Study of the NEMCA effect in a single-pellet catalytic reactor. [Non-Faradaic Electrochemical Modification of Catalytic Activity]

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Catalysis; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9517(92)90157-D· OSTI ID:7141614

Yentekakis, I V; Bebelis, S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Patras (Greece)

It has been recently found that solid electrolytes can be used as active catalyst supports to dramatically alter the catalytic properties of porous metal catalyst films by polarizing the metal-solid electrolyte interface. This new effect of non-Faradic electrochemical modification of catalytic activity (NEMCA) has been demonstrated using both O{sup 2{minus}} and Na{sup +} conducting solid solid electrolytes. It has been attributed to the controlled change in catalyst work function and to the concomitant changes in the strength of chemisorptive bonds due to ion spillover onto the catalyst surface created at the three-phase boundaries upon polarization of the metal-solid electrolyte interface. NEMCA can induce reversible catalytic rate changes in product selectivity. The increase in catalytic rate can be up to a factor 3 {times} 10{sup 5} higher than the rate of ion transfer to or from the catalyst film. In this work the authors examine the possibility of inducing NEMCA during C{sub 2}H{sub 4} oxidation on Pt utilizing a stabilized ZrO{sub 2} pellet with both sides exposed to a reacting C{sub 2}H{sub 4}/O{sub 2} mixture so that all three electrodes (catalyst, counter, and reference) are exposed to the reacting mixture. This reaction has been recently investigated in a fuel-cell type reactor and found to exhibit a pronounced NEMCA effect. Furthermore, they examine the existence of differences in NEMCA behavior for different arrangements of the counter and reference electrodes relative to the catalyst-working electrode.

• OSTI ID: 7141614
• Journal Information: Journal of Catalysis; (United States), Vol. 137:1; ISSN 0021-9517
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
CATALYSTS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
ETHYLENE
OXIDATION
PLATINUM
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CATALYST SUPPORTS
CHEMISORPTION
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
FUEL CELLS
SOLID ELECTROLYTES
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES
ALKENES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROLYTES
ELEMENTS
HYDROCARBONS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLATINUM METALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SORPTION
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
400201* - Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
300800 - Direct Energy Conversion- Miscellaneous Converters