Composite Electrodes PbO2-Nafion®

Abstract

PbO2-polyelectrolyte composite materials with a content of polyelectrolyte up to 13 wt% are formed by electrochemical deposition of PbO2, depending on the solution composition and the deposition conditions. Several assumptions concerning the mechanism of the formation of composites that taking into account the oxygen-containing species of lead non-fixed on the surface, located in the near-electrode zone have been proposed. The shape and size of the PbO2 crystals is altered by the presence of polyelectrolyte. The surface is more uniform and the crystals are smaller, there is not a pronounced crystallographic orientation, however the phase content remains practically the same as in the undoped sample. When using composite materials based on lead dioxide containing polyelectrolyte, selective changes in the overvoltage of oxygen evolution and electrochemical conversion of organic substances into aliphatic non-toxic compounds are observed. In this case, the electrocatalytic activity of composite materials depends on the nature and content of the polyelectrolyte additive in the oxide.