A comprehensive review of recent advances in the field of oxygen reduction electrocatalysis utilizing nonprecious metal (NPM) catalysts is presented Progress in the synthesis and characterization of pyrolyzed catalysts, based primarily on the transition metals Fe and Co with sources of N and C, is summarized Several synthetic strategies to improve the catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are highlighted Recent work to explain the active-site structures and the ORR mechanism on pyrolyzed NPM catalysts is discussed Additionally, the recent application of Cu-based catalysts for the ORR is reviewed Suggestions and direction for future research to develop and understand NPM catalysts with enhanced ORR activity are provided

Nonprecious Metal Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction in Heterogeneous Aqueous Systems

In this article, the field of mercury film electrodes (MFE's) as electroanalytical devices is reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on the area of new materials as substrates for the mercury coating and the mercury plating process as well as on the developments related to the electrode modification used to achieve an increase in either the selectivity and/or the sensitivity of the analysis. Other topics discussed are microelectrodes, disposable electrodes and some novel, innovative or less well explored applications of electroanalytical methods using MFE's. The future prospects, potential uses and alternatives for MFE's in electroanalysis are finally discussed.

Mercury film electrodes: developments, trends and potentialities for electroanalysis

The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an important cathode reaction of various types of fuel cells. The development of electrocatalysts composed only of abundant elements is a key goal because currently only platinum is a suitable catalyst for ORR. Herein, we synthesized copper-modified covalent triazine frameworks (CTF) hybridized with carbon nanoparticles (Cu-CTF/CPs) as efficient electrocatalysts for the ORR in neutral solutions. The ORR onset potential of the synthesized Cu-CTF/CP was 810 mV versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE; pH 7), the highest reported value at neutral pH for synthetic Cu-based electrocatalysts. Cu-CTF/CP also displayed higher stability than a Cu-based molecular complex at neutral pH during the ORR, a property that was likely as a result of the covalently cross-linked structure of CTF. This work may provide a new platform for the synthesis of durable non-noble-metal electrocatalysts for various target reactions.

Copper-modified covalent triazine frameworks as non-noble-metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction.

Selenium Concentrations in Natural and Environmental Waters.

Zenon Kublik

Papers

Silver based mercury film electrode

Determination of traces of selenium(IV) by cathodic stripping voltammetry at the hanging mercury drop electrode

Cyclic and stripping voltammetry with graphite based thin mercury film electrodes prepared “in situ”

Analytical application of the hanging mercury drop electrode: Determination of impurities in high purity zinc

Determination of traces of purine by cathodic stripping voltammetry at the hanging copper amalgam drop electrode