Study of the Electrochemical Deposition of Cu/Sn Alloy Nanoparticles on Boron Doped Diamond Films for Electrocatalytic N
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Study of the Electrochemical Deposition of Cu/Sn Alloy Nanoparticles on Boron Doped Diamond Films for Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction Jorge T. Matsushima, Andrea B. Couto, Neidenei G. Ferreira and Mauricio R. Baldan LABEMAC / INPE, 12245-970, São Jose dos Campos, SP, Brazil. ABSTRACT This paper presents the study of the electrochemical deposition of Cu/Sn alloy nanoparticles on Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) films in order to improve their electrocatalytic activity and selectivity for application in nitrate electrochemical reduction. Cyclic voltammetry measurements evidenced the formation of Cu/Sn alloy electrodeposited on BDD electrode. The electrodeposited Cu/Sn can be better visualized by analyzing the dissolution process. By studying the dissolution peak separately, the dissolution peak of the Sn was obtained at a more positive potential, when compared with the dissolution peak of Cu. From the scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) analysis, the homogeneous distribution of the Cu/Sn alloys particles on BDD surface with grain size in nanometric scale was verified. From X-ray diffraction analysis, two Cu/Sn alloy phases (Cu41Sn11 and Cu10Sn3) were identified for the electrodeposits obtained at 0.5V and charge of 0.26 C. The electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate in 0.1 M Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer solution with pH 9 was analyzed. The BDD electrode modified with Cu/Sn alloy nanoparticles proved to potentiate the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate. INTRODUCTION Nowadays, electrode materials based on boron doped diamond (BDD) films is available in a variety of forms and at different levels of doping, resulting in films with unique properties. Among the numerous areas of electrochemistry, BDD electrodes have been applied in electroanalysis [1] and also used for waste water treatment [2,3]. Concerning these applications, some reports have shown their use in electroanalysis and in the removal of nitrate [4-7].The presence of excessive nitrate in water, particularly, due to the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers, may cause danger to the environment and also to human health [8]. In this respect, the control of this species in biosphere has received a great deal of attention, including the development of more efficient methodologies for its detection and its removal from water bodies and from waste water. Electrochemical methods have received special attention, due to the use of clean reagents (i.e, electrons) for such purposes. Recently, the surface modification with metallic nanoparticles or clusters has been widely used as an advantageous procedure to improve the electrocatalytic and the electroanalytical ability of electrode materials [9,10]. This procedure is known to have a number of attributes that make it highly appealing for different applications, especially for the use in electroanalysis. At the nanoscale, electrode materials may exhibit certain properties otherwise unobserved in the bulk or macro material, such as: a higher surface area, an improved catalytic activity and an enhanced diffusion process based on c
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