Electrochemical Age Determinations of Metallic Specimens-Utilization of the Corrosion Clock

Electrochemical Approximation to Bronze Age Chronology via Multiple Scan Voltammetry

Insert A multiple-scan voltammetry strategy is described and applied to a set of 107 Bronze Age and later copper/bronze objects, mainly from sites in Central Europe. This methodology allows the study of the compositional and textural properties (compactness, crystallinity, degree of hydration) of the patina to be studied from the accumulated peak current values for the characteristic signals corresponding to the reduction of cuprite and tenorite to metallic copper. A new model for the relationship between peak current and the depth reached in successive scans is presented and used to discriminate samples of different provenance and manufacturing technique, as well as their ascription to different Bronze Age periods.

Electrochemistry for non-electrochemists: a postgraduate formative project

The essential guidelines are presented of a postgraduate course on electrochemistry for master studies at the University of Valencia (Spain). This course has been designed for students with a minimal knowledge of electrochemistry. It is based on laboratory experiments that, starting from an initial theoretical core, promotes the in-laboratory discussion of concepts, operations, functional relations, etc. The course, although focused on voltammetric techniques, covers the main concepts and experimental aspects of electrochemistry and particular attention is put to erroneous conceptions regarding fundamental physicochemical concepts and operations (misconceptions) as well as on general aspects of the scientific methodology (meta-conceptions) around this discipline.

Benefits of electrochemistry studies for the majority of students who will not become electrochemists

In teaching electrochemistry, it is of primary importance to make students always aware of the relations between electrochemistry and all the non-electrochemical topics, which are taught. The vast majority of students will not specialise in electrochemistry, but they all can very much benefit from the basics and concepts of electrochemistry. This paper is aimed to give suggestions how the teaching of electrochemistry can easily be interrelated to topics of inorganic, organic, analytical, environmental chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology.

Electrochemical Profiling of Plants

The profiling, or fingerprinting, of distinct varieties of the Plantae kingdom is based on the bioactive ingredients, which are systematically segregated to perform their detailed analysis. The secondary products portray a pivotal role in defining the ecophysiology of distinct plant species. There is a crucial role of the profiling domain in understanding the various features, characteristics, and conditions related to plants. Advancements in variable technologies have contributed to the development of highly specific sensors for the non-invasive detection of molecules. Furthermore, many hyphenated techniques have led to the development of highly specific integrated systems that allow multiplexed detection, such as high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, etc., which are quite cumbersome and un-economical. In contrast, electrochemical sensors are a promising alternative which are capable of performing the precise recognition of compounds due to efficient signal transduction. However, due to a few bottlenecks in understanding the principles and non-redox features of minimal metabolites, the area has not been explored. This review article provides an insight to the electrochemical basis of plants in comparison with other traditional approaches and with necessary positive and negative outlooks. Studies consisting of the idea of merging the fields are limited; hence, relevant non-phytochemical reports are included for a better comparison of reports to broaden the scope of this work.

Transition between growth of dense and porous films: theory of dual-layer SEI

The formation of passivating films is a common aging phenomenon, for example in weathering of rocks, silicon, and metals. In many cases, a dual-layer structure with a dense inner and a porous outer layer emerges. However, the origin of this dual-layer growth is so far not fully understood. In this work, a continuum model is developed, which describes the morphology evolution of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) in lithium-ion batteries. Transport through the SEI and a growth reaction governed by the SEI surface energies are modelled. In agreement with experiments, this theory predicts that SEI grows initially as a dense film and subsequently as a porous layer. This dynamic phase transition is driven by the slowing down of electron transport as the film thickens. Thereby, the model offers a universal explanation for the emergence of dual-layer structures in passivating films.

Use of carbon black based electrode as sensor for solid-state electrochemical studies and voltammetric determination of solid residues of lead

For the first time carbon black based electrode modified with paraffin was applied as a sensor on voltammetry of immobilized microparticles (VIMP) approach for determination of lead solid residues in hair dye samples. The solid microparticles of Pb(II) (Pb(CH₃COO)_2(s)) immobilized into the carbon paste sensor containing carbon black and paraffin were firstly reduced at initial potentials and further reoxidized at around -0.60 V during anodic scan. Electroanalytical parameters as well as supporting electrolyte composition, and pH were also evaluated. An analytical curve in 0.2 mol L^-1 phosphate buffer solution (pH 5.0) from 0.04 to 3.2 μg (R² = 0.999) with detection and quantification limits of 4 and 13 ng, respectively, were achieved. The method was applied to quantify lead solid residues in hair dye samples without previous mineralization or complex sample pre-treatment. Besides adequate repeatability, stability and selectivity of the developed sensor based on VIMP features, the method using carbon black based sensor was considered advantageous comparing to the results recorded by a spectrometric method (relative error lower than 8%) from several analytical viewpoints.

Glazunov’s electrography—the first electrochemical imaging and the first solid-state electroanalysis

Aleksandr Il’ich Glazunov developed the first electrochemical technique to image the surface of conducting solids giving the technique the name electrography. The electrographic images can mirror the distribution of elements on the surface of solid materials and also the electrochemical activity, caused by variations of “dissolution tension”. Thus, he has established for the first time a kind of spatially resolved electrochemistry. Electrography is also the first direct electroanalytical technique for solid materials. The present paper gives an account of his turbulent life in Russia, Czechoslovakia and Chile, and a discussion of his main scientific achievement, the development of electrography.

An electrochemical method for plant species determination and classification based on fingerprinting petal tissue

The identification of plant species not only is a hobby but also has important application value in plant resources science. Traditional plant identification often relies on the experience of botanists. The infrageneric identification of plants is easily mistaken due to similarities in organ features. In this work, we propose an electrochemical method to obtain fingerprints of plant petal tissue. Fourteen species of Lycoris were used as a model for validating this methodology. Pattern and color recognition were established for visualization of electrochemical fingerprints recorded after various solvent extractions. In addition, the infrageneric relationships of these Lycoris species were deduced from the electrochemical fingerprints since the type and content of electroactive compounds in plants are controlled by genes. The results indicate that the electrochemical fingerprints of Lycoris petals are correlated with the infrageneric relationships of native Lycoris species.