Enhancement of nitrite and nitrate electrocatalytic reduction through the employment of self-assembled layers of nickel- and copper-substituted crown-type heteropolyanions

Shahzad Imar, Chiara Maccato, Calum Dickinson, Fathima Laffir, Mikhail Vagin, Timothy McCormac

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Multilayer assemblies of two crown-type type heteropolyanions (HPA), [Cu20Cl(OH)24(H2O)12(P8W48O184)]25- and Ni4(P8W48O148)(WO2)]28-, have been immobilized onto glassy carbon electrode surfaces via the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique employing polycathion-stabilized silver nanoparticles (AgNP) as the cationic layer within the resulting thin films characterized by electrochemical and physical methods. The redox behaviors of both HPA monitored during LBL assembly with cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy revealed significant changes by immobilization. The presence of AgNPs led to the retention of film porosity and electronic conductivity, which has been shown with impedance and voltammeric studies of film permeabilities toward reversible redox probes. The resulting films have been characterized by physical methods. Finally, the electrocatalytic performance of obtained films with respect to nitrite and nitrate electrocatalytic reduction has been comparatively studied for both catalysts. Nickel atoms trapped inside HPA exhibited a higher specific activity for reduction.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2584-2592
    Number of pages9
    JournalLangmuir
    Volume31
    Issue number8
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 3 Mar 2015

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