Synthesis, structure and electrochemical property of calixarene potassium polyoxometalates

One inorganic-organic hybrid and two host-guest complexes were synthesized from calix[4] arene tetra acetic ether derivative( C60H80O12, L) and potassium polyoxometalates. The structures of the complexes were characterized with the elemental analysis, IR, TG-DTA and X-crystallographic. X-ray crystallographic studies reveal the formation of an ionic crystal, which contains a calix-cluster and calix-cluster-calix line array, and belongs to a typical inorganic-organic hybrid ( complex 1) or has a host-guest structure ( complex 2 and 3). The results of cyclic voltammograms at different scanning rates showed that the anode peak current of complex 1 was proportional to the square root of the scanning rate and the charge transfer process was controlled by pervasion. The anode peak current of complexes 2 and 3 was proportional to the scanning rate and the charge transfer process was controlled by the surface. The results suggest that there are consanguineous relationship between the anode reaction and the structure.

Electrical, electrochemical, and optical characterization of ceria films

Acceptor-doped ceria has been recognized as a promising intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell electrode/electrolyte material. For practical implementation of ceria as a fuel cell electrolyte and for designing model experiments for electrochemical activity, it is necessary to fabricate thin films of ceria. Here, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition was carried out in a homemade reactor to grow ceria films for further electrical, electrochemical, and optical characterization. Doped/undoped ceria films are grown on single crystalline oxide wafers with/without Pt line pattern or Pt solid layer. Deposition conditions were varied to see the effect on the resultant film property. Recently, proton conduction in nanograined polycrystalline pellets of ceria drew much interest. Thickness-mode (through-plane, z-direction) electrical measurements were made to confirm the existence of proton conductivity and investigate the nature of the conduction pathway: exposed grain surfaces and parallel grain boundaries. Columnar structure presumably favors proton conduction, and we have found measurable proton conductivity enhancement. Electrochemical property of gas-columnar ceria interface on the hydrogen electrooxidation is studied by AC impedance spectroscopy. Isothermal gas composition dependence of the electrode resistance was studied to elucidate Sm doping level effect and microstructure effect. Significantly, preferred orientation is shown to affect the gas dependence and performance of the fuel cell anode. A hypothesis is proposed to explain the origin of this behavior. Lastly, an optical transmittance based methodology was developed to obtain reference refractive index and microstructural parameters (thickness, roughness, porosity) of ceria films via subsequent fitting procedure.

Synthesis and properties of fullerene C60 and C70 spin probes containing isoindoline nitroxides

Three fullerene isoindoline nitroxides N-methyl-3,4-fulleropyrrolidine-2-spiro-5′- (1′,1′,3′,3′-tetramethylisoindolin-2′-yloxyl), (C60-(TMIO)m, and C70-(TMIO)n) were synthesized by the covalent bonding of 5-formyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyl isoindolin-2-yloxyl to the fullerenes C60 and C70. Significantly, the X-ray photoelectron spectra indicated the characteristic N 1s signals of NO. at 402 eV. The atomic force microscope morphologies showed that the average particle sizes of C60-(TMIO)m and C70-(TMIO)n were 38 and 15 nm. The electrochemical experiments indicated that fullerene bound isoindoline nitroxides retained similar electrochemical properties and redox reaction mechanisms as the parent nitroxides. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of the fullerene isoindoline nitroxides all exhibited the hyperfine splittings and characteristic spectra of tetramethyl isoindoline nitroxides, with typical nitroxide g-values and nitrogen isotropic hyperfine coupling constants. Therefore, these fullerene isoindoline nitroxides may be considered as potential candidates for novel biological spin probes using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Designing one dimensional Co-Ni/Co3O4-NiO core/shell nano-heterostructure electrodes for high-performance pseudocapacitor

A high-performance supercapacitor electrode based on unique 1D Co-Ni/Co3O4-NiO core/shell nano-heterostructures is designed and fabricated. The nano-heterostructures exhibit high specific capacitance (2013 F g(-1) at 2.5 A g(-1)), high energy and power density (23Wh kg(-1) and 5.5kW kg(-1), at the discharge current density of 20.8 A g(-1)), good capacitance retention and long cyclicality. The remarkable electrochemical property of the large surface area nano-heterostructures is demonstrated based on the effective nano-architectural design of the electrode with the coexistence of the two highly redox active materials at the surface supported by highly conducting metal alloy channel at the core for faster charge transport. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

镍-金属氢化物电池新型负极材料研究

贮氢合金是镍一金属氢化物电池的核心材料，其综合性能的改善是提高镍一金属氢化物电池性能的关键。本研究以探索镍一金属氢化物电池新型负极材料为目的，以非ABS型贮氢合金为研究对象，采用X射线衍射、Rietveld分析、恒电流充／放电、P-C-T曲线及线性微极化等方法，从基础和潜在应用等方面详细研究了非ABS型合金的结构与电化学性能。对La-Ni体系中非ABS型二元合金的结构和电化学性能的研究表明，LaNi_(228)具有最优异的高倍率充电性能；La_2Ni_7合金电极的高倍率放电性能最佳；La_7Ni_3在低温条件下表现出较好的放电性能。然而，所有得到的La-Ni合金电极容量远低于其理论容量。因此，必须通过进一步研究，如元素取代、热处理、表面处理等来提高其电化学容量。对RENi_3（RE＝La，Ce，Pr，Nd，Sm，Gd，Th，Dy，Ho，Er，Y）研究表明：YNi_3合金因其具有最大的晶胞体积，最小的密度，而表现出最好的高倍率充／放电性能及低温放电性能，但其高温放电性能需要进一步提高，以满足实际应用的要求。用Al、Mn、Ti、Fe、Sn、Si、Cr、M。、Cu和Co十种元素取代Ni进行了大量的配方筛选工作。得到了大量的实验数据，并发现LaNi_(3.7)Al_(0.3)合金电极电化学放电容量最高，达290.8mAh／g；LaNi_(3.7)Mo_(0.3)合金电极的高倍率放电性能最好，在以4200mA/g的电流密度下进行放电时，其放电容量仍达到145.8mA/g；而I镍一金属氢化物电池新型负极材料研究镍一金属氢化物电池新型负极材料的研究Al的取代会使合金电极性能对温度不敏感。以我们的实验为基础，进一步进行合金配方的微调，具有可能开发出具有实用价值的贮氢合金的潜力。在Ar保护下用真空电弧炉熔炼合成了四种Lal一xMg：（NICoAI）3．6体系贮氢合金，制成姐卜Ni电池负极，通过恒电流充／放电方法研究了其电化学性能。结果表明：Lal一xMg：（NiCoAI）3．6体系金属氢化物电极较容易活化，室温下具有优异的高倍率放电性能，在以4200mA／g电流放电时，La卜汉gx（NICoAI）36合金电极的放电容量是ABS型合金电极的3倍，达152hah／g，显示出良好的动力学特性。R，入1兮Ni（R：raree田劝，Ca，Y）型合金因能吸引／释放1．8一1．87％质量的HZ而被认为是种很有希望的贮氢合金。但其吸／放氢平台过高，循环寿命短。如何提高Rh厦g剑19循环稳定性是这类合金能否成功商业化的关键。研究发现，Co能够显著提高ABS型合金电极的循环寿命，但其价格太贵。人们发现Al在提高电极寿命方面与C。有类似的作用，但Al元素的添加因其在碱性电解质的作用下在电极表面易生成致密的氧化膜而不利于氢的扩散，进而对高倍率放电性能不利。入物在提高电极表面活性，改善其高倍率放电性方面作用明显。本工作在前面的基础上用Al和MO联合取代Ni，以期待同时改善La一Mg一Ni一Co合金的循环稳定性和高倍率放电性能。详细研究了La07Mg03Ni切一（A105Mo05）x（x：o，0．2，0．4，0．6，0．8）系列贮氢合金的晶体结构和电化学性能。X射线衍射及Rietveld分析发现：所有La07Mg03Ni4D一x（A105Mo05）x合金均为包含PuNi3结构的六方LaZMgNig相、CaCus结构的LaNis主相及L匆Ni7，LaN儿和LaNi杂相的多相结构。合金中La（La，Mg）剑19相及LaNis相的晶格参数及晶胞体积均随合金中Al和Mo含量的增加而增大。用电化学方法测得的RC一T曲线显示：Al和'fo部分取代Ni降低了氢的平台压力。随合金中Al和Mo含量的增加，电极的电化学容量从329．7（x＝0）、徽橇毓孺鑫盆一11瀚加至365．物A吨（＝0．6）后又降低到351．3毗吨（x＝0．8）。当以1200m刀g的电流密度进行放电时，其I｛RD从62．0％沁0）增加到82．1％沁0．8）。线性微极化结果显示：Al和Mo的添加增大了合金表面的交换电流密度，因而也改善了合金电极的高倍率放电性能。另外，Al和M。取代合金中的Ni增大了氢在电极合金中的扩散系数（D），改善了La07Mgo3Ni4。一x（Alo5M。。5）x（X＝o，0．2，0．4，0．6，0．8）合金电极的低温放电性能（LTD）。

Morphology of electrodeposited poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(4-styrene sulfonate) films

Poly(4-styrene sulfonate)-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT/PSS) films with ring-, arrow-, and bubble-like microstructures have been electrochemically generated simply by a one-step cyclic voltammetry in an aqueous media. Influences of applied potentials and surfactant/dopant-PSS on morphology of the resulting film were investigated, and a gas bubble template mechanism has been proposed. The result confirmed a well-doping of PSS in the PEDOT film. Electrochemical property and conductivity of the micro-structured PEDOT/PSS film were investigated further. Similar preparation with potential applications in fabrication of microdevices and micro-sensors can be extended to other micro-structured conducting polymers.

Digital simulation in a thin layer spectroelectrochemical cell with minigrid platinum electrode by microregion approximation explicit finite difference method

The microregion approximation explicit finite difference method is used to simulate cyclic voltammetry of an electrochemical reversible system in a three-dimensional thin layer cell with minigrid platinum electrode. The simulated CV curve and potential scan-absorbance curve were in very good accordance with the experimental results, which differed from those at a plate electrode. The influences of sweep rate, thickness of the thin layer, and mesh size on the peak current and peak separation were also studied by numerical analysis, which give some instruction for choosing experimental conditions or designing a thin layer cell. The critical ratio (1.33) of the diffusion path inside the mesh hole and across the thin layer was also obtained. If the ratio is greater than 1.33 by means of reducing the thickness of a thin layer, the electrochemical property will be far away from the thin layer property.

Study on surface acid-base property of carboxylic acid-terminated self-assembled monolayers by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to study the surface acid-base property of carboxylic acid-terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). A carboxylic acid-terminated thiol, such as thioctic acid (1,2-dithiolane-3-pentanoic add), was self-assembled on gold electrodes. Electron transfer between the bulk solution and the SAM modified electrode was studied at different pH using Fe(CN)(6)(3-) as a probe. The surface pK(a) of thioctic acid was determined by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to be 5.6 +/- 0.1 and 5.8 +/- 0.1, respectively. The method is compared with other methods of monolayer pK(a) measurement.

In situ electrochemical scanning tunnelling microscopy investigation of structure for horseradish peroxidase and its electrocatalytic property

Immobilization of protein molecules is a fundamental problem for scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) measurements with high resolution. In this paper, an electrochemical method has been proved to be an effective way to fix native horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as well as inactivated HRP from electrolyte onto a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface. This preparation is suitable for both ex situ and in situ electrochemical STM (ECSTM) measurements. In situ STM has been successfully employed to observe totally different structures of HRP in three typical cases: (1) in situ ECSTM reveals an oval-shaped pattern for a single molecule in neutral buffer solution, which is in good agreement with the dimension determined as 6.2 x 4.3 x 1.2. nm(3) by ex situ STM for native HRP; (2) in situ ECSTM shows that the adsorbed HRP molecules on HOPG in a denatured environment exhibit swelling globes at the beginning and then change into a V-shaped pattern after 30 min; (3) in situ ECSTM reveals a black hole in every ellipsoidal sphere for inactivated HRP in strong alkali solution. The cyclic voltammetry results indicate that the adsorbed native HRP can directly catalyse the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, demonstrating that a direct electron transfer reduction occurred between the enzyme and HOPG electrode, whereas the corresponding cyclic voltammograms for denatured HRP and inactivated HRP adsorbed on HOPG electrodes indicate a lack of ability to catalyse H2O2 reduction, which confirms that the HRP molecules lost their biological activity. Obviously, electrochemical results powerfully support in situ STM observations.

Robust nanostructured silver and copper fabrics with localized surface plasmon resonance property for effective visible light induced reductive catalysis

Inspired by high porosity, absorbency, wettability and hierarchical ordering on the micrometer and nanometer scale of cotton fabrics, a facile strategy is developed to coat visible light active metal nanostructures of copper and silver on cotton fabric substrates. The fabrication of nanostructured Ag and Cu onto interwoven threads of a cotton fabric by electroless deposition creates metal nanostructures that show a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. The micro/nanoscale hierarchical ordering of the cotton fabrics allows access to catalytically active sites to participate in heterogeneous catalysis with high efficiency. The ability of metals to absorb visible light through LSPR further enhances the catalytic reaction rates under photoexcitation conditions. Understanding the mode of electron transfer during visible light illumination in Ag@Cotton and Cu@Cotton through electrochemical measurements provides mechanistic evidence on the influence of light in promoting electron transfer during heterogeneous catalysis for the first time. The outcomes presented in this work will be helpful in designing new multifunctional fabrics with the ability to absorb visible light and thereby enhance light-activated catalytic processes.

V(2)O(5)-Anchored Carbon Nanotubes for Enhanced Electrochemical Energy Storage

Functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are coated with a 4-5 nm thin layer of V(2)O(5) by controlled hydrolysis of vanadium alkoxide. The resulting V(2)O(5)/CNT composite has been investigated for electrochemical activity with lithium ion, and the capacity value shows both faradaic and capacitive (nonfaradaic) contributions. At high rate (1 C), the capacitive behavior dominates the intercalation as 2/3 of the overall capacity value out of 2700 C/g is capacitive, while the remaining is due to Li-ion intercalation. These numbers are in agreement with the Trasatti plots and are corroborated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies on the V(2)O(5)/CNTs electrode, which show 85% of vanadium in the +4 oxidation state after the discharge at 1 C rate. The cumulative high-capacity value is attributed to the unique property of the nano V(2)O(5)/CNTs composite, which provides a short diffusion path for Lit-ions and an easy access to vanadium redox centers besides the high conductivity of CNTs. The composite architecture exhibits both high power density and high energy density, stressing the benefits of using carbon substrates to design high performance supercapacitor electrodes.

Electrochemical sensing and photocatalysis using Ag-TiO2 microwires

Anatase Ag-TiO2 microwires with high sensitivity and photocatalytic activity were synthesized via polyol synthesis route followed by a simple surface modification and chemical reduction approach for attachment of silver. The superior performance of the Ag-TiO2 composite microwires is attributed to improved surface reactivity, mass transport and catalytic property as a result of wiring the TiO2 surface with Ag nanoparticles. Compared to the TiO2 microwires, Ag-TiO2 microwires exhibited three times higher sensitivity in the detection of cationic dye such as methylene blue. Photocatalytic degradation efficiency was also found to be significantly enhanced at constant illumination protocols and observation times. The improved performance is attributed to the formation of a Schottky barrier between TiO2 and Ag nanoparticles leading to a fast transport of photogenerated electrons to the Ag nanoparticles.

Morphological and electrochemical characterization of electrodeposited Zn-Ag nanoparticle composite coatings

Silver nanoparticles with an average size of 23 nm were chemically synthesized and used to fabricate Zn-Ag composite coatings. The Zn-Ag composite coatings were generated by electrodeposition method using a simple sulfate plating bath dispersed with 0.5, land 1.5 g/l of Ag nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and texture co-efficient calculations revealed that Ag nanoparticles appreciably influenced the morphology, micro-structure and texture of the deposit. It was also noticed that agglomerates of Ag nanopartides, in the case of high bath load conditions, produced defects and dislocations on the deposit surface. Ag nanoparticles altered the corrosion resistance property of Zn-Ag composite coatings as observed from Tafel polarization, electrochemical impedance analysis and an immersion test. Reduction in corrosion rate with increased charge transfer resistance was observed for Zn-Ag composite coatings when compared to a pure Zn coating. However, the particle concentration in the plating bath and their agglomeration state directly influenced the surface morphology and the subsequent corrosion behavior of the deposits. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Photophysical, electrochemical and solid state properties of diketopyrrolopyrrole based molecular materials: importance of the donor group

Diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) based molecular semiconductors have emerged as promising materials for high performance active layers in organic solar cells. It is imperative to comprehend the origin of such a property by investigating the fundamental structure property correlation. In this report we have investigated the role of the donor group in DPP based donor-acceptor- donor (D-A-D) structure to govern the solid state, photophysical and electrochemical properties. We have prepared three derivatives of DPP with varying strengths of the donor groups, such as phenyl (PDPP-Hex), thiophene (TDPP-Hex) and selenophene (SeDPP-Hex). The influence of the donor units on the solid state packing was studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The photophysical, electrochemical and density functional theory ( DFT) results were combined to elucidate the structural and electronic properties of three DPP derivatives. We found that these DPP derivatives crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/c and show herringbone packing in the crystal lattice. The derivatives exhibit weak p-p stacking interactions as two neighboring molecules slip away from each other with varied torsional angles at the donor units. The high torsional angle of 32 degrees ( PDPP-Hex) between the phenyl and lactam ring results in weak intramolecular interactions between the donor and acceptor, while TDPP-Hex and SeDPP-Hex show lower torsional angles of 9 degrees and 12 degrees with a strong overlap between the donor and acceptor units. The photophysical properties reveal that PDPP-Hex exhibits a high Stokes shift of 0.32 eV and SeDPP- Hex shows a high molar absorption co-efficient of 33 600 L mol -1 1 cm -1 1 with a low band gap of similar to 2.2 eV. The electrochemical studies of SeDPP- Hex indicate the pronounced effect of selenium in stabilizing the LUMO energy levels and this further emphasizes the importance of chalcogens in developing new n-type organic semiconductors for optoelectronic devices.