNTs–LaMnO₃NPs nanocomposites as anodic catalyst at variety conditions. The effect of experimental factors such as temperature and methanol concentration on DMFC performances was investigated and optimised.     

Electrochemical investigation of Pd nanoparticles and MWCNTs supported Pd nanoparticles-coated electrodes for alcohols (C1–C3) oxidation in fuel cells

Incorporation of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into chitosan-coated glassy carbon (GC) electrode for alcohols (methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol) electrooxidation has been studied. PdNPs–chitosan and MWCNTs–PdNPs–chitosan nanocomposites are successfully prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy images and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Based on the results, PdNPs–chitosan nanocomposite indicates high electrochemical activity and excellent catalytic characteristic for alcohol (C₁–C₃) electrooxidation on a GC electrode in an alkaline medium. The current density of the alcohols oxidation at GC–PdNPs–chitosan electrode is investigated in optimized conditions and compared with that obtained at the GC-modified electrode by Pd with different polymers. Also, our results show that the dispersion of Pd nanoparticles on the MWCNTs significantly improved the performance of the PdNPs/chitosan composite for electrooxidation of the C₁–C₃ alcohols.     

One-pot synthesis of ultrasmall PtAg nanoparticles decorated on graphene as a high-performance catalyst toward methanol oxidation

A one-pot synthesis method is utilized for the fabrication of ultrasmall platinum-silver nanoparticles decorated on graphene (PtAg/G) catalyst. This method has several advantages such as inexpensiveness, simplicity, low temperature, surfactant free, reductant free, being environmentally friendly and greenness. In this work, graphene and silver formate were dispersed in ultrapure water in an ultrasonic bath at 25 °C followed by through a galvanic displacement reaction; to prepare PtAg/G, PtCl₂ was added to the suspension under mild stirring condition. The morphology, crystal structure and chemical compositions of the as-fabricated PtAg/G and Pt/C catalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. Electrochemical techniques, including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) measurements were used to analyze the electrochemical activity of the PtAg/G and Pt/C catalysts. The TEM images illustrate the uniform distribution of ultrasmall PtAg nanoparticles with the average size of 2–3 nm on the graphene nanosheets. The PtAg/G promoted the current density 2.46 times as much as Pt/C with a negative shift in onset oxidation potential and peak potential for oxidation reaction of methanol. Besides, the novel PtAg/G catalyst shows large electrochemically active surface area, lower apparent activation energy, and higher levels of durability in comparison to the Pt/C catalyst for the oxidation of methanol. The PtAg/G catalyst depicts extraordinary catalytic performance and stability to those of the Pt/C catalyst toward methanol oxidation in alkaline media.     

Cross-linked poly(N-alkyl-4-vinylpyridinium) iodides as new eco-friendly inhibitors for corrosion study of St-37 steel in 1 M H2SO4

Iranian Polymer Journal - Cross-linked poly (N-alkyl-4-vinylpyridinium) iodides abbreviated as P4-VPMI, P4-VPOI and P4-VPDI, were synthesized from quaternization of poly(4-vinyl pyridine)...     

Inhibition of aluminum corrosion in acid solution by environmentally friendly antibacterial corrosion inhibitors: Experimental and theoretical investigations

Protection of Metals and Physical Chemistry of Surfaces - The inhibition performance of penicillin G(I), methicillin(II) and nafcillin(III) on the corrosion of aluminum in a 1 M HCl solution has...