Full text
| |
| Author(s): |
Márcia Toline Giacomini
Total Authors: 1
|
| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | São Carlos. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC/BT) |
| Defense date: | 2001-03-29 |
| Examining board members: |
Edson Antonio Ticianelli;
Maria do Carmo Martins Alves;
Glaico Chiericato Junior;
Cesar Vitorio Franco;
Francisco Carlos Nart
|
| Advisor: | Edson Antonio Ticianelli |
| Abstract | |
Polythiophene films were electrochemically grown on several electrode substrates from strong acid aqueous solutions, and the characteristics of the materials investigated using cyclic voltammetry, FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopies, and scanning electron microscopy. Compared to the materials prepared in non-aqueous media, the polymer synthesized in aqueous media shows more adequate characteristics for using as support for electrocatalytic particles, because of its higher electrochemical activity and stability, and bulk homogeneity. Particles of Pd and Pt were electrochemically incorporated on these polymer films, and the electrocatalytic properties of such composites investigated with respect to the hydrogen oxidation (HOR) and oxygen reduction (ORR) reactions in 2.0 M sulfuric acid solutions. Previously to these kinetic studies, the composites were characterized using X-ray absorption spectroscopy from which it is seen that the catalysts are deposited as agglomerates composed of very small particles whose oxidation states are not changed by changing the electrode potential. Both catalysts present some initial activity for the HOR, but the performance is not stable due to the occurrence of a degradation process involving the polymer chain. On the other hand, it is observed that the films containing Pt show an enhanced catalytic activity for the ORR which is considerably higher than of that containing Pd. The reaction mechanism is dependent on the catalyst nature and also influenced by the contact with a polymer film coating. For Pt in direct contact with the supporting electrolyte, the reaction occurs involving 4 electrons leading to water as final product. For Pt particles covered with a polymer layer, participation of hydrogen peroxide seems to be important with only a fraction of this specie being reduced to water. In the case of Pd, the process involves formation of hydrogen peroxide at low overpotentials, which is then reduced to water at higher overpotentials. (AU) | |