COLD-PLASMA TREATED CARBON ELECTRODES FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

Presently hydrogen energy seems to be one of a very attractive way to replace the traditional, environmental harmful fuels with ecological and renewable methods [1,2]. Chemical and physical properties of hydrogen are very suitable for this application. But method for cheap, safe and efficient hydrogen storage still does not exist [3]. Physical adsorption on active carbon surface occurs effectively (still in range of a few weight percent) in low temperature or/and high pressure, storing in metal hydrides needs a complicated technology and environmentally hazardous substances [4]. From this point of view, hydrogen storage realized by water electrodecomposition on active carbon surface seems to be very promising and attractive method to store hydrogen without hazardous substances and severe regime of pressure or temperature. This process occurs in ambient conditions, according to the following reaction [5]: Because of rather adsorptive character of this process, only activated carbons with large specific surface area and well developed microporosity reveal satisfying value of stored hydrogen, being ca. 2 wt.% Further modifications of these materials can slightly enhance the hydrogen capacity. This method to store hydrogen seems to be very promising and attractive, without hazardous substances and hard regimes of pressure or temperature. This study is devoted to the influence of plasma treatment on amount of hydrogen stored by electrosorption.