The study of degradation behavior of electrocatalysts in an industrial context calls for rapid and efficient analysis methods. Optical methods like Raman spectroscopy fulfil these requirements and are thus predestined for this purpose. However, the iridium utilized in proton exchange membrane electrolysis (PEMEL) is Raman inactive in its metallic state.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Brassica juncea L. (family Brassicaceae) or Indian mustard is a fast-growing oilseed crop. Climate changes mean that it is very important to evaluate the effects of salinity stress on B.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this mini-review we compare two prototypical metal foam electrocatalysts applied to the transformation of CO₂ into value-added products ( alcohols on Cu foams and formate on Bi foams). A substantial improvement in the catalyst performance is typically achieved through thermal annealing of the as-deposited foam materials, followed by the electro-reduction of the pre-formed oxidic precursors prior or during the actual CO₂ electrolysis. Utilizing highly insightful and sensitive complementary analytical techniques (XAS, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy) we demonstrate that this catalyst pre-activation process is entirely accomplished in case of the oxidized Cu foams prior to the formation of hydrocarbons and alcohols from the CO₂.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDirect electrosynthesis of formate through CO electroreduction (denoted CORR) is currently attracting great attention because formate is a highly valuable commodity chemical that is already used in a wide range of applications (e.g., formic acid fuel cells, tanning, rubber production, preservatives, and antibacterial agents).
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