scholarly journals Scaling up Photoelectrocatalytic Reactors: A TiO2 Nanotube-Coated Disc Compound Reactor Effectively Degrades Acetaminophen

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato Montenegro-Ayo ◽  
Juan Carlos Morales-Gomero ◽  
Hugo Alarcon ◽  
Salvador Cotillas ◽  
Paul Westerhoff ◽  
...  

Multiple discs coated with hierarchically-organized TiO2 anatase nanotubes served as photoelectrodes in a novel annular photoelectrocatalytic reactor. Electrochemical characterization showed light irradiation enhanced the current response due to photogeneration of charge carriers. The pharmaceutical acetaminophen was used as a representative water micropollutant. The photoelectrocatalysis pseudo-first-order rate constant for acetaminophen was seven orders of magnitude greater than electrocatalytic treatment. Compared against photocatalysis alone, our photoelectrocatalytic reactor at <8 V reduced by two fold, the electric energy per order (EEO; kWh m−3 order−1 for 90% pollutant degradation). Applying a cell potential higher than 8 V detrimentally increased EEO. Acetaminophen was degraded across a range of initial concentrations, but absorbance at higher concentration diminished photon transport, resulting in higher EEO. Extended photoelectrocatalytic reactor operation degraded acetaminophen, which was accompanied by 53% mineralization based upon total organic carbon measurements. This proof of concept for our photoelectrocatalytic reactor demonstrated a strategy to increase photo-active surface area in annular reactors.

Author(s):  
Kailun Yang ◽  
Recep Kas ◽  
Wilson A. Smith

<p>This study evaluated the performance of the commonly used strong buffer electrolytes, i.e. phosphate buffers, during CO<sub>2</sub> electroreduction in neutral pH conditions by using in-situ surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS). Unfortunately, the buffers break down a lot faster than anticipated which has serious implications on many studies in the literature such as selectivity and kinetic analysis of the electrocatalysts. Increasing electrolyte concentration, surprisingly, did not extend the potential window of the phosphate buffers due to dramatic increase in hydrogen evolution reaction. Even high concentration phosphate buffers (1 M) break down within the potentials (-1 V vs RHE) where hydrocarbons are formed on copper electrodes. We have extended the discussion to high surface area electrodes by evaluating electrodes composed of copper nanowires. We would like highlight that it is not possible to cope with high local current densities on these high surface area electrodes by using high buffer capacity solutions and the CO<sub>2</sub> electrocatalysts are needed to be evaluated by casting thin nanoparticle films onto inert substrates as commonly employed in fuel cell reactions and up to now scarcely employed in CO<sub>2</sub> electroreduction. In addition, we underscore that normalization of the electrocatalytic activity to the electrochemical active surface area is not the ultimate solution due to concentration gradient along the catalyst layer.This will “underestimate” the activity of high surface electrocatalyst and the degree of underestimation will depend on the thickness, porosity and morphology of the catalyst layer. </p> <p> </p>


Author(s):  
Mariana Alves Rios ◽  
Paula Aboud Barbugli ◽  
Mônica Rosas Costa Iemma ◽  
Rafael Grande ◽  
Antônio José Felix Carvalho ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6357
Author(s):  
Roberto Luigi Oliveri ◽  
Maria Grazia Insinga ◽  
Simone Pisana ◽  
Bernardo Patella ◽  
Giuseppe Aiello ◽  
...  

Lead-acid batteries are now widely used for energy storage, as result of an established and reliable technology. In the last decade, several studies have been carried out to improve the performance of this type of batteries, with the main objective to replace the conventional plates with innovative electrodes with improved stability, increased capacity and a larger active surface. Such studies ultimately aim to improve the kinetics of electrochemical conversion reactions at the electrode-solution interface and to guarantee a good electrical continuity during the repeated charge/discharge cycles. To achieve these objectives, our contribution focuses on the employment of nanostructured electrodes. In particular, we have obtained nanostructured electrodes in Pb and PbO2 through electrosynthesis in a template consisting of a nanoporous polycarbonate membrane. These electrodes are characterized by a wider active surface area, which allows for a better use of the active material, and for a consequent increased specific energy compared to traditional batteries. In this research, the performance of lead-acid batteries with nanostructured electrodes was studied at 10 C at temperatures of 25, −20 and 40 °C in order to evaluate the efficiency and the effect of temperature on electrode morphology. The batteries were assembled using both nanostructured electrodes and an AGM-type separator used in commercial batteries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 1747-1753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Ma ◽  
Wenjie Zang ◽  
Afriyanti Sumboja ◽  
Lu Mao ◽  
Ximeng Liu ◽  
...  

Hollow structuring of active components is an effective strategy to improve the kinetics of oxygen electrode catalysts, arising from the increased the active surface area, the defects on the exposed surface, and the accessible active sites.


Author(s):  
Dobrochna Ginter-Kramarczyk ◽  
Izabela Kruszelnicka ◽  
Michał Michałkiewicz ◽  
Przemysław Muszyński ◽  
Stanisław Zajchowski ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Modern technology, which has been getting more and more recognition in the world for the last several years, is the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology. Currently, movable biofilters made of basic polymeric materials, polyethylene and polypropylene. Methods An innovative solution in the field, mainly because of the large active surface area for biological membrane can be wood polymer composites (WPC). In the research polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was used as the matrix. Two types of commercial wood flour also, selected from conifers, were selected for the study: Lignocel C 120 with particle sizes in the range of 70 μm–150 μm and L9 with dimensions of 0.8–1.1 mm and wood chips, which are used on an industrial scale for the production of chipboards, were used as a filler. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of newly formed biofilms was performed. Results The study showed a direct effect of the filler and its particle size on the susceptibility to the formation of the biofilm of on the composites surface. Conclusions Polypropylene PPH 648 T and 40% wt. of L9 type wood flour was the most susceptible to biofilm formation. Pure polypropylene PPH 648 T was the least susceptible material.


2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 4919-4927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nithi Atthi ◽  
Jakrapong Supadech ◽  
Gaetan Dupuy ◽  
On-uma Nimittrakoolchai ◽  
Apirak Pankiew ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiao Xia Li ◽  
Ming Shuang Liu ◽  
Qun Jie Xu ◽  
Hong Min Mao

Two kinds of carbon-support 20% Pd/C catalysts for use in direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) have been prepared by an impregnation reduction method using NaBH4and NaH2PO2as reductants, respectively, in this study. The catalysts were characterized by XRD and TEM. The results show that the catalysts had been completely reduced, and the catalysts are spherical and homogeneously dispersed on carbon. The electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts was investigated by electrochemical measurements. The results indicate that the catalysts had an average particle size of 3.3 nm and showed the better catalytic performance, when NaBH4was used as the reducing agent. The electrochemical active surface area of Pd/C (NaBH4) was 56.4 m2·g−1. The electrochemical activity of the Pd/C (NaBH4) was much higher than that of Pd/C (NaH2PO2).


2012 ◽  
Vol 1479 ◽  
pp. 95-100
Author(s):  
Oscar A. Jaramillo ◽  
Reshmi Raman ◽  
Marina E. Rincón

ABSTRACTTiO2 nanoflowers were obtained on modified ITO substrates by solvothermal synthesis. Surface modification was achieved with a layer of TiO2 seeds/nucleus obtained by dip-coating at various pH and dip cycles. Field emission scanning electron microscopy results indicated that at all nucleation conditions there was a dual population of TiO2 nanoparticles and nanoflowers. For a particular pH, the effect of increasing the number of dips was to increase the size and number of the nanoflowers, whereas for a fixed number of dips, the increase in pH causes a decrease in nanoflower population. The comparison with solvothermal films obtained on unmodified substrates indicates that TiO2 nanoflowers grew up on the nucleation sites. These microstructural changes determine the active surface area and sensing properties of the solvothermal films. At room temperature, no evidence of superior ethanol sensing properties was found for TiO2 nanoflowers, which show larger resistivity than TiO2 nanoparticles.


Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 693
Author(s):  
Hong Soo Kim ◽  
Hwapyong Kim ◽  
Monica Claire Flores ◽  
Gyu-Seok Jung ◽  
Su-Il In

With the rapid increase in energy consumption worldwide, the development of renewable and alternative energy sources can sustain long-term development in the energy field. Hydrogen (H2), which is one of the clean chemical fuels, has the highest weight energy density and its combustion byproduct is only water. Among the various methods of producing hydrogen source, water electrolysis is a process that can effectively produce H2. However, it is difficult for commercialization of water electrolysis for H2 production due to the high cost and low abundance of noble metal-based cathodic electrode used for highly efficiency. Several studies have been conducted to reduce noble metal loading and/or completely replace them with other materials to overcome these obstacles. Among them, stainless steel contains many components of transition metals (Ni, Cr, Co) but have sluggish reaction kinetics and small active surface area. In this study, the problem of stainless steel was to be solved by utilizing the electrocatalytic properties of silver nanoparticles on the electrode surface, and electrodes were easily fabricated through the electrodeposition process. In addition, the surface shape, elemental properties, and HER activity of the electrode was analyzed by comparing it with the commercialized silver nanoparticle-coated invasive electrodes from Inanos (Inano-Ag-IE) through the plasma coating process. As a result, silver nanoparticle-coated conventional electrode (Ag-CE) fabricated through electrodeposition confirmed high HER activity and stability. However, the Inano-Ag-IE showed low HER activity as silver nanoparticles were not found. We encourage further research on the production process of such products for sustainable energy applications.


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