Understanding surface charge effects in electrocatalysis.Part 2:Hydrogen peroxide reactions at platinum

Electrocatalytic activity is influenced by the surface charge on the solid catalyst.Conventionally,our attention has been focused on how the surface charge shapes the electric potential and concentration of ionic reactant(s)in the local reaction zone.Taking H_(2)O_(2)redox reactions at Pt(111)as a model system,we reveal a peculiar surface charge effect using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of electrified Pt(111)-water interfaces.In this scenario,the negative surface charge on Pt(111)repels the O-O bond of the reactant(H_(2)O_(2))farther away from the electrode surface.This leads to a higher activation barrier for breaking the O-O bond.Incorporating this microscopic mechanism into a microkinetic-double-layer model,we are able to semi-quantitatively interpret the pH-dependent activity of H_(2)O_(2)redox reactions at Pt(111),especially the anomalously suppressed activity of H_(2)O_(2)reduction with decreasing electrode potential.The relevance of the present surface charge effect is also examined in wider scenarios with different electrolyte cations,solution pHs,crystal facets of the catalyst,and model parameters.In contrast with previous mechanisms focusing on how surface charge influences the local reaction condition at a fixed reaction plane,the present work gives an example in which the location of the reaction plane is adjusted by the surface charge.

Adiabatic Decomposition of Two Kinds of Organic Peroxides by Accelerating Rate Calorimeter

The accelerating rate calorimeter was applied to study the thermal hazard of two kinds of organic peroxides, i.e. methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKPO) and benzoyl peroxide (BPO). And their thermal decomposition characteristics were discussed. Meanwhile, thermal decomposition characteristics of MEKPO and BPO vvere compared. The result indicated that MEKPO is more sensitive to thermal effect than BPO. While once the thermal decomposition takes place. BPO will be more hazardous than MEKPO due to its serious pressure effect. Thermal kinetic analysis of these two kinds of organic peroxides was also taken, and the kinetic parameters for them were calculated. The study of thermal decomposition of MEKPO solution with different initial concentrations indicated that, the lower concentration MEKPO solution is, the higher onset temperature will be. And with the addition of organic solvent, it becomes more difficult for MEKPO to reach a thermal decomposition. Therefore, its thermal hazard is reduced.

Amine axial ligand-coordinated cobalt phthalocyanine-based catalyst for flow-type membraneless hydrogen peroxide fuel cell or enzymatic biofuel cell

In this study,an amine-coordinated cobalt phthalocyanine(CoPc)-based anodic catalyst was fabricated by a facile process,to enhance the performance of hydrogen peroxide fuel cells(HPFCs) and enzymatic biofuel cells(EBCs).For this purpose,polyethyleneimine(PEI) was added onto the reduced graphene oxide and CoPc composite(RGO/CoPc) to create abundant NH2 axial ligand groups,for anchoring the Co core within the CoPc.Owing to the PEI addition,the onset potential of the hydrogen peroxide oxidation reaction was shifted by 0.13 V in the negative direction(0.02 V) and the current density was improved by 1.92 times(1.297 mA cm^(-2)),compared to those for RGO/CoPc(0.15 V and 0.676 mA cm^(-2),respectively),due to the formation of donor-acceptor dyads and the prevention of CoPc from leaching out.The biocatalyst using glucose oxidase(GOx)([RGO/CoPc]/PEI/GOx) showed a better onset potential and catalytic activity(0.15 V and 318.7 μA cm^(-2)) than comparable structures,as well as significantly improved operational durability and long-term stability.This is also attributed to PEI,which created a favorable microenvironment for the enzyme.The maximum power densities(MPDs) and open-circuit voltages(OCVs) obtained for HPFCs and EBCs using the suggested catalyst were 105.2±1.3 μW cm^(-2)(0.317±0.003 V) and 25.4±0.9 μW cm^(-2)(0.283±0.007 V),respectively.This shows that the amine axial ligand effectively improves the performance of the actual driving HPFCs and EBCs.

The dual role of hydrogen peroxide in fuel cells

Clean and highly efficient energy production has long been sought after, as a way to solve global energy and environmental problems. Fuel cells, which convert the chemical energy stored in fuel directly into electricity, are expected to be a key enabling technology for the pressing energy issues that plague our planet. Fuel cells require oxygen as an oxidant and require oxygen tank containers when used in air-free environments such as outer space and underwater. Hydrogen peroxide has been extensively uti- lized as an alternative liquid oxidant in place of gaseous oxygen. In addition to being an oxidant, hydrogen peroxide can donate electrons in the oxidation reaction to act as a fuel. This article provides an overview of the dual role of hydrogen peroxide in fuel-cell applications, including working principle, system design, and cell performance. Recent innovations and future perspectives of fuel cells that use hydrogen peroxide are particularly emphasized.