Surface coating from phosphonate ionic liquid electrolyte for the enhancement of the tribological performance of magnesium alloy.

A chronoamperometric method has been applied for the growth of a surface coating on AZ31B magnesium alloy, using the imidazolium alkylphosphonate room-temperature ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylphosphonate ([EMIM][EtPO3H]) as electrolyte. A surface coating layer is obtained after 4 h under a constant voltage bias of -0.8 V with respect to the standard electrode.

Electropolymerization of naphthaleneamidinemonoimide-modified poly(thiophene).

The new polymer presents a p-doping process with anion exchange and its electrochemical reduction with cation exchange during potential cycling. Stored specific charges of 38 mAh g(-1) for the polymer reduction and 13 mAh g(-1) for its oxidation make the material very promising for fast charge/discharge batteries or specialised supercapacitors in which the material is also required as the anode.

Arsenic species interactions with a porous carbon electrode as determined with an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance.

The interactions of arsenic species with platinum and porous carbon electrodes were investigated with an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) and cyclic voltammetry in alkaline solutions. It is shown that the redox reactions in arsenic-containing solutions, due to arsenic reduction/deposition, oxidation/desorption, and electrocatalyzed oxidation by Pt can be readily distinguished with the EQCM. This approach was used to show that the arsenic redox reactions on the carbon electrode are mechanistically similar to that on the bare Pt electrode.

Sensing and tactile artificial muscles from reactive materials.

Films of conducting polymers can be oxidized and reduced in a reversible way. Any intermediate oxidation state determines an electrochemical equilibrium. Chemical or physical variables acting on the film may modify the equilibrium potential, so that the film acts as a sensor of the variable.