Metal oxide electrodes

Potentiometric investigations of oxoacidic properties of molten salts are performed using various kinds of oxygen electrodes metal-oxide, gas, and membrane ones. As a rule, these electrodes have been examined extensively, and their features are well described in the literature on molten salts electrochemistry. 

A variety of applications of chemical sensor arrays coupled with multivariate data analysis for quantitative measurements have been studied [26-32]. Each study investigated different types of sensors in the array, such as quartz crystals, ion-selective electrodes, metal oxide semiconductors, and chemFETs, with various types of modeling techniques as described above. 

The anomalous behavior of the electrode Pt(02) has been noted and explained by peroxide function of the gas oxygen electrodes (of the first type). On the contrary to gas electrodes, metal-oxide electrodes (of the second type) were reversible with the slope corresponding to the reaction ... 

Figure 22.32 illustrates the way in which the metal-semiconductor junction, built at electrode-sensitive layer interfaces, influences the overall conduction process. For compact layers they appear as a contact resistance (Rc) in series with the resistance of the metal oxide layer (see Figure 22.13). For partly depleted layers Rc could be dominant, and the reactions taking place at the three-phase boundary, electrode-metal oxide-atmosphere, control the sensing properties.

Surface heterogeneity may be inferred from emission studies such as those studies by de Schrijver and co-workers on P and on R adsorbed on clay minerals [197,198]. In the case of adsorbed pyrene and its derivatives, there is considerable evidence for surface mobility (on clays, metal oxides, sulfides), as from the work of Thomas [199], de Mayo and co-workers [200], Singer [201] and Stahlberg et al. [202]. There has also been evidence for ground-state bimolecular association of adsorbed pyrene [66,203]. The sensitivity of pyrene to the polarity of its environment allows its use as a probe of surface polarity [204,205]. Pyrene or ofter emitters may be used as probes to study the structure of an adsorbate film, as in the case of Triton X-100 on silica [206], sodium dodecyl sulfate at the alumina surface [207] and hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride adsorbed onto silver electrodes from water and dimethylformamide [208]. In all cases progressive structural changes were concluded to occur with increasing surfactant adsorption. 

For example, for iron in aqueous electrolytes, tlie tliennodynamic warning of tlie likelihood of corrosion is given by comparing tlie standard electrode potential of tlie metal oxidation, witli tlie potential of possible reduction reactions. 

S. Trasatti, ed.. Electrodes of Conductive Metallic Oxides, Parts A and B, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1980, 1981. 

Two methods are used to measure pH electrometric and chemical indicator (1 7). The most common is electrometric and uses the commercial pH meter with a glass electrode. This procedure is based on the measurement of the difference between the pH of an unknown or test solution and that of a standard solution. The instmment measures the emf developed between the glass electrode and a reference electrode of constant potential. The difference in emf when the electrodes are removed from the standard solution and placed in the test solution is converted to a difference in pH. Electrodes based on metal—metal oxides, eg, antimony—antimony oxide (see Antimony AND ANTIMONY ALLOYS Antimony COMPOUNDS), have also found use as pH sensors (8), especially for industrial appHcations where superior mechanical stabiUty is needed (see Sensors). However, because of the presence of the metallic element, these electrodes suffer from interferences by oxidation—reduction systems in the test solution. 

Ion Removal and Metal Oxide Electrodes. The ethylenediamine ( )-functional silane, shown in Table 3 (No. 5), has been studied extensively as a sdylating agent on siUca gel to preconcentrate polyvalent anions and cations from dilute aqueous solutions (26,27). Numerous other chelate-functional silanes have been immobilized on siUca gel, controUed-pore glass, and fiber glass for removal of metal ions from solution (28,29). 

Metal oxide electrodes have been coated with a monolayer of this same diaminosilane (Table 3, No. 5) by contacting the electrodes with a benzene solution of the silane at room temperature (30). Electroactive moieties attached to such silane-treated electrodes undergo electron-transfer reactions with the underlying metal oxide (31). Dye molecules attached to sdylated electrodes absorb light coincident with the absorption spectmm of the dye, which is a first step toward simple production of photoelectrochemical devices (32) (see Photovoltaic cells). 

By tire coiTect choice of the metal oxide/carbon ratio in the ingoing burden for the furnace, the alloy which is produced can have a controlled content of carbon, which does not lead to the separation of solid carbides during the reduction reaction. The combination of the carbon electrode, tire gaseous oxides and the foamed slag probably causes tire formation of a plasma region between the electrode aird the slag, and this is responsible for the reduction of elecU ical and audible noise which is found in this operation, in comparison with tire arc melting of scrap iron which is extremely noisy, and which injects unwanted electrical noise into the local electrical distribution network. 

The impressed current method with metal oxide-coated niobium anodes is usually employed for internal protection (see Section 7.2.3). In smaller tanks, galvanic anodes of zinc can also be used. Potential control should be provided to avoid unacceptably negative potentials. Pure zinc electrodes serve as monitoring and control electrodes in exposed areas which have to be anodically cleaned in the course of operation. Ag-AgCl electrodes are used to check these reference electrodes. 

Pseudocapacitance is used to describe electrical storage devices that have capacitor-like characteristics but that are based on redox (reduction and oxidation) reactions. Examples of pseudocapacitance are the overlapping redox reactions observed with metal oxides (e.g., RuO,) and the p- and n-dopings of polymer electrodes that occur at different voltages (e.g. polythiophene). Devices based on these charge storage mechanisms are included in electrochemical capacitors because of their energy and power profiles. 

The oxide coatings are porous and therefore the limitations on operating voltage for platinised titanium anodes apply as well to the oxide-coated titanium electrodes. It has been reported that breakdown of mixed metal oxide anodes may occur at 50-60 V in low-chloride concentration water but at only 10 V in chloride-rich environments . 

Metal/metal oxide Metal filmed with oxide in a solution of OH giving an A//M,Oy/OH electrode whose potential is dependent on pH. Sb/Sb20j/0H- Bi/Bi20j/0H-... 

Metals in practice are usually coated with an oxide film that affects the potential, and metals such as Sb, Bi, As, W and Te behave as reversible A//A/,Oy/OH electrodes whose potentials are pH dependent electrodes of this type may be used to determine the solution s pH in the same way as the reversible hydrogen electrode. According to Ives and Janz these electrodes may be regarded as a particular case of electrodes of the second kind, since the oxygen in the metal oxide participates in the self-ionisation of water. 

A thin layer deposited between the electrode and the charge transport material can be used to modify the injection process. Some of these arc (relatively poor) conductors and should be viewed as electrode materials in their own right, for example the polymers polyaniline (PAni) [81-83] and polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDT or PEDOT) [83, 841 heavily doped with anions to be intrinsically conducting. They have work functions of approximately 5.0 cV [75] and therefore are used as anode materials, typically on top of 1TO, which is present to provide lateral conductivity. Thin layers of transition metal oxide on ITO have also been shown [74J to have better injection properties than ITO itself. Again these materials (oxides of ruthenium, molybdenum or vanadium) have high work functions, but because of their low conductivity cannot be used alone as the electrode. 

A novel development of the use of ion-selective electrodes is the incorporation of a very thin ion-selective membrane (C) into a modified metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (A) which is encased in a non-conducting shield (B) (Fig. 15.4). When the membrane is placed in contact with a test solution containing an appropriate ion, a potential is developed, and this potential affects the current flowing through the transistor between terminals Tt and T2. 

It is so universally applied that it may be found in combination with metal oxide cathodes (e.g., HgO, AgO, NiOOH, Mn02), with catalytically active oxygen electrodes, and with inert cathodes using aqueous halide or ferricyanide solutions as active materials ("zinc-flow" or "redox" batteries). The cell (battery) sizes vary from small button cells for hearing aids or watches up to kilowatt-hour modules for electric vehicles (electrotraction). Primary and storage batteries exist in all categories except that of flow-batteries, where only storage types are found. Acidic, neutral, and alkaline electrolytes are used as well. The (simplified) half-cell reaction for the zinc electrode is the same in all electrolytes ... 

Perhaps the first practical application of carbonaceous materials in batteries was demonstrated in 1868 by Georges Le-clanche in cells that bear his name [20]. Coarsely ground MnO, was mixed with an equal volume of retort carbon to form the positive electrode. Carbonaceous powdered materials such as acetylene black and graphite are commonly used to enhance the conductivity of electrodes in alkaline batteries. The particle morphology plays a significant role, particularly when carbon blacks are used in batteries as an electrode additive to enhance the electronic conductivity. One of the most common carbon blacks which is used as an additive to enhance the electronic conductivity of electrodes that contain metal oxides is acetylene black. A detailed discussion on the desirable properties of acetylene black in Leclanche cells is provided by Bregazzi [21], A suitable carbon for this application should have characteristics that include (i) low resistivity in the presence of the electrolyte and active electrode material, (ii) absorption and retention of a significant... 

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