Comparison of the effect of non-polluted and underwater-volcano-polluted seawater on the corrosion resistance of different stainless steels
This work compares the effect of non‐polluted and underwater‐volcano‐polluted seawater on the electrochemical behavior of two different alloys, notably an austenitic stainless steel (SS) and a duplex stainless steel. Polarization measurements, potentiostatic passivation tests, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and capacitance measurements were performed. Results show that the composition of the polluted seawater negatively affects the passivation kinetics of both AISI 316 SS and Alloy 900, decreasing the corrosion resistance of both alloys. Additionally, when both steels are compared, it can be concluded that passive films formed on Alloy 900 presented better protective properties than…
A pH Study for the Degradation of Acetaminophen with Iron Oxide Nanostructures
[EN] Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in the degradation of organic compounds in wastewater, since they are detrimental for the water quality. Different metal oxides have been studied as photocatalysts in the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical products using UV light. Iron oxide nanostructures are a promising option in this field since their band gap (~ 2.1 eV, corresponding to ~590 nm) can absorb visible light, which in turn allows the degradation by using sunlight. Iron oxide nanostructures are known to be stable in alkaline solutions, but some organic compounds can vary their structure with pH. Then, a pH study is needed in order to stablish the optimum value to…
Improvement in photocatalytic activity of stable WO3 nanoplatelet globular clusters arranged in a tree-like fashion: Influence of rotation velocity during anodization
This study investigates the influence of controlled hydrodynamic conditions during anodization of tungsten (W) on the morphological, electrochemical and photocatalytic properties of a novel WO3 nanostructure: globular clusters of nanoplatelets associated in a tree-like fashion. For this purpose different techniques such as Field-Emission Scanning Electronic Microscopy (FE-SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements, Mott-Schottky (M-S) analysis and photoelectrochemical water splitting tests have been carried out. Photoanodes obtained at 375 rpm showed the best photoresponse, much higher than that of conventional WO3 nanoplatelets, which can be ascribed to a noteworthy in…
Study of the annealing conditions and photoelectrochemical characterization of a new iron oxide bi-layered nanostructure for water splitting
Iron oxide nanostructures have emerged as promising materials for being used as photocatalysts for hydrogen production due to their advantageous properties. However, their low carrier mobility and short hole diffusion length limit their efficiency in water splitting. To overcome these drawbacks, in the present study, we synthetized a new hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) bi-layered nanostructure consisting of a top nanosphere layer and a nanotubular underneath one by electrochemical anodization. Annealing parameters such as temperature, heating rate and atmosphere were studied in detail in order to determine the optimum annealing conditions for the synthetized nanostructure. The obtained new bi-layere…
Influence of the Heating Rate on the Annealing Treatment of Iron Oxide Nanostructures Obtained by Electrochemical Anodization under Hydrodynamic Conditions
[EN] Iron oxide nanostructures are promising materials for photoelectrochemical applications such as water splitting. In this work, electrochemical anodization of iron is used to form different iron oxide nanostructures, and the influence of different anodization parameters was studied in order to find the most suitable nanostructure for photocatalysis applications. On the one hand, hydrodynamic conditions were evaluated by stirring the electrode at different rotation speeds during the electrochemical anodization to check their influence on the formation of the nanostructures. On the other hand, different heating rates during the annealing treatment were studied for obtaining efficient iron…
TiO2 Nanostructures for Photoelectrocatalytic Degradation of Acetaminophen
[EN] Advanced oxidation processes driven by renewable energy sources are gaining attention in degrading organic pollutants in waste waters in an efficient and sustainable way. The present work is focused on a study of TiO2 nanotubes as photocatalysts for photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of acetaminophen (AMP) at different pH (3, 7, and 9). In particular, different TiO2 photocatalysts were synthetized by stirring the electrode at different Reynolds numbers (Res) during electrochemical anodization. The morphology of the photocatalysts and their crystalline structure were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Raman confocal laser microscopy (RCLM). These a…
ZnO nanostructures: synthesis by anodization and applications in photoelectrocatalysis
Abstract Solar energy is a clean and abundant energy source. In a photoelectrochemical cell, energy from sunlight is captured and converted into electric power, chemical fuels such as hydrogen is employed to degrade organic pollutants. ZnO is a promising material for photoelectrocatalysis due to its remarkable properties. The aim of this review is to perform an exhaustive revision of nanostructured ZnO synthesis by electrochemical anodization in order to control surface characteristics of this material through anodization parameters such as electrolyte type and concentration, potential, time, temperature, stirring, and post treatment. Finally, application of ZnO nanostructures is overviewed…
Should TiO2 nanostructures doped with Li+ be used as photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting applications?
[EN] Different TiO2 nanostructures, nanotubes and nanosponges, were obtained by anodization of Ti under stagnant and hydrodynamic conditions. Samples were doped with Li+ before and after annealing at 450 degrees C during 1 h. The nanostructures were characterized by different microscopy techniques: Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) and Raman Confocal Laser Microscopy. Additionally, Incident Photon-to-electron Conversion Efficiency (IPCE), photoelectrochemical water splitting and stability measurements were also performed. According to the results, TiO2 nanostructures doped before annealing present the worst photocurrent response, even if compared with undoped samples. On …
Iron oxide nanostructures for photoelectrochemical applications: Effect of applied potential during Fe anodization
[EN] In photoelectrochemistry, a suitable photoanode leading to high efficiencies in photocatalytic processes is a research challenge. Iron oxide nanostructures are promising materials to be used as photoanodes. In this work, different potentials during iron anodization were applied to study the properties of the synthesized nanostructures. Results revealed that nanostructures anodized at 50V presented well-defined nanotubular structures with open-tube tops, and they achieved values of photocurrent density of 0.11 mA cm(-2) at 0 rpm and 0.14 mA cm(-2) at 1000 rpm (measured at 0.50 V-Ag/Agcl), corresponding to the oxygen evolution reaction from water, i.e. 2H(2)O+4h(+)-> 4H(+)+O-2, demonstra…
Passive Behavior and Passivity Breakdown of AISI 304 in LiBr Solutions through Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy
The passive behavior and passivity breakdown of AISI 304 stainless steel in LiBr solutions has been investigated by means of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The sample generation - tip collection (SG-TC) mode was used to operate the SECM and the tip potential was biased to detect the electroactive species. The evolution of the current at the ultramicroelectrode tip with the applied potential within the passive range was followed at different LiBr concentrations. Results show that the absolute value of the current at the tip increases with the applied potential. Additionally, SECM was also used to detect stable pits formed on the stainless steel surface in a 0.2 M LiBr solution. …
Enhancement of photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting by controlling hydrodynamic conditions on titanium anodization
This work studies the electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties of a new type of TiO2 nanostructure (nanosponge) obtained by means of anodization in a glycerol/water/NH4F electrolyte under controlled hydrodynamic conditions. For this purpose different techniques such as Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), Raman Spectroscopy, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements, Mott–Schottky (M−S) analysis and photoelectrochemical water splitting tests under standard AM 1.5 conditions are carried out. The obtained results show that electron–hole separation is facilitated in the TiO2 nanosponge if compared with highly ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays. As a result, nanosponges en…
Formation of Hematite Nanotubes by Two-Step Electrochemical Anodization for Efficient Degradation of Organic Pollutants
[EN] Nowadays, hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) has emerged as a promising photocatalyst for efficient degradation of organic pollutants due to its properties such as suitable band-gap (similar to 2.1 eV), stability against photocorrosion, abundance and low cost. However, some drawbacks such as low carrier mobility and short hole diffusion length limit its efficiency. In order to overcome these issues, self-ordered nanotubes can be synthetized. Anodization is one of the simplest and most economic techniques to produce nanostructures with high control. In the present study, self-ordered hematite nanotubes were synthetized by two-step electrochemical anodization. In two-step anodization, a first-step w…