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Chemistry

University of Central Florida

Theses/Dissertations

Methanol

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Electrochemical Studies Of Nanoscale Composite Materials As Electrodes In Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells, Jordan Anderson Jan 2012

Electrochemical Studies Of Nanoscale Composite Materials As Electrodes In Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells, Jordan Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have recently acquired much attention as alternatives to combustion engines for power conversion. The primary interest in fuel cell technology is the possibility of 60% power conversion efficiency as compared to the 30% maximum theoretical efficiency limited to combustion engines and turbines. Although originally conceived to work with hydrogen as a fuel, difficulties relating to hydrogen storage have prompted much effort in using other fuels. Small organic molecules such as alcohols and formic acid have shown promise as alternatives to hydrogen in PEMFCs due to their higher stability at ambient conditions. The drawbacks for …


Comparative Study Of Ethanol And Methanol Electro-Oxidation On A Platinum/Ceria Composite Electrode In Alkaline And Acid Solutions : Electro-Catalytic Performance And Reaction Kinetics, Carlos Humberto Hidalgo Martinez Jan 2011

Comparative Study Of Ethanol And Methanol Electro-Oxidation On A Platinum/Ceria Composite Electrode In Alkaline And Acid Solutions : Electro-Catalytic Performance And Reaction Kinetics, Carlos Humberto Hidalgo Martinez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A comparative study of the electro-oxidation of ethanol and methanol was carried out on a Pt/ceria composite electrode prepared by electro-deposition. Modification of the Pt electrode was realized by co-deposition from a 1.0 mM K₂PtCl₆ solution that also contained a 20 mM suspension of ceria. The electro-catalytic activities and stabilities of the Pt/ceria catalyst towards ethanol electro-oxidation reactions (EOR) and methanol electro-oxidation reactions (MOR) were investigated by potentiodynamic and potentiostatic methods in 0.5 M sulfuric acid and 1.0 M sodium hydroxide solutions at various concentrations of ethanol and methanol. The kinetics of ethanol and methanol on a Pt/ceria composite electrode …


Determination Of The Degradation Mechanism For Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners Using Mechanically Alloyed Magnesium/Palladium, Robert Devor Jan 2008

Determination Of The Degradation Mechanism For Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners Using Mechanically Alloyed Magnesium/Palladium, Robert Devor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls are a ubiquitous environmental contaminant that can be found today throughout the world in soils and sediments, lakes and rivers, and flora and fauna. PCBs have percolated throughout the food chain, so that almost every human being has a detectable amount of the contaminant within their blood stream. Existing remediation methods include incineration, dredging and landfilling, and microbial degradation, but all of these methods have drawbacks that limit their effectiveness as treatment options. Recently, the use of zero-valent metals as a means of reductive dechlorination has been explored. Using a combination of zero-valent magnesium and catalytic palladium, a …