The Dependence of NiMo/Cu Catalyst Composition on Its Catalytic Activity in Sodium Borohydride Hydrolysis Reactions.

The production of high-purity hydrogen from hydrogen storage materials with further direct use of generated hydrogen in fuel cells is still a relevant research field. For this purpose, nickel-molybdenum-plated copper catalysts (NiMo/Cu), comprising between 1 and 20 wt.% molybdenum, as catalytic materials for hydrogen generation, were prepared using a low-cost, straightforward electroless metal deposition method by using citrate plating baths containing Ni-Mo ions as a metal source and morpholine borane as a reducing agent.

Thermochemical Activation of Wood with NaOH, KOH and HPO for the Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Carbon for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Carbonization of biomass residues followed by activation has great potential to become a safe process for the production of various carbon materials for various applications. Demand for commercial use of biomass-based carbon materials is growing rapidly in advanced technologies, including in the energy sector, as catalysts, batteries and capacitor electrodes. In this study, carbon materials were synthesized from hardwood using two carbonization methods, followed by activation with HPO, KOH and NaOH and doping with nitrogen.

Pt-Coated Ni Layer Supported on Ni Foam for Enhanced Electro-Oxidation of Formic Acid.

A Pt-coated Ni layer supported on a Ni foam catalyst (denoted PtNi/Ni) was investigated for the electro-oxidation of the formic acid (FAO) in acidic media. The prepared PtNi/Ni catalyst was studied as a function of the formic acid (FA) concentration at bare Pt and PtNi/Ni catalysts. The catalytic activity of the PtNi/Ni catalysts, studied on the basis of the ratio of the direct and indirect current peaks ()/() for the FAO reaction, showed values approximately 10 times higher compared to those on bare Pt, particularly at low FA concentrations, reflecting the superiority of the former catalysts for the electro-oxidation of FA to CO.

Effect of Pretreatment on the Nitrogen Doped Activated Carbon Materials Activity towards Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Nitrogen-doped activated carbons with controlled micro- and mesoporosity were obtained from wood and wastes via chemical processing using pre-treatment (pyrolysis at 500 °C and hydrothermally carbonization at 250 °C) and evaluated as oxygen reduction catalysts for further application in fuel cells. The elemental and chemical composition, structure and porosity, and types of nitrogen bonds of obtained catalyst materials were studied. The catalytic activity was evaluated in an alkaline medium using the rotating disk electrode method.

Investigation of Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution on Cobalt-Nanoparticles-Supported Graphitic Carbon Nitride.

This study focuses on fabricating cobalt particles deposited on graphitic carbon nitride (Co/gCN) using annealing, microwave-assisted and hydrothermal syntheses, and their employment in hydrogen and oxygen evolution (HER and OER) reactions. Composition, surface morphology, and structure were examined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The performance of Co-modified gCN composites for the HER and OER were investigated in an alkaline media (1 M KOH).

Black Liquor and Wood Char-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Materials for Supercapacitors.

Herein, we present a synthesis route for high-efficiency nitrogen-doped carbon materials using kraft pulping residue, black liquor, and wood charcoal as carbon sources. The synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon materials, based on black liquor and its mixture with wood charcoal, exhibited high specific surface areas (SSAs) of 2481 and 2690 m g, respectively, as well as a high volume of mesopores with an average size of 2.9-4.

Three-Dimensional Au(NiMo)/Ti Catalysts for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

In this study, NiMo catalysts that have different metal loadings in the range of ca. 28-106 µg cm were electrodeposited on the Ti substrate followed by their decoration with a very low amount of Au-crystallites in the range of ca. 1-5 µg cm using the galvanic displacement method.

Femtosecond Laser-Ablated Copper Surface as a Substrate for a MoS-Based Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalyst.

One of the methods to improve the performance of a heterogeneous electrocatalyst is the dispersion of a catalytic material on a suitable substrate. In this study, femtosecond laser ablation was used to prepare very rough but also ordered copper surfaces consisting of vertical, parallel ridges. Then, a molybdenum sulfide coating was electrochemically deposited onto these surfaces.

Platinum Nanoparticles Modified Copper/Titanium Electrodes as Electrocatalysts for Borohydride Oxidation.

In this study, sodium borohydride oxidation has been investigated on the platinum nanoparticles modified copper/titanium catalysts (PtNPsCu/Ti), which were fabricated by employing the electroless copper plating and galvanic displacement technique. ICP-OES, XRD, FESEM, and EDX have been used to characterize PtNPsCu/Ti catalysts' composition, structure, and surface morphology. The oxidation of sodium borohydride was examined on the PtNPsCu/Ti catalysts using cyclic voltammetry and chrono-techniques.

Terahertz Photoconductivity Spectra of Electrodeposited Thin Bi Films.

Electron dynamics in the polycrystalline bismuth films were investigated by measuring emitted terahertz (THz) radiation pulses after their photoexcitation by tunable wavelength femtosecond duration optical pulses. Bi films were grown on metallic Au, Pt, and Ag substrates by the electrodeposition method with the Triton X-100 electrolyte additive, which allowed us to obtain more uniform films with consistent grain sizes on any substrate. It was shown that THz pulses are generated due to the spatial separation of photoexcited electrons and holes diffusing from the illuminated surface at different rates.

Electroless Platinum Deposition Using Co/Co Redox Couple as a Reducing Agent.

In the present work, the kinetics of electroless deposition of Pt, using a cobalt ion redox system (Co/Co) as a reducing agent, has been investigated. The deposition rate of Pt depends on the pH, concentration of reactants, and temperature. The deaeration and bubbling of the plating solution with argon play an essential role.

Laser-Induced Selective Electroless Plating on PC/ABS Polymer: Minimisation of Thermal Effects for Supreme Processing Speed.

The selective surface activation induced by laser (SSAIL) for electroless copper deposition on Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC/ABS) blend is one of the promising techniques of electric circuit formation on free-shape dielectric surfaces, which broadens capabilities of 3D microscopic integrated devices (3D-MIDs). The process consists of laser excitation, chemical activation of laser-excited areas by dipping in a liquid and electroless copper deposition of the laser-treated areas. The limiting factor in increasing throughput of the technology is a laser activation step.

Enhancing Effect of Chloride Ions on the Autocatalytic Process of Ag(I) Reduction by Co(II) Complexes.

In this work, the possibilities of increasing the rate of electroless silver plating without a rise in the concentration of reactants or elevation of temperature were studied. The effect of halide additive, namely chloride ions, on the rate of electroless silver deposition was investigated, using conventional chemical kinetics and electrochemical techniques. It was found that the deposition rate of electroless silver increased 2-3 times in the presence of 10-20 mM of chlorides, preserving sufficient stability of the solution.

Highly Active Wood-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Catalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

In this recent decade, great interest has risen to develop metal-free and cheap, biomass-derived electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, we report a facile strategy to synthesize an electrochemically active nanocarbon material from the renewable and biological resource, wood biomass. The ORR activity of the catalyst material was investigated in 0.

Percolation effect of a Cu layer on a MWCNT/PP nanocomposite substrate after laser direct structuring and autocatalytic plating.

Percolation behavior of a copper (Cu) layer on a multi-walled carbon nanotube/polypropylene (MWCNT/PP) nanocomposite substrate after laser-direct-structuring (LDS) and subsequent autocatalytic Cu deposition (ACD) is presented. The inverse sheet resistance showed percolation type dependence on the area fraction of Cu on MWCNT/PP measured by digital image processing of specimen photos.

Colour-Difference Measurement Method for Evaluation of Quality of Electrolessly Deposited Copper on Polymer after Laser-Induced Selective Activation.

In this work a novel colour-difference measurement method for the quality evaluation of copper deposited on a polymer is proposed. Laser-induced selective activation (LISA) was performed onto the surface of the polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS) polymer by using nanosecond laser irradiation. The laser activated PC/ABS polymer was copper plated by using the electroless copper plating (ECP) procedure.

Metal speciation in health and medicine represented by iron and vanadium.

The influence of metals in biology has become more and more apparent within the past century. Metal ions perform essential roles as critical scaffolds for structure and as catalysts in reactions. Speciation is a key concept that assists researchers in investigating processes that involve metal ions.

Deprotonation of beta-cyclodextrin in alkaline solutions.

Variable pH (13)C NMR and (1)H NMR spectroscopic studies of the beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) in alkaline aqueous solutions revealed that beta-CD does not deprotonate at pH<12.0. Further increase in solution pH results in the deprotonation of OH-groups adjacent to C-2 and C-3 carbon atoms of beta-CD glucopyranose units, whereas the deprotonation of OH-groups adjacent to C-6 carbon atoms is expressed less markedly.

Application of saccharose as copper(II) ligand for electroless copper plating solutions.

Saccharose, forming sufficiently stable complexes with copper(II) ions in alkaline solutions, was found to be a suitable ligand for copper(II) chelating in alkaline (pH>12) electroless copper deposition solutions. Reduction of copper(II)-saccharose complexes by hydrated formaldehyde was investigated and the copper deposits formed were characterized. The thickness of the compact copper coatings obtained under optimal operating conditions in 1h reaches ca.

Evidence of two-step deprotonation of D-mannitol in aqueous solution.

Deprotonation of D-mannitol was studied in aqueous basic solutions by means of potentiometry and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. Two-step dissociation in the pH range from 12 to 13.8 was shown, and successive dissociation constants K(a1) and K(a2) were determined.

Cu(II) complex formation with xylitol in alkaline solutions.

The formation of four Cu(II)-xylitol complexes was observed in aqueous alkaline solutions (11.0< or =pH< or =14.0, I=1.

Interaction of beta-cyclodextrin with cadmium(II) ions.

Reduction of Cd(II) on a dropping mercury electrode was used to study interaction of beta-cyclodextrin with Cd(II) ions. It was found that Cd(II) forms Cdbeta-CD(OH)(2)(2-) hydroxy-complex with the anion of beta-cyclodextrin in alkaline solutions (pH>11), the logarithm of stability constant being 10.4+/-0.

Carbon paste electrodes modified with Bi(2)O(3) as sensors for the determination of Cd and Pb.

Carbon paste electrodes bulk-modified with Bi(2)O(3)were used for the determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II). The best composition was 1% (wt%) Bi(2)O(3) in the paste. The measurements were made by differential pulse voltammetry in the potential range from -1.

Interaction of lead(II) with beta-cyclodextrin in alkaline solutions.

Polarographic and UV-spectrophotometric investigations of Pb(II) complex formation with beta-cyclodextrin have showed that the complexation of Pb(II) ions begins at pH >10. The formation of lead(II) 1:1 complex with the beta-cyclodextrin anion was observed at pH 10-11.5.