Electrochemical characterization of praseodymia doped zircon. Catalytic effect on the electrochemical reduction of molecular oxygen in polar organic solvents

摘要: The voltammetry of microparticles and scanning electrochemical microscopy methodologies are applied to characterize praseodymium centers in praseodymia-doped zircon (PrxZr(1−y)Si(1−z)O4; y + z = x; 0.02 < x 0.10) specimens prepared via sol–gel synthetic routes. In contact with aqueous electrolytes, two overlapping Pr-centered cathodic processes, attributable the Pr (IV) (III) reduction different sites obtained. water-containing, air-saturated acetone DMSO solutions as solvent, PrxZr(1−y)Si(1−z)O4 materials produce a significant catalytic effect on peroxide radical anion electrochemically generated. These features denote that most originally its 4+ oxidation state parent specimens. variation performance such potential scan rate, water concentration loading suggests is not uniformly distributed within grains, being concentrated outer region grains.