Sonoelectrochemistry and electrodeposition for water treatment, sensor improvement and fuel production

Wallace, Alexander G. (2020) Sonoelectrochemistry and electrodeposition for water treatment, sensor improvement and fuel production. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Electrochemistry is an incredibly important field within the physical sciences, with many electrochemical processes possessing the potential to be key technologies in a huge number of areas. While electrochemistry has been established as an important frontrunner in applications such as waste water treatment, pollutant sensing and fuel production, there is still room for improvement and optimisation of these processes. The purpose of the work carried out in this thesis was to examine some known electrochemical processes and to see how the coupling of ultrasonic inputs or the use of ionic liquids may affect these electrode reactions. In Chapter 1 of this thesis, a range of topics relevant to the experimental work carried out for this thesis was covered, including sonochemistry, sonoelectrochemistry, ionic liquid based strategies for water splitting electrocatalyst synthesis, boron doped diamond electrodes, advanced oxidation processes, and platinum-based electrocatalysis. Chapter 2 briefly introduces the experimental techniques used for obtaining the data detailed in this thesis. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 contain the experimental work for this thesis, and detail the most successful and complete experimental projects attempted over 42 months. In Chapter 3, the application of low-power ultrasonic irradiation to the electrochemical oxidation of acidic sulfate solutions was investigated, and it was shown that while a sonoelectrochemical approach does not increase the overall yield for sulfate oxidation products, it was an effective method for radical generation. In Chapter 4, the coupling of low-power ultrasonic irradiation to the electrochemical roughening of platinum electrodes was investigated, and it was found that the combined effects of electrochemistry and sonochemistry were effective at modifying a platinum electrode’s surface, decreasing the predominance of Pt (110) while increasing the predominance of Pt (100), and also producing large hill like surface structures. The resulting sonoelectrochemically modified electrodes performed well as ammonia oxidation electrocatalysts. In Chapter 5, the electroplating of platinum onto boron doped diamond electrodes from ionic liquid plating baths was compared to carrying out platinum electroplating from an aqueous bath, and it was found that the nature of the platinum deposits were different as a result of the different plating baths and that this affected how each deposit performed for electrochemical hydrogen evolution. The final conclusions for this thesis and future perspectives are then discussed.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Electrochemistry, sonochemistry, sonoelectrochemistry, sustainable chemistry, green chemistry, ionic liquids, electrocatalysis.
• Subjects: Q Science > QD Chemistry
• Colleges/Schools: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
• Supervisor's Name: Symes, Doctor Mark
• Date of Award: 2020
• Embargo Date: 6 July 2023
• Depositing User: Mr Alexander Wallace
• Unique ID: glathesis:2020-81500
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 14 Jul 2020 13:32
• Last Modified: 14 Jul 2020 13:32
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/81500

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