Electrocatalysis part III: Kinetics and mechanism of electrochemical processes in energy conversion and storage

• Grant number: 99/06430-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2000
• End date: February 28, 2005
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Ernesto Rafael Gonzalez
• Grantee: Ernesto Rafael Gonzalez
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Edson Antonio Ticianelli ; Francisco Carlos Nart ; Germano Tremiliosi Filho ; Teresa Benita Iwasita de Vielstich
• Associated research grant(s): 03/02503-8 - Xinghua Xia | University of Naijing - China, AV.EXT
• Associated scholarship(s): 04/03051-6 - Spectroscopic characterization of model surfaces, BP.PD; 02/11007-1 - Electrochemical and spectroscopic study of alloys formed on monocrystalline platinum by surface modification in levels of submonolayers of Ru, Os and Ru/Os: application in the electro-oxidation of ethanol, BP.DR; 02/08028-7 - Development and study of supported electrocatalysts for fuel cells, BP.DR; 02/14211-9 - Electrochemical and spectroscopic studies of the oxidation of ethanol acid medium, BP.PD

Abstract

The electrochemistry group of São Carlos-USP was created in 1973, and starting in 1978, having already a body of qualified researchers, has carried out studies in electrocatalysis applied to processes in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, considering that the development of this area is crucial for the advancement of fundamental electrochemistry and of several technological systems. The present project is related to the study of fundamental processes in electrochemical systems for the conversion and storage of energy, involving fuel cells, industrial electrolysis and high energy batteries. In the area of fuel cells, consideration will be given to fundamental studies of electrocatalysis on metal (mono and polycrystalline) and alloy electrodes; also, electrodes incorporating noble metalcatalysts, pure or in alloys, dispersed on carbon will be studied. Among the various systems related to industrial electrolysis, consideration will be given to oxygen cathodes for application in chlor/alkali cells and to hydrogen cathodes for application in these cells and also for water electrolysis. As in the previous case, the electrocatalytic aspects, fundamental and technological, of these electrochemical processes will be specifically considered. In the area of high energy batteries, the investigations will be directed to kinetic and mechanistic aspects of the synthesis and the ionic intercalation processes in conducting polymers, pure or in composites with transition metals, looking for applications in lithium batteries. At the same time, kinetic and mechanistic studies will be devoted to metal-hydride electrodes for application in nickel-hydride batteries. In all cases, operational systems will be developed on the basis of modified electrodes, high area electrodes and rough, porous and gas diffusion electrodes, which will be used for the study of electrocatalytic reactions of fundamental and applied interest. The project will be executed by a team of 6 faculty members, 4 specialized technicians, 1 pos-doctor, 37 graduate students and 7 undergraduate students, all from the Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos, USP, The constitution of the team shows the interest in the training of new researchers, which is one of the keynotes among the objectives of the project. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GARCÍA‚ G.; SILVA-CHONG‚ JA; GUILLÉN-VILLAFUERTE‚ O.; RODRÍGUEZ‚ JL; GONZÁLEZ‚ ER; PASTOR‚ E.. CO tolerant catalysts for PEM fuel cells: Spectroelectrochemical studies. CATALYSIS TODAY, v. 116, n. 3, p. 415-421, 2006. (99/06430-8)

COLMATI‚ F.; ANTOLINI‚ E.; GONZALEZ‚ E.R.. Pt-Sn/C electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation synthesized by reduction with formic acid. Electrochimica Acta, v. 50, n. 28, p. 5496-5503, 2005. (99/06430-8)