Direct metallization Carbon/Graphite systems

Although in situ infrared spectroscopy has been applied widely in terms of the systems studied, the reflective electrodes employed have been predominantly polished metal or graphite, and so an important advance has been the study of electrochemical processes at more representative electrodes such as Pt/Ru on carbon [107,122,157], a carbon black/polyethylene composite employed in cathodic protection systems [158] and sol-gel Ti02 electrodes [159]. Recently, Fan and coworkers [160] took this concept one step further, and reported preliminary in situ FTIR data on the electro-oxidation of humidified methanol vapor at a Pt/Ru particulate electrode deposited directly onto the Nafion membrane of a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell that was mounted within the sample holder of a diffuse reflectance attachment. As well as features attributable to methanol, a number of bands between 2200 and 1700 cm were observed in the spectra, taken under shortoperating conditions, the importance of which has already been clearly demonstrated [107]. 

The industrial production of chlorine (CI2) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) involves the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride or of brine solutions. With the molten salt the metallic sodium that is produced at the carbon cathode is vaporized and collected in a condenser as the solid metal. A common system for brine uses a cell with a liquid mercury cathode that flows in one direction along the floor with the brine flowing in the opposite direction past a series of graphite anodes. The electrolysis reactions produce chlorine gas at the anode, which is collected,... 

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