Activated Carbon Electrodes for Supercapacitors from Purple Corncob (Zea maysL.).

Activated carbon-based supercapacitor electrodes synthesized from biomass or waste-derived biomass have recently attracted considerable attention because of their low cost, natural abundance, and power delivery performance. In this work, purple-corncob-based active carbons are prepared by KOH activation and subsequently evaluated as a composite electrode for supercapacitors using either an acidic or an alkali solution as the electrolyte. The synthesis of the material involves mixing the purple corncob powder with different concentrations of KOH (in the range of 5% to 30%) and a thermal treatment at 700 °C under an inert atmosphere. Physicochemical characterizations were performed using scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, N2 physisorption analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, while the electrochemical characteristics were determined using cyclic voltammetry, a galvanostatic charge/discharge curve, and electrochemical impedance techniques measured in a three- and two-electrode system. Composite electrodes activated with 10% KOH had a specific surface area of 728 m2 g-1, and high capacitances of 195 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 in 1 mol L-1 H2SO4 and 116 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 in 1 mol L-1 KOH were obtained. It also presented a 76% capacitance retention after 50 000 cycles. These properties depend significantly on the microporous area and micropore volume characteristics of the activated carbon. Overall, our results indicate that purple corncob has an interesting prospect as a carbon precursor material for supercapacitor electrodes.

Double layer properties of carbon aerogel electrodes measured by probe beam deflection and AC impedance techniques.

Probe beam deflection (PBD) and AC impedance are used to quantitatively evaluate the double layer properties of carbon aerogel electrodes in aqueous media (NaF). The measurements allow determination of the potential of minimum charge of the material.

Synthesis of ultra-small cysteine-capped gold nanoparticles by pH switching of the Au(I)-cysteine polymer.

We report a synthetic approach for the production of ultra-small (0.6 nm) gold nanoparticles soluble in water with a precise control of the nanoparticle size. Our synthetic approach utilizes a pH-depending Au-cysteine polymer as a quencher for the AuNPs grown. The method extends the synthetic capabilities of nanoparticles with sizes down to 1 nm. In addition to the strict pH control, the existence of free -SH groups present in the mixture of reaction has been observed as a key requirement for the synthesis of small nanoparticles in mild conditions. UV-Vis, SAXS, XANES, EXAFS and HR-TEM, has been used to determinate the particle size, characterization of the gold precursor and gold-cysteine interaction.

Probe beam deflection study of ion exchange in self-assembled redox polyelectrolyte thin films.

Probe beam deflection during chronoamperometric oxidation-reduction of osmium complex in layer-by-layer self-assembled redox active polyelectrolyte multilayers has shown that the nature of the charge in the topmost layer determines the ion flux that balances the redox charge.

Electroanalysis using modified hierarchical nanoporous carbon materials.

The role of the electrode nanoporosity in electroanalytical processes is discussed and specific phenomena (slow double layer charging, local pH effects) which can be present in porous electrode are described. Hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) materials are synthesized using a hard template method. The three dimensional carbon porosity is examined using scanning electron microscopy on flat surfaces cut using a focused ion beam (FIB-SEM). The electrochemical properties of the HPC are measured using cyclic voltammetry, AC impedance, chronoamperometry and Probe Beam Deflection (PBD) techniques. Chronoamperometry measurements of HPC seems to fit a transmission line model. PBD data show evidence of local pH changes inside the pores, during double layer charging. The HPC are modified by in situ (chemical or electrochemical) formation of metal (Pt/Ru) or metal oxide (CoOx, Fe3O4) nanoparticles. Additionally, HPC loaded with Pt decorated magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles is produced by galvanic displacement. The modified HPC materials are used for the electroanalysis of different substances (CO, O2, AsO3(-3)). The role of the nanoporous carbon substrate in the electroanalytical data is evaluated.

Synthesis of atomic gold clusters with strong electrocatalytic activities.

Small atomic gold clusters in solution, Au n , stabilized by tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBABr), have been synthesized by a simple electrochemical technique, based on the anodic dissolution of a gold electrode in the presence of TBABr salt, and using acetronitrile as solvent. The presence of clusters in the range Au3-Au11 were detected by MALDI-TOF spectroscopy, and further characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, TEM, AFM, X-ray diffraction, and cyclic voltammetry. Clusters display a semiconductor behavior with a band edge of approximately 2.5 eV. We report here their extraordinarily high electrocatalytic activity toward the O2 reduction reaction in acid solutions, which can explain Zhang's results, showing that a four-electron mechanism seems to occur because of the facile reduction of H2O2 on gold clusters compared to bulk gold or larger gold nanoparticles.