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Water parks often use chlorine for water disinfection despite its ineffectiveness and health risks. This research explored the efficacy of combining electromagnetic treatment (EMT) with chlorination in disinfecting swimming pool water. Water samples, with different organic loads, were subjected to EMT-chlorination tests. EMT significantly affected the physicochemical parameters of the water, notably reducing turbidity by 50 % and decreasing COD levels compared to systems without EMT. The system with EMT reported lower chlorine consumption, suggesting a lower formation of chlorogenic by-products. Therefore, it is evident that the combined method can decrease the levels of organic contamination in the water, reduce the presence of algae, and minimize the consumption of conventional chemical disinfectants, thus reflecting an interesting synergy between EMT and chlorination, which could be advantageous from a health, environmental and economic perspective.

Expanded graphite (EG) electrodes gather several advantages for their utilization in microbial electrochemical technologies (MET). Unfortunately, the low microbial electroactivity makes them non-practical for implementing them as electrodes. The objective of this work is to explore the enhancement of microbial electroactivity of expanded graphite (commercial PV15) through the generation of nanopores by CO2 treatment. The changes in properties were thoroughly analysed by TG, XRD, Raman, XPS, gas adsorption, SEM and AFM, as well as microbial electroactivity in the presence of Geobacter sulfurreducens. Nanopores remarkably enhance the microbially derived electrical current (60-fold increase). Given the inaccessibility of micron-sized bacteria to these nanopores, it is suggested that the electric charge exchanged by electroactive microorganisms might be greatly affected by the capability of the electrode to compensate these charges through ion adsorption. The increased microbial current density produced on activated PV15 opens the possibility of using such materials as promising electrodes in MET.

La preocupación creciente por el aumento y posibles efectos adversos, en la salud y el medioambiente, ocasionados por los contaminantes emergentes (CEs) demanda el estudio de sus procesos de degradación y el desarrollo de tecnologías eficientes para su eliminación. La oxidación anódica directa es uno de los métodos más simples y eficientes para la eliminación de contaminantes orgánicos de elevada toxicidad y/o refractarios. No obstante, la viabilidad de esta tecnología dependerá del desarrollo de electrodos estables, de bajo coste y con elevada actividad catalítica. Entre las diversas composiciones propuestas en la literatura, los óxidos de estaño dopados con antimonio y pequeñas cantidades de Pt (SnO2-Sb-Pt) constituyen una de las más prometedoras. Sin embargo, hasta ahora no existen estudios de la oxidación de CEs sobre estos electrodos, y todavía se desconoce la naturaleza de su comportamiento electrocatalítico. En este trabajo se presenta un estudio fundamental y comparativo de la respuesta electrocatalítica de 3 electrodos de composición Ti/SnO2-Sb(13%met.)-Pt(0, 3, 13%met.) frente a la oxidación y eliminación de 3 CEs, concretamente, glifosato, paraquat y diclofenaco. La respuesta de estos electrodos se compara, además, con la de electrodos comerciales de Ti/Pt y Si/BDD. En particular, se analiza la naturaleza del ánodo en la capacidad para la generación de radicales hidroxilo y la facilidad y eficiencia en la oxidación y eliminación de CEs, analizando la formación y eliminación de los intermedios de reacción. Para ello, se utiliza la voltametría cíclica, técnicas espectroelectroquímicas (IR o UV) in-situ y/o experimentos de electrolisis en celda filtro-prensa en diversas condiciones que, sin tratar de emular ningún caso real de tratamiento de aguas, son adecuadas para dicho estudio electrocatalítico. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que los electrodos de Ti/SnO2-Sb dopados con Pt (3-13%met.) son capaces de oxidar y mineralizar los CEs estudiados, mostrando u

The present contribution describes the synthesis of a carbon supported VPO catalyst with a fibrous structure. The synthesis method is simple, low-cost, scalable and reproducible that allows the formation of the bulk mixed oxide (VO)2P2O7 (VPP) active phase on the carbon support material. The preparation does not require any special reducing thermal treatments due to the ability of the carbon support to stabilize the VPP active phase since this carbon-based support is stable under oxidizing conditions up to around 400ºC allowing it to be used as for catalytic oxidation reactions. The stability of the carbon-supported VPP catalyst under reaction conditions was examined with in situ Raman under oxidizing/ H2 reducing cycles and n-butane oxidation conditions under both wet and dry conditions. These studies confirm the dynamic character of VPO phases, which interconvert under different conditions, and the stability of carbon-supported VPP phase under different environments. The novel carbon-supported catalyst exhibits an activity behavior like that observed for commercial catalysts that suggests a very promising catalytic material.

The development of non-expensive and efficient technologies for the elimination of Glyphosate (GLP) in water is of great interest for society today. Here we explore novel electrocatalytic effects to boost the anodic oxidation of GLP on Pt-doped (3-13met%) SnO2–Sb electrodes. The study reveals the formation of well disperse Pt nanophases in SnO2–Sb that electrocatalyze GLP elimination. Cyclic voltammetry and in-situ spectroelectrochemical FTIR analysis evidence carboxylate-mediated Pt-GLP electrocatalytic interactions to promote oxidation and mineralization of this herbicide. Interestingly, under electrolytic conditions Pt effects are proposed to synergistically cooperate with hydroxyl radicals in GLP oxidation. Furthermore, the formation of by-products has been followed by different techniques, and the studied electrodes are compared to commercial Si/BDD and Ti/Pt anodes and tested for a real GLP commercial product. Results show that, although BDD is the most effective anode, the SnO2–Sb electrode with a 13 met% Pt can mineralize GLP with lower energy consumption.

La hibridación de minerales arcillosos con polímeros conductores recibe gran interés por diferentes aplicaciones potenciales, incluida la remediación ambiental. Esta tesis contiene tres partes del estudio, en primer lugar, estudia y compara las propiedades electroquímicas de dos arcillas diferentes, montmorillonita (Mont) y diatomita (Diat), y sus respectivos materiales híbridos arcilla/PEDOT-PSS en medio H2SO4. Los materiales híbridos se prepararon por electropolimerización de EDOT en presencia de PSS. Se analizaron las propiedades físico-químicas y electroquímicas de ambas arcillas mediante diferentes técnicas, y se investigó la influencia de las propiedades de la arcilla en la electropolimerización y la electroactividad de los híbridos arcilla/PEDOT-PSS resultantes. En concreto, la sonda redox Fe2+/Fe3+ y la oxidación de diclofenaco, como contaminante emergente farmacéutico modelo, se utilizaron para probar la capacidad de transferencia de electrones y la respuesta oxidativa, respectivamente, de los híbridos arcilla/PEDOT-PSS. Los resultados demuestran que, a pesar de su baja conductividad eléctrica, el Mont es un material electroactivo en sí mismo con una buena capacidad de transferencia de electrones. Por el contrario, el Diat no muestra electroactividad. La hibridación con PEDOT generalmente mejora la electroactividad de las arcillas, pero las propiedades de la arcilla afectan la eficiencia de electropolimerización y la electroactividad de los híbridos, por lo que Mont/PEDOT muestra propiedades electroquímicas mejoradas. Se demuestra que los híbridos de arcilla/PEDOT-PSS exhiben capacidad de oxidación de diclofenaco y sensibilidad a la concentración de diclofenaco. Se sintetizaron diferentes materiales híbridos a base de arcilla en un solo paso mediante polimerización química de EDOT en presencia de la arcilla sin o con nanofibras de carbono (CNF). Estos materiales fueron caracterizados con diferentes técnicas y estudiados por su potencial aplicación en la rem

METland® technology consists of a bioengineering strategy for treating wastewater by integrating microbial electrochemical concepts into constructed wetland systems to enhance pollutants removal. In this context, we have constructed planted (Iris sibirica) biofilters to assess the impact of different electrically conductive bed materials (electroconductive coke, electroconductive biochar, non-electroconductive biochar and gravel) by analyzing the (i) wastewater treatment efficiency (COD and nitrogen removal), (ii) bioelectrochemical response, and (iii) diversity of microbial communities. Electrically conductive materials outperformed non-conductive ones allowing removal rates as high as 175-180 gCOD/bed*m3 day capable to support footprint as low 0.4 m2/pe. In contrast, the highest nitrogen removal rates were achieved with non-conductive biochar in presence of plants (80 %) regardless the anoxic conditions of the assay. This was confirmed by the presence of annamox bacteria like Planctomycetes. Furthermore, the presence of a marked electric potential profile along the bed height in electroconductive materials together with redox pairs (cyclic voltammetry analysis) demonstrated an effective electron flow from bottom to uppermost layers of the bed (geoconductor mechanism). In electroconductive biochar, such effective conductivity-based model co-exists with a geobattery mechanism due to presence of electroactive phenolic and carbonyl/quinone groups and/or microporosity. Microbial biodiversity analysis revealed the impact of plants just at the upper layers of the biofilters where roots and Rhizobium predominate. Bacteria from genus Clostridium were dominant in gravel inert material; in contrast, bacteria from genus Geobacter (12%) and Trichococcus (30%) outcompete the rest of communities for an effective colonization of carbonaceous beds, suggesting their main role as part of the electrosyntrophies mechanism after METland®.

This paper explores the synthesis, characterization and electrocatalytic behavior of a new ferrocenyl-substituted tetradentate Nickel Schiff base complex. The complex, N,N-Bis[5-(N,N-ferrocenmethylaminophenyl)methylsalicylidyne]-1,2-diaminoethane of nickel(II) ((Fc-Me-Ani)2-LNiII), was prepared by heating the tetradentate Schiff base ligand ((Fc-Me-Ani)2-H2L) in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of tetrahydrate nickel(II) acetate salt, dissolved in a mixture of ethanol and methylene chloride at 50°C under N2 atmosphere. The molecular structure of the complex was deduced from elemental analysis, FT-IR, UV-Vis and mass spectrometry. The electrochemical characterization was investigated by cyclic voltammetry on a glassy carbon electrode and the effect of the solvent (methylenechloride (DCM), dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)) was analyzed. The electrochemical characterization of the nickel complex reveals the electron-transfer capability of the two electroactive redox moieties, ie. the ferrocenyl moieties (Fc+‏/Fc) and the metallic centre (Ni2+/Ni+). The diffusion coefficient (D) and the standard rate constant (K0) have also been calculated from the cyclic voltammetry and the polarization curves of ferrocenyl redox process. So, they are influenced by both used method and medium. Cyclic voltammetry has also been performed to examine the performances of the electrocatalytical reduction reaction towards two alkylhalides like ethyl chloroacetate and ethyl bromoacetate in DMF solution. The current increase and the cathodic shift of the Ni2+→Ni+ reduction process in the presence of increasing concentrations of these alkyl halides evidence the catalytic effect of the (Fc-Me-Ani)2-LNiII complex in the reduction of these compounds.

This work studies the removal of o-cresol from wastewater by using ozonation followed by adsorption onto sodium natural bentonite (Na-Bent). The degradation of o-cresol was followed by UV-Vis. During ozonation, 2-methylbenzoquinone (2-mBQ) and 2-methylhydroquinone (2-mHQ) were identified as two of the main by-products, while the pH decrease suggested the breakage of aromatic compounds into smaller organic acids. After 30 min treatment, the o-cresol degradation for 250–62.5 mg/L solutions was found between 64–85%, respectively. Next, the wastewater containing persistent o-cresol and by-products was contacted with Na-Bent adsorbent. The solutions and physicochemical properties of Na-Bent were analysed, before and after adsorption, by UV-Vis, FTIR, XRD and N2 adsorption-desorption. Moreover, equilibrium and kinetic experiments were carried out to study the adsorptive properties of the Na-Bent. While sole ozonation or adsorption failed on the remediation of o-cresol solutions, the obtained results show that the contact of ozonated solutions with Na-Bent led to almost total removal of the o-cresol initial concentrations (between 96% and 99%). This excellent performance is assigned to the high volume of interlayer micropores and the suitable surface chemistry of this natural adsorbent.

In this work, a bidentate Schiff base ligand (HL) containing N and O as donor heteroatoms has been used to synthesize series of new stable metal complexes of general composition of M(L)2 with M = Mn, Ni and VO. This ligand was obtained from condensation of 2-methoxybenzylamine on 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde in methanolic solutions in which its complexes were obtained by mixing the corresponding metal acetate salt and the ligand in 1:2 molar ratio. The resulting three complexes have been characterized by different analytical techniques like FT-IR, UV-Vis, mass spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and cyclic voltammetry, to identify their molecular structures and redox/electrochemical properties. Moreover, the effect of the metal on the complexes electronic properties with their reactivity has also been studied by Density Functional Theory (DFT). The stable structures were optimized by using the hybrid B3LYP/6–31 G method. The spectroscopic data obtained suggest that the metal is bonded to the ligand through the phenolic-like oxygen and the imine-type nitrogen atoms. Electronic and vibrational absorption spectra of the nickel complex was found to be of square-planar geometry while square-pyramidal and octahedral geometries have been proposed for VO(IV) and Mn(II) complexes, respectively. The thermogravimetric analyses of these complexes confirmed the presence of water molecules in their structures and thermal decomposition led to the formation of metal oxides as the latest residues. The voltammogram of the Ni(II) complex suggests the existence of quasi-reversible redox system in DMSO solution.

El agua es esencial para la vida y sin ella no existiríamos. La desertización de nuestro país crece año tras año y se han de idear métodos para obtener agua potable. En la actividad propuesta se lleva a cabo un experimento de electrodiálisis de agua de mar y se demuestra el proceso de desalación electroquímica para producir agua potable.

Adequate electrochemical characterization of electrode material/biofilms is crucial for a comprehensive understanding and comparative performance of bioelectrochemical systems (BES). However, their responses are greatly affected by the metabolic activity and growth of these living entities and/or the interference of electrode wiring that can act as an electroactive surface for growth or constitute a source of contamination by corrosion. This restricts the meaningful comparison of the performance of distinct electrode materials in BES. This work describes a methodology for simultaneous electrochemical control and measurement of the microbial response on different electrode materials under the same physicochemical and biological conditions. The method is based on the use of a single channel potentiostat and one counter and reference electrodes to simultaneously polarize several electrode materials in a sole bioelectrochemical cell. Furthermore, various strategies to minimize wiring corrosion are proposed. The proposed methodology, then, will enable a more rigorous characterization of microbial electrochemical responses for comparisons purposes.

This paper describes the synthesis and properties of a new nitro-substituted bidentate Schiff base ligand (HL) and its nickel complex (Ni(II)-2L). Its ligand was derived from the condensation of 2′-methoxyphenyl-2-ethylamine with 5-nitro-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde. This ligand and its nickel complex were characterized through elemental analysis, UV–Vis, IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR. The molecular structure of the nickel complex was confirmed using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. This complex crystallizes in dichloromethane in triclinic system, space group of P-1 with a = 6.6803 (2), b = 9.6702 (2), c = 12.1836 (3) and 1 formula unit in the cell. The obtained data revealed that the Ni(II) center is tetra-coordinated by two oxygen and two nitrogen atoms involving two ligands. Cyclic voltammograms of the nickel complex, recorded in DMF solutions, showed one quasi-reversible redox couple related to the Ni(II)/Ni(I) couple, demonstrating its electro-activity. This indicates a slow redox transition and/or electron exchange process, which implies that this electrochemical process is mainly diffusion-controlled. The antioxidant activity of the synthesized compounds was evaluated from the reactivity with the free radical DPPH, showing IC50 values between 0.4 and 4.5 mg/mL.

This work presents a comprehensive study on the physico‐chemical and electrochemical properties of polyindenes (PIns) synthesized by Maghnite‐H+‐catalysed polymerization of indene (benzocyclopentadiene) in CH2Cl2 at different temperatures, and their oxidative derivatives by subsequent treatment with FeCl3. The polymers are characterized by TG, FT‐IR, XPS and UV‐vis spectroscopies, as well as electrical conductivity and voltammetric measurements, analysing the influence of synthesis temperature and post‐oxidation. Results show that the PIns synthesized at different temperatures present quite similar thermogravimetric behavior and UV spectra. Nevertheless, FTIR and XPS reveal significant differences in chemical composition and polymer structure depending on this temperature. At higher temperatures, indenyl coupling proceeds via 1,2 carbon atoms to obtain more compact and less defective PIns with higher yields. At lower temperatures, polymerization through 1,3 carbon atoms may also occur, leading to polymers with a larger number of defects and oxygen functionalities and lower yields. FeCl3 treatment causes the introduction of some oxygen functionalities in the compact PIn60 and PIn80 polymers, without significantly affecting their molecular structure and electrical conductivity. Finally, cyclic voltammetry demonstrates that, despite not electro‐active, these partially oxidized PIns show enough electrical conductivity for different applications.

En lo que llevamos de siglo, la aplicación de la nanotecnología al diseño de nuevos nanomateriales conductores y energéticos está suscitando un gran interés debido a extraordinarios avances en diversos campos de aplicación. Algunos de estos avances están cada vez más cerca de lo que, hasta hace unos años, veíamos como ciencia ficción. Debido a su pequeño tamaño, los nanomateriales conductores aumentan sensiblemente su área superficial relativa y actividad catalítica; sus propiedades eléctricas se ven afectadas por efectos cuánticos; y pueden acceder fácilmente a células humanas o formar parte de dispositivos nano- y micro-métricos. El presente trabajo introduce varios ejemplos del impacto de los nanomateriales conductores en electrónica, medicina, medio ambiente y energía., During the 21st century, the application of nanotechnology to the design of new conductive and energetic materials has gained a great interest due to extraordinary progress in distinct applications. Some of these advances are coming increasingly closer to what, up to now, was certainly considered as science fiction. Because of their small dimensions, conductive nanomaterials remarkably increase their relative surface area and catalytic activity; their electrical properties are affected by quantum effects; and they can easily access to human cells or to be implemented in nano- and micro-metric devices. The present work introduces various examples of the impact of conductive nanomaterials on electronics, medicine, environment and energy.

The hybridization of clay minerals with conducting polymers receives great interest for different potential applications, including environmental remediation. This work studies and compares the electrochemical properties of two different clays, montmorillonite (Mont) and diatomite (Diat), and their respective clay/PEDOT-PSS hybrid materials in H2SO4 medium. The hybrid materials were prepared by electropolymerization of EDOT in the presence of PSS. The physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of both clays were analyzed by different techniques, and the influence of the clay properties on electropolymerization and the electroactivity of the resulting clay/PEDOT-PSS hybrids was investigated. Specifically, the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox probe and the oxidation of diclofenac, as a model pharmaceutical emerging pollutant, were used to test the electron transfer capability and oxidative response, respectively, of the clay/PEDOT-PSS hybrids. The results demonstrate that, despite its low electrical conductivity, the Mont is an electroactive material itself with good electron-transfer capability. Conversely, the Diat shows no electroactivity. The hybridization with PEDOT generally enhances the electroactivity of the clays, but the clay properties affect the electropolymerization efficiency and hybrids electroactivity, so the Mont/PEDOT displays improved electrochemical properties. It is demonstrated that clay/PEDOT-PSS hybrids exhibit diclofenac oxidation capability and diclofenac concentration sensitivity.

Pt-doped SnO2–Sb electrodes constitute promising candidates for the electrochemical abatement of refractory pollutants, but their efficacy to oxidize emerging pollutants remains uncertain. In this work, the electrochemical oxidation of diclofenac, pharmaceutical pollutant, on Pt-doped Ti/SnO2–Sb electrodes has been studied by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic treatment in neutral medium. In parallel, the capability of these anodes to generate hydroxyl radicals (OHs) has been analyzed by in-situ UV spectroelectrochemical measurements. For comparison purposes, the responses of Ti/SnO2–Sb and commercial Ti/Pt and BDD anodes were also evaluated. The voltammetric and electrolysis results show that the different Ti/SnO2–Sb anodes can effectively oxidize and mineralize diclofenac, so their electrochemical activity lies in between that of Ti/Pt and BDD. The incorporation of small amounts of Pt (3–13 at.%) into the SnO2–Sb coatings, despite hindering the OHs generation, enhances the kinetics and efficiency for diclofenac oxidation and mineralization. This better overall response is attributed to a synergy between diclofenac-Pt interaction and efficient OHs generation. Pt-doped Ti/SnO2–Sb electrodes are then presented as a cheaper potential alternative to BDD for treating pharmaceutics pollutants in waters.

"This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: The nature of the electro-catalytic response of mixed metal oxides: Pt- and Ru-doped SnO2 anodes, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.201801632. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.", [EN] The catalytic behavior of metal oxides for oxidative reactions is generally classified into active or non-active, depending on whether surface redox species participate or not. In the case of mixed metal oxides, however, this simplified scenario may be more complex. Non-active oxides containing electroactive metal species, like Pt- and/or Ru-doped SnO2 electrodes, are promising anode materials for the electrochemical treatment of waste-waters. This work analyzes the effect of Pt and Ru species on the nature of the electro-oxidative catalytic response of Ti/SnO2 anodes. For this purpose, the electro-oxidation of phenol and the competing oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in NaOH have been chosen as model reactions. The different electrodes and reactions were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electro- chemical impedance spectroscopy, and Tafel measurements. The obtained results reveal that both Pt and Ru introduce solid-state redox processes and catalyze the OER and the phenol oxidation onto Ti/SnO2-based electrodes. Nevertheless, the dopants induce quite different active behaviors in the mixed oxides. Pt practically does not affect the OER mechanism, but enhances its kinetics, so its electrocatalytic activity is associated with a specific adsorption of hydroxyl anions or phenolate on Pt sites, without participation of the irreversible Pt/PtOx couple (i.e. a "non-redox-active" behavior). On the contrary, Ru species involve various and highly reversible redox processes that accelerate and modify the rate-determining step of the OER, and that actively mediate in the phenol oxidation.

Large-scale environmental applications of microbial electrochemical technologies (MET), such as wastewater treatment, bioremediation, or soil improvement, would be more feasible if bioelectrodes could be fabricated with simpler materials. Biochar with potentially improved electroactive properties (e-biochar) can be an ideal candidate for this scope, being at the same time widely available, biocompatible, and fully recyclable at its end-of-life as a soil amendment. Here we review the application of biochar to MET, to set benchmarks aimed at tuning the electroactive properties of such materials from the point of view of MET. The precursor biomass, thermochemical process conditions, and pre-, in situ-, and/or post-treatments should tailor optimized combinations of electrical conductivity, capacitance, superficial redox-active and electroactive functional groups, porosity distribution, and capacity to host electroactive microbial communities. We also discuss methods to rigorously characterize e-biochar properties and the most relevant multidisciplinary research challenges toward its application in large-scale MET.

Electrochemical polymerization is known to be a suitable route to obtain conducting polymer-carbon composites uniformly covering the carbon support. In this work, we report the application of a filter-press electrochemical cell to polymerize polyaniline (PAni) on the surface of large-sized activated carbon cloth (ACC) by simple galvanostatic electropolymerization of an aniline-containing H2SO4 electrolyte. Flexible composites with different PAni loadings were synthesized by controlling the treatment time and characterized by means of Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), physical adsorption of gases, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), cyclic voltammetry and direct current (DC) conductivity measurements. PAni grows first as a thin film mostly deposited inside ACC micro- and mesoporosity. At prolonged electropolymerization time, the amount of deposited PAni rises sharply to form a brittle and porous, thick coating of nanofibrous or nanowire-shaped structures. Composites with low-loading PAni thin films show enhanced specific capacitance, lower sheet resistance and faster adsorption kinetics of Acid Red 27. Instead, thick nanofibrous coatings have a deleterious effect, which is attributed to a dramatic decrease in the specific surface area caused by strong pore blockage and to the occurrence of contact electrical resistance. Our results demonstrate that mass-production restrictions often claimed for electropolymerization can be easily overcome.

The functionalization of high surface area microporous carbon materials by oxidative treatments receives great interest for multiple applications. The micropore structure of the material and the oxidation method could play an important role in the process. In this work, we analyze and compare the effects of liquid-phase chemical and alternative electrochemical oxidation treatments in the textural and chemical properties of four microporous carbon materials, namely a granular-, cloth-, and powder-like activated carbon (AC) and a powdery zeolite templated carbon (ZTC). Particularly, we provide new data on oxidation kinetics and changes on microporosity and surface chemistry of various microporous carbons. Characterization techniques reveal that the extent, textural changes, and selectivity of the oxidation greatly depend on the type of microporous material and the oxidation method. The incorporation of surface oxygen groups (SOGs) generally causes a more-or-less significant decrease in the measured micropore volume and the specific surface area. In the studied ACs, the extent of oxidation and BET surface area reduction augment with their micropore volume, and the textural changes seem to be governed by the micropore blockage by SOGs. The disordered microporous structure of these materials is then quite robust toward oxidation, but its heterogeneity may contribute to the lack of selectivity during this process. By contrast, the regular micropore framework of the ZTC is rapidly destroyed even under soft oxidizing conditions, but it is proposed to promote certain selectivity during oxidation. The high reactivity and structural fragility of ZTC are assigned to the weak interconnections and large number of exposed edge sites in its structure. Our results demonstrate the fast oxidation rate of chemical treatments under different conditions, especially in the case of ZTC, what is proposed to restrict the control and to limit the oxidizability and selectivity of these functio

Hybridization of nanomaterials constitutes an interesting approach to boost and develop novel properties and applications. In this work, different polyaniline (PANI)-derived polymer-SiC nanocomposites have been successfully synthesized by facile surface-initiated polymerization of aniline (ANI) and/or 4-Anisidine (4ANS) on HCl-functionalized SiC. The obtained materials were characterized by different analytical techniques as well as solubility, conductivity and electrochemical tests. The effect of the nature and combination of the substituents in the polymer was analyzed. XRD; thermogravimetry; and vibrational FTIR spectroscopy revealed effective polymerization and interaction between the polymers and the SiC nanoparticles to form PANI-SiC, poly(ANI-co-4ANS)-SiC and P4ANS-SiC nanocomposites. The presence of electron-donating (para) -OCH3 substituents was found to hinder this interaction and/or to retard the polymerization, decreasing the content and crystallinity of the polymer in the nanocomposite. However, the dispersibility of the nanocomposites in different solvents greatly increased, and the electroactive and optical properties were affected. As a result, the poly(ANI-co-4ANS)-SiC nanocomposite exhibits higher dispersibility, lower band gap, similar conductivity and richer electroactivity than PANI-SiC, and an intermediate polymerization yield. Then, engineering the substituents of polymer chains is demonstrated to be an efficient approach to tailor the properties of (PANI)-derived polymer-SiC nanocomposites.

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of new poly(o-phenylenediamine (PoPD)/modified-clay nanocomposite materials. For the synthesis, the raw clay (named as Mag) used in this study was from Maghnia (west Algeria), (Mag) clay was ion-exchanged with cobalt(II) sulfate hydrate and copper sulfate. The modified-clays were then dispersed in a oPD monomer-containing acidic solution to carry out in-situ intercalative oxidative polymerization by ammonium persulfate. XRF and XRD characterization reveal the success of ion-exchange to form highly intercalated Mag-Co and Mag-Cu clays. After polymerization, the disappearance of the interlayer-spacing diffraction peak for the PoPD-Mag-Cu and PoPD-Mag-Co nanocomposites points out fully exfoliation of the clay structure. The formation of intercalated PoPD into modified-clay nanocomposites was confirmed by XRD, TEM, TG analysis, FTIR spectroscopy and UV–vis studies. The nanocomposites show optical properties and the redox processes observed by cyclic voltammetry indicate that the reported polymerization into modified-clays leads to electroactive hybrid materials. All these properties make these polymer/clay nanocomposites attractive materials for multiple applications.

The development and full-scale application of microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) for wastewater treatment demand massive amounts of electroconductive carbon materials to promote extracellular electron transfer (EET) and biodegradation. While the potential capability of these materials and their properties to design efficient systems is still in their infancy, the state-of-the-art METs are based on highly-conductive fossil-derived carbons. In this work we evaluate the performance of different electroconductive carbon materials (graphite, coke, biochar) for supporting microbial EET and treating urban wastewater. Our results reveal that the electroconductive biochar was the most efficient biofilter-material, enabling to stimulate bioremediation at anodic potential as high as 0.6 V (maximum removal efficiency (92%) and degradation rate (185 g-COD m−3d−1)), and to fulfill the discharge limits under conditions where the other materials failed. A deep materials characterization suggests that, despite electroconductivity is necessary, the optimal EET on biochar can be mainly assigned to its large number of electroactive surface oxygen functionalities, which can reversibly exchange electrons through the geobattery mechanism. We propose the modulation of quinone-like e-acceptors by anodic polarization to promote the biodegradation capability of carbon materials. Because of its great efficiency and sustainability, electroactive biochar will greatly expand the applicability of METs at large scale.

The catalytic behavior of metal oxides for oxidative reactions is generally classified into active or non‐active, depending on whether surface redox species participate or not. In the case of mixed metal oxides, however, this simplified scenario may be more complex. Non‐active oxides containing electroactive metal species, like Pt‐ and/or Ru‐doped SnO2 electrodes, are promising anode materials for the electrochemical treatment of wastewaters. This work analyzes the effect of Pt and Ru species on the nature of the electro‐oxidative catalytic response of Ti/SnO2 anodes. For this purpose, the electro‐oxidation of phenol and the competing oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in NaOH have been chosen as model reactions. The different electrodes and reactions were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Tafel measurements. The obtained results reveal that both Pt and Ru introduce solid‐state redox processes and catalyze the OER and the phenol oxidation onto Ti/SnO2‐based electrodes. Nevertheless, the dopants induce quite different active behaviors in the mixed oxides. Pt practically does not affect the OER mechanism, but enhances its kinetics, so its electrocatalytic activity is associated with a specific adsorption of hydroxyl anions or phenolate on Pt sites, without participation of the irreversible Pt/PtOx couple (i. e. a “non‐redox‐active” behavior). On the contrary, Ru species involve various and highly reversible redox processes that accelerate and modify the rate‐determining step of the OER, and that actively mediate in the phenol oxidation.

The feasibility of the electrochemical technologies for wastewater treatment greatly relies on the design of efficient but inexpensive electrocatalysts. It is generally accepted that the so-called “non-active” anodes (like the boron-doped diamond (BDD) or SnO2-based anodes), producing highly oxidizing hydroxyl radicals, are the most promising candidates for pollutants abatement. In this work, the electrocatalytic performance of various cobalt oxides, pure and doped with Cu or Au, for CN− oxidation has been studied and compared with that of conventional graphite, BDD, SnO2-Sb and SnO2-Sb-Pt. The metal oxide electrodes were prepared by thermal decomposition of the salt precursors onto Ti. For the M-doped Co3O4 electrodes, the nominal M/Co ratios were Cu/Co = 0.07–1.00; and Au/Co = 0.05–0.20. The electrodes were characterized by different techniques (XRD, SEM, EDX, XPS) and their electrocatalytic response was studied by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic electrolysis in a H-type cell in aqueous 0.1 M NaOH. The obtained results show that the nature of the dopant plays a key role on the electrocatalytic behavior of cobalt spinels. Thus, while Cu catalyzes the CN− electro-oxidation, Au declines it. This is explained by the fact that, unlike Au (which segregates as Au-rich particles), Cu is effectively incorporated into the spinel structure by forming a solid solution (CuxCo3-xO4). In this solid solution, atomic scale Cu(spinel)-CN− specific interactions occur to catalyze the reaction, whereas in segregated Au particles the oxidation is hindered probably by a too-strong adsorption of cyanide and/or its inaccessibility to oxide active sites. Electrolysis runs have revealed that “active” over-saturated Cu-doped spinels (Cu/Co = 1.00) exhibit higher current efficiencies than conventional graphite and “non-active” BDD and SnO2-based anodes. Hence, we hereby demonstrate that an inexpensive “active” electrocatalyst can show even higher efficiency than the most powerful BDD ano

New polypyrrole (PPy)-derived polymer/ZrO2 nanocomposite materials are prepared by single-step oxidative polymerization of pyrrole (Py) and/or N-methylpyrrole (mPy) in the presence of HCl-functionalized ZrO2 nanoparticles and ammonium persulfate. The physicochemical features of the PPy–ZrO2, poly(Py-co-mPy)–ZrO2 and PmPy–ZrO2 hybrids were analyzed by XPS, FTIR, XRD and UV–Vis techniques. To explore the advantages of these nanocomposites for potential applications, their thermal, conductive and electrochemical properties were investigated. The characterization reveals that a chemical bonding, based on electrostatic interactions, is established between the polymers and the ZrO2 nanoparticles. Interestingly, it is found that the growth of polymer on the surface of Cl-functionalized ZrO2 becomes more significant as the Py moiety (–NH– species) content in the polymer increases. The thermal stability and conductivity of the polymers increase by hybridization with the ZrO2 nanoparticles. This is assigned to the affective interaction of the polymers with the ZrO2 nanoparticles. Particularly, the resulting nanocomposites keep high conductivities, ranging between 0.323 and 0.929 S cm−1. Finally, voltammetric characterization shows that the PPy–ZrO2 and poly(Py-co-mPy)–ZrO2 nanocomposites are electroactive, thus demonstrating their capability for electrochemical applications. These results highlight the great influence of the nanoparticle interface and the nature of monomer on the nanocomposite formation and properties.

En la actualidad, algunos programas de enseñanza superior de la Universidad de Alicante carecen de una formación específica en inglés técnico/específico. Este es el caso de los estudios de carácter científico-técnico que se imparten en la Facultad de Ciencias, a pesar de que el requisito lingüístico del inglés juega un papel primordial en el futuro profesional de su alumnado. En el presente trabajo se evalúan los conocimientos de inglés técnico/específico de química de una muestra representativa de los alumnos nuevos de primer curso de los Grados de Química y Geología. Los instrumentos de evaluación han consistido en 6 tests escritos o 1 cuestionario Kahoot, respectivamente, antes de cada práctica, sobre la terminología en inglés relacionada con técnicas fundamentales de un laboratorio de química, así como una encuesta de opinión (Google) al final de la asignatura. Los resultados indican que los alumnos de estos grados presentan un nivel de inglés técnico/específico muy bajo. Sin embargo, dichos alumnos han mostrado gran interés por adquirir esta formación durante el Grado, de forma transversal o mediante asignaturas específicas, que consideran muy importante para su desarrollo profesional. En consecuencia, este trabajo sugiere la necesidad de la incorporación de la enseñanza de inglés técnico/específico en los programas de estudios actuales de los Grados que se imparten en la Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad de Alicante.

En este proyecto se ha llevado a cabo un estudio tanto del inglés técnico/específico en el ámbito de la Química, como de los conocimientos pre-asumidos en técnicas/operaciones fundamentales de laboratorio de los nuevos alumnos de 1º de los Grado de Química y de Geología de la Universidad de Alicante. A continuación, se investiga la implementación del Aprendizaje Integrado de Contenidos y Lenguas Extranjeras (AICLE, en inglés CLIL), para el aprendizaje simultáneo de inglés técnico y conceptos fundamentales de química durante las prácticas de laboratorio de dos asignaturas de estos Grados. Para ello, se propone y analiza el uso de tres Tecnologías del Aprendizaje y Conocimiento (TACs, en inglés KLTs) diseñadas en inglés, como vídeos, realidad aumentada mediante códigos QR y cuestionarios Kahoot, en este tipo de aprendizaje durante las prácticas de laboratorio. Los resultados indican que los alumnos presentan niveles de inglés técnico/específico y de técnicas fundamentales de laboratorio muy bajos. El estudio muestra también que, a través de las TACs diseñadas, los alumnos aprendieron durante la realización de las prácticas de laboratorio una gran variedad de términos y expresiones de inglés técnico, su pronunciación, a la vez que progresaron en los fundamentos de las técnicas/operaciones básicas de laboratorio.

El Aprendizaje de Indagación Guiada Orientada a Procesos (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning, POGIL) o un método de enseñanza orientado a mejorar el trabajo del alumno en el aula a partir de roles participativos. Este método de aprendizaje cooperativo ha aplicado en distintas asignaturas de grado y máster de la facultad de ciencias: Oceanografía Química de 3er curso en el Grado en Ciencias del Mar, Operaciones Básicas de Laboratorio de 1er curso en el Grado de Química y en Polímeros Conductores del Máster en Ciencia de Materiales. El método POGIL permite a los estudiantes trabajar a un ritmo acorde a sus necesidades empleando materiales especialmente diseñados para ello. Aquí el profesor no es el centro de la clase, sino que pasa a un segundo plano dejando que sean los estudiantes los que tomen la iniciativa y trabajen en grupo para desarrollar cada actividad. Es tarea del docente hacer de guía y facilitador de cada actividad grupal. En cada actividad se muestra un experimento o caso de estudio (denominado Modelo) donde a partir de preguntas se guía al estudiante a comprender el fenómeno observado. Tras la discusión y adquisición de los nuevos conceptos por parte del equipo se realizan ejercicios para la aplicación de lo aprendido. En estos grupos de trabajo, habitualmente constituidos por 3 y 5 personas, los estudiantes analizan y leen juntos las preguntas, que los van guiando a discutir y razonar de forma argumentada. Además, se fomenta la redacción de respuestas, así como analizarlas y compararlas con las de los otros miembros. Éste es un aprendizaje en las que el alumno pasa por distintas etapas de aprendizaje (activo, reflexivo, teórico y pragmático). Las etapas principales son: 1) Visualización y comprensión de un fenómeno. 2) Reflexión guiada, empleando preguntas para la reflexión o preguntas críticas. A menudo llevan a los estudiantes a probar hipótesis o explicar las relaciones que encuentran en el modelo. 3) Formación de conceptos en la que se extrae

En este trabajo se analiza el efecto de una serie actuaciones de cooperación de reforzamiento educativo y académico, llevadas a cabo desde hace 17 años entre la Universidad de Alicante (UA) y la Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería (UNI), en el ámbito de la Química. Primeramente, se analiza la situación socio-cultural y económica actual de los alumnos de posgrado de Química de esta universidad pública peruana. A continuación, se estudia la influencia de (i) la formación de estudiantes de la Maestría en Química de la UNI mediante la docencia de profesorado de la UA; (ii) el reforzamiento de docentes de la UNI con la realización del Doctorado en la UA; y (iii) el apoyo a la implementación de un laboratorio experimental de electroquímica en la UNI; en el aprendizaje y competencias de alumnos, docentes e investigadores de esta universidad. Los resultados se derivan a partir de diversos cuestionarios y los logros curriculares e institucionales conseguidos tras las actuaciones. Los resultados obtenidos muestran la repercusión positiva de las diferentes actuaciones de reforzamiento en el aprendizaje y/o situación profesional de los estudiantes y docentes-investigadores de la UNI, así como en el desarrollo y proyección de esta institución. Dichos resultados constituyen un caso real de éxito y, por tanto, sustentan las acciones de cooperación internacional en el ámbito universitario.

Lignin fibers, with and without phosphorus, and loaded with platinum have been prepared in a single step by electrospinning of lignin/ethanol/phosphoric acid/platinum acetylacetonate precursor solutions. Thermochemical treatments have been carried out to obtain lignin-based carbon fiber electrocatalysts. The electrospun lignin fibers were thermostabilized in air and carbonized at 900 °C. The effect of phosphorus and platinum content on the porous texture, the surface chemistry and the oxidation/electro-oxidation resistance have been studied. Phosphorus-containing carbon fibers develop a higher surface area (c.a. 1200 m2 g−1), exhibit a lower Pt particle size (2.1 nm) and a better particle distribution than their counterpart without phosphorus (c.a. 750 m2 g−1 of surface area and 9.6 nm Pt particle size). It has been proved that phosphorus improves the oxidation and electro-oxidation resistance of the fibers, avoiding their oxidation during the preparation thermal stages and is responsible of the generation of a microporous material with an unusual wide operational potential window (1.9 V). An important Pt–P synergy has been observed in the oxygen transfer during the oxidation and electro-oxidation of the fibers. The obtained carbon fibers can act directly as electrodes without any binder or conductivity promoter. The fibers with platinum have shown outstanding catalyst performance in the electro-oxidation of methanol and ethanol.

Copper and copper oxides are well-known excellent catalysts in several chemical processes, but their low mechanical and electrochemical stability restrict their direct utilization as electrodes in electrolytic processes. In this work, the incorporation of copper into cobalt oxide (CuxCo3−xO4) is presented as an excellent approach to obtain highly active and robust copper-based electrocatalysts. Particularly, the electrocatalytic performance of Ti-supported CuxCo3−xO4 electrodes (with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.5) has been studied for the oxidation of cyanide in alkaline media. Cyclic voltammetry and electrolysis runs show an outstanding effect of Cu on the activity, efficiency and kinetics of spinel CuxCo3−xO4 electrodes for CN− electro-oxidation. Despite being active oxides with high activity towards water oxidation, copper saturated (x = 1.0) and oversaturated (x = 1.5) spinels exhibit unprecedented 100% current efficiencies for the electro-oxidation of CN− in aqueous electrolyte. In situ surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) reveals the specific adsorption of CN− ions on surface Cu species to be involved in the electrocatalytic oxidation mechanism. This electrocatalytic activity has been attributed to surface Cu(II) in the spinel lattice. Furthermore, the CuxCo3−xO4 electrodes also display high electrochemical stability. Therefore, they are considered excellent candidates for the sustainable electrochemical elimination of highly toxic cyanides.

[EN] In this work, the electrocatalytic performance of Ti/SnO2-Sb(13-x)-Pt-Ru(x) anodes (x = 0.0, 3.25 and 9.75 at.%) towards phenolate elimination has been analyzed and compared to those of conventional Ti/RuO2 and Ti/Co3O4 anodes, to evaluate their application for decontamination of concentrated alkaline phenolic wastewaters. The effects of the applied current density and the nature of the anode on the activity, kinetics and current efficiency for phenolate elimination, COD removal and benzoquinone by-product formation/degradation have been thoroughly examined. The Ti/SnO2-Sb-Pt anode exhibits the best electroactivity, fastest kinetics and highest current efficiency among the studied anodes, but poor electrochemical stability. The introduction of small amounts of Ru (3.25–9.75 at.%) brings about a slight loss of the electrocatalytic performance, but it causes a remarkable increase in the stability of the electrode. In terms of energy consumption and stability, the Ti/SnO2-Sb(9.75)-Pt-Ru(3.25) electrode seems to be the most promising anode material for the electrochemical treatment of alkaline phenolic wastewaters. The increase in current density generally leads to significantly faster phenolate, benzoquinone and COD degradations, but with lower efficiency because of an increasing selectivity to water oxidation. A correction of the ideal kinetic model has been proposed to predict the oxidation of organics on non-active metal oxide anodes. ©2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An oxidation-resistant and elastic mesoporous carbon, graphene mesosponge (GMS), is prepared. GMS has a sponge-like mesoporous framework (mean pore size is 5.8 nm) consisting mostly of single-layer graphene walls, which realizes a high electric conductivity and a large surface area (1940 m2 g−1). Moreover, the graphene-based framework includes only a very small amount of edge sites, thereby achieving much higher stability against oxidation than conventional porous carbons such as carbon blacks and activated carbons. Thus, GMS can simultaneously possess seemingly incompatible properties; the advantages of graphitized carbon materials (high conductivity and high oxidation resistance) and porous carbons (large surface area). These unique features allow GMS to exhibit a sufficient capacitance (125 F g−1), wide potential window (4 V), and good rate capability as an electrode material for electric double-layer capacitors utilizing an organic electrolyte. Hence, GMS achieves a high energy density of 59.3 Wh kg−1 (material mass base), which is more than twice that of commercial materials. Moreover, the continuous graphene framework makes GMS mechanically tough and extremely elastic, and its mean pore size (5.8 nm) can be reversibly compressed down to 0.7 nm by simply applying mechanical force. The sponge-like elastic property enables an advanced force-induced adsorption control.

Electrospraying of colloidal suspensions of superporous zeolite templated carbon (ZTC) nanoparticles in ethanol is herein proposed for the controlled deposition of continuous carbon coatings over different substrates, both rigid and flexible. By simple tuning of the concentration, feed rate, voltage and treatment time, different electrode thicknesses can be obtained avoiding the difficult manipulation of ZTC nanopowder formed by around 200 nm size particles. The addition of sulfonated tetrafluoropolyethylene (Nafion) in low amounts into the ZTC suspension improves the adhesion, increases the allowable surface loading and enhances the electrochemical performance of ZTC electrodes. ZTC/Nafion coatings from 0.1 to 1.5 mg cm−2 have been successfully arranged over graphite sheet and conductive carbon paper substrates. The obtained electrodes have been electrochemically characterized in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte, demonstrating the unique and well-known pseudocapacitive features of ZTC, while showing capacitances as high as 700 mF cm−2 and outstanding rate performance thanks to the improved arrangement and connectivity of the ZTC nanoparticles. A supercapacitor using electrosprayed ZTC electrodes is constructed, showing specific capacitance higher than 60 F g−1, capacitance retention of 63% when the current density is raised from 2.5 to 80 A g−1, energy density of 6.6 W h kg−1 and maximum deliverable power greater than 240 kW kg−1. These are promising results that make feasible the use of electrospraying for processing nanostructured carbon materials into electrodes of tunable thickness and deposited on substrates of different compositions and morphologies.

In this work, the electrocatalytic performance of Ti/SnO2-Sb(13-x)-Pt-Ru(x) anodes (x = 0.0, 3.25 and 9.75 at.%) towards phenolate elimination has been analyzed and compared to those of conventional Ti/RuO2 and Ti/Co3O4 anodes, to evaluate their application for decontamination of concentrated alkaline phenolic wastewaters. The effects of the applied current density and the nature of the anode on the activity, kinetics and current efficiency for phenolate elimination, COD removal and benzoquinone by-product formation/degradation have been thoroughly examined. The Ti/SnO2-Sb-Pt anode exhibits the best electroactivity, fastest kinetics and highest current efficiency among the studied anodes, but poor electrochemical stability. The introduction of small amounts of Ru (3.25–9.75 at.%) brings about a slight loss of the electrocatalytic performance, but it causes a remarkable increase in the stability of the electrode. In terms of energy consumption and stability, the Ti/SnO2-Sb(9.75)-Pt-Ru(3.25) electrode seems to be the most promising anode material for the electrochemical treatment of alkaline phenolic wastewaters. The increase in current density generally leads to significantly faster phenolate, benzoquinone and COD degradations, but with lower efficiency because of an increasing selectivity to water oxidation. A correction of the ideal kinetic model has been proposed to predict the oxidation of organics on non-active metal oxide anodes.

This paper presents the physicochemical, conductive, and electrochemical properties of different polyaniline (PANI)-derived polymer/Al2O3 nanocomposites synthesized by chemical oxidation polymerization method carried out in two stages: first, activation of the surface of the Al2O3 nanoparticles by hydrochloric acid and second, polymerization of 2-chloroaniline (2ClANI), aniline (ANI), and the copolymer (2ClANI-ANI) in the presence of Al2O3 by using ammonium persulfate as oxidant in aqueous hydrochloric acid. XRD and TEM results reveal the growth of the polymers on Al2O3 nanoparticles and the formation of PANI-derived polymer/Al2O3 nanocomposites. FTIR and UV-Vis show a systematic shifting of the characteristic bands of the polymers with the presence of Al2O3 nanoparticles. Moreover, these nanoparticles enhance the thermal stability of the polymers, as found by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Although the incorporation of Al2O3 nanoparticles reduces the electric conductivity of the polymers, the resulting nanocomposites still keep high conductivities, ranging between 0.3 × 10−2 and 9.2 × 10−2 S cm−1. As a result, the polymer/Al2O3 nanocomposites exhibit a good voltammetric response. All these synergetic features of the nanocomposites are assigned to the effective interaction of the polymers and Al2O3 particles at nanoscale.

The possibility of storing energy efficiently and sustainably at little cost is crucial to prevent climate change and the exhaustion of natural resources. In this work we demonstrate that interconnected and porous carbon fibers easily obtained from lignin exhibit ultrafast charge–discharge and excellent energy density and cyclability performances, to be used as binderless and flexible electrodes in supercapacitors.

Carbon and graphene-based materials often show some amount of pseudocapacitance due to their oxygen-functional groups. However, such pseudocapacitance is generally negligible in organic electrolytes and has not attracted much attention. In this work, we report a large pseudocapacitance of zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC) based on the oxygen-functional groups in 1 M tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate dissolved in propylene carbonate (Et4NBF4/PC). Due to its significant amount of active edge sites, a large amount of redox-active oxygen functional groups are introduced into ZTC, and ZTC shows a high specific capacitance (330 F g−1). Experimental results suggest that the pseudocapacitance could be based on the formation of anion and cation radicals of quinones and ethers, respectively. Moreover, ZTC shows pseudocapacitance also in 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate dissolved with a mixture of ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate (LiPF6/EC+DEC) which is used for lithium-ion batteries and lithium-ion capacitors.

Supercapacitors are energy storage devices that will replace or boost batteries in multiple applications. For their widespread utilization and commercialization, however, markets demand a reduction in their cost and an enhancement of their energy density. In this overview, the main challenges and research activities towards the development of cheap and high-performance carbon-based electrodes for supercapacitors are identified and analyzed., Los supercondensadores son dispositivos de almacenamiento de energía que sustituirán o reforzarán a las baterías en múltiples aplicaciones. Sin embargo, para generalizar ampliamente su utilización y comercialización, los mercados demandan una reducción de su coste y un aumento de sus prestaciones en términos de densidad de energía. En esta breve revisión se identifican y analizan los principales desafíos y actividades de investigación orientados hacia el desarrollo de electrodos de carbón de bajo coste y elevadas prestaciones para supercondensadores.

The template carbonization technique enables the production of porous carbons and carbon-based composites with precisely designed, controlled pore structures. The resulting templated carbons are therefore useful to investigate and understand the relation between carbon nanostructure and electrocapacitive properties. In this short review paper, we introduce our works on electrochemical capacitance using zeolite-templated carbons and carbon-coated anodic aluminum oxide., La técnica de nanomoldeo mediante carbonización de plantillas sólidas infiltradas permite la preparación y el diseño de materiales carbonosos porosos, tanto puros como compuestos, donde las estructuras porosas son fácilmente definibles y controlables. Los carbones nanomoldeados resultantes son muy útiles como materiales modelo para estudiar las relaciones entre la nanostructura del carbón y sus propiedades electrocapacitivas. En este trabajo, realizamos una breve revisión de nuestros estudios sobre la capacidad electroquímica utilizando carbones nanomoldeados obtenidos como réplica de una zeolita o por recubrimiento de óxido de aluminio anodizado.

The electro-oxidation of carbon materials enormously degrades their performance and limits their wider utilization in multiple electrochemical applications. In this work, the positive influence of phosphorus functionalities on the overall electrochemical stability of carbon materials has been demonstrated under different conditions. We show that the extent and selectivity of electroxidation in P-containing carbons are completely different to those observed in conventional carbons without P. The electro-oxidation of P-containing carbons involves the active participation of phosphorus surface groups, which are gradually transformed at high potentials from less-to more-oxidized species to slow down the introduction of oxygen groups on the carbon surface (oxidation) and the subsequent generation of (C*OOH)-like unstable promoters of electro-gasification. The highest-oxidized P groups (–C–O–P-like species) seem to distribute the gained oxygen to neighboring carbon sites, which finally suffer oxidation and/or gasification. So it is thought that P-groups could act as mediators of carbon oxidation although including various steps and intermediates compared to electroxidation in P-free materials.