Scielo RSS <![CDATA[Portugaliae Electrochimica Acta]]> http://scielo.pt/rss.php?pid=0872-190420120004&lang=pt vol. 30 num. 4 lang. pt <![CDATA[SciELO Logo]]> http://scielo.pt/img/en/fbpelogp.gif http://scielo.pt <![CDATA[<b>Joint Effect of Anogessius Leocarpus Gum (AL Gum) Exudate and Halide Ions on the Corrosion of Mild Steel in 0.1 M HCl</b>]]> http://scielo.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0872-19042012000400001&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt In an attempt to improve the corrosion inhibition potential of Anogessius leocarpus gum exudates for mild steel in solutions of HCl, corrosion inhibition efficiencies of the gum, KI, KCl, and KBr were determined experimentally using weight loss and gasometric methods. 0.05 M KI, 0.05 M KBr and 0.05 M KCl were combined with various concentrations of Anogessius leocarpus gum and their combined inhibition efficiencies were used in computing synergistic parameters for the respective combinations. The results obtained indicated that combination of 0.4 and 0.5 g/L of AL gum with 0.05 M solutions of KI and KBr, respectively, enhanced inhibition efficiency of the gum. However, for all concentrations of AL gum, combinations with 0.05 M KCl recorded a remarkable increase in inhibition efficiency, but calculated values of the synergistic parameter indicated that the adsorption of AL gum on mild steel surface is antagonized by the presence of Cl-. Theory of competitive and co-operative adsorption has been used to explain the co-adsorption of the gum and the halides. From calculated values of activation energy (< 80 kJ/mol), free energy of adsorption (< -40 kJ/mol) and the variation of inhibition efficiency with temperature, the adsorption characteristics of the gum, halides and that of gum-halide mixtures were found to be consistent with the mechanism of physical adsorption. The adsorption was also found to be endothermic, spontaneous and favored the Langmuir adsorption model. <![CDATA[<b>Evaluation of Nicotiana Leaves Extract as Corrosion Inhibitor for Steel in Acidic and Neutral Chloride Solutions</b>]]> http://scielo.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0872-19042012000400002&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt The inhibition of steel corrosion in hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride solutions by Nicotiana leaves extract was investigated by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Polarization curves showed that the extract behaves as a mixed type inhibitor in acidic medium, while it acts as anodic type in neutral medium. Impedance measurements indicated that the size of the semicircles obtained increased with increasing the concentration of the extract and decreasing the chloride ion concentration. Nicotiana leaves extract was found to be more effective in controlling corrosion of steel in acidic solution than in neutral one. The activation parameters of the corrosion reaction of steel in acid media in absence and presence of nicotiana leaves extract were also calculated and discussed. <![CDATA[<b>Hot-pressed Ag<sup>+</sup> Ion Conducting Glass-Polymer Electrolytes</b>: <b>Synthesis and Battery Application</b>]]> http://scielo.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0872-19042012000400003&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt Synthesis of new Ag+ ion conducting glass-polymer electrolytes (GPEs): (1-x) PEO: x [0.75(0.75AgI:0.25AgCl):0.25(Ag2O:P2O5)], where 0 < x < 50 wt. (%), are reported. GPEs have been casted using hot-press techniques. The highest conducting composition 70 PEO: 30 [0.75(0.75AgI:0.25AgCl):0.25(Ag2O:P2O5)], with conductivity (σ) ∼ 6.0 × 10-6 S cm-1, was identified from the compositional dependent conductivity studies and this has been referred to as the Optimum Conducting Composition (OCC). Approximately three orders of conductivity enhancement have been achieved in GPE OCC from that of the pure polymer PEO. The glass-polymer complexation has been confirmed by SEM and DSC analysis. Ion transport parameters viz. ionic conductivity (σ), ionic mobility (μ), mobile ion concentration (n) and ionic transference number (tion) have been characterized using different experimental techniques. Solid-state polymeric batteries were fabricated using GPE OCC as electrolyte and the cell-potential discharge characteristics were studied under different load conditions at room temperature. <![CDATA[<b>Inhibitive Action of Argan Press Cake Extract on the Corrosion of Steel in Acidic Media</b>]]> http://scielo.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0872-19042012000400004&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt The inhibitive action of the Argan press cake extract (ACE) against corrosion of C38 steel in a 1 M HCl solution was investigated using potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and weight loss measurements. The inhibition efficiency increases with increasing extract concentration and decreases with temperature. The kinetic parameters (activation energy, pre-exponential factor, enthalpy of activation and entropy of activation) were calculated and discussed. The Argan press cake extract acted as a mixed-type inhibitor with predominant cathodic effectiveness. The Nyquist plots showed that on increasing ACE concentration, increases charge transfer resistance and decreases double layer capacitance. The adsorption of components of the the Argan press cake extract (ACE) on the surface of the C38 steel follows the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. E (%) values obtained from various methods used are in good agreement. <![CDATA[<b>Electrocoagulation and Anodic Oxidation as a Complement of Biological Treatment of Sanitary Landfill Leachates</b>]]> http://scielo.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0872-19042012000400005&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt The electrochemical treatment of leachate samples collected in a Portuguese intermunicipal sanitary landfill was carried out using combined electrocoagulation followed by anodic oxidation processes. Samples were collected after the biological treatment of the in situ plant and in permeate of an ultrafiltration operation, located after the biological treatment. Electrocoagulation was performed with iron consumable anodes, at different initial pH, with and without stirring, at different applied potentials. In the anodic oxidation assays a boron-doped diamond anode was used and applied current densities from 100 to 300 A m-2 were tested. The influence of the experimental conditions of the electrocoagulation pretreatment on the anodic oxidation performance was also assessed. In the electrocoagulation assays the lowest iron and energy consumptions per mass of organic load removed were obtained at initial pH of 4 for the samples collected after the biological treatment and at initial pH of 6 for the sample collected in the ultrafiltration permeate, all in the unstirred assays. In the anodic oxidation, the highest average current efficiencies were obtained in the assays run at lower current density, being higher for the samples collected after the biological treatment. For both type of samples, the correction of the pH prior to the electrocoagulation pretreatment led to a decrease in the average current efficiency during the anodic oxidation. <![CDATA[<b>Numerical Modeling on Non-enzymatic, Potentiometric Glucose Sensor</b>]]> http://scielo.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0872-19042012000400006&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=pt A novel, enzymeless electrochemical sensing mechanism for glucose based on potentiometric measurement was proposed using the mediator hexacyanoferrate. In this methodology, EMF of the cell exclusively depends on glucose concentration and independent on reference half-cell electrode potential or mediator concentration or any other interfering factors. Electrochemical as well as mathematical models were proposed. Numerical computations along with boundary conditions were evaluated for the proposed models, to reduce the deviation in the interpolated results. Molar ratio of mediator to glucose was correlated with EMF cell. Numerical simulations, Legendre polynomials and Lagrange coefficients iterations can be executed through computer programs.