Electro-oxidation of mixed fuels: kinetics and dynamic instabilities

• Grant number: 15/19839-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: January 11, 2016
• End date: July 10, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Hamilton Brandão Varela de Albuquerque
• Grantee: Eduardo Giangrossi Machado
• Supervisor: Harm Hinrich Rotermund
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/07313-1 - Electro-oxidation of mixed fuels: kinetical instabilities and mechanism, BP.DR

Abstract

Recent findings show that interesting behavior can be observed when electro-oxidizing mixed fuels. In the literature there is a contradiction on the nature of the interaction of formic acid and hydrazine over platinum electrodes, during their electro-oxidation. It is stated that this process should occur additively, without mutual interference. Recently, we found that this interaction occurs in a more-than-additive way, with high impact on the non-linear behavior of the system in the presence of hydrazine. In this fashion, this research project proposes the study of the system by means of real time imaging techniques to access the coverage of oxygenated species on the surface of platinum. Additionally, it is aimed to monitor some intermediates of the reaction and to check for spatial patterns on the surface of the electrode under oscillatory regime. The real time imaging technique that seems most suited for this kind of experiment is the EMSI (ellipso-microscopy for surface imaging). This technique is based on a contrast caused by the adsorption of molecules on the surface of the electrode and the changes in the adsorbate layer. This setup was successfully employed to study the corrosion of metals and is suited for the proposed research. Another real time imaging techniques, reflection anisotropy microscopy, could be employed but the first efforts will be focused on EMSI to visualize the coverage of oxygenated species and later pattern formation. This research could provide valuable information to understand the role of an additive such as hydrazine on the exquisite behavior of the non-linear phenomena found during the electro-oxidation of formic acid. (AU)