Synthesis and application of carbon materials in electrocatalysis

The book entitled "Synthesis and application of carbon materials in electrocatalysis" presents the authors efforts in building fuel cells capable of decontaminating the environment of toxic pollutants such as sulfites while generating surplus energy. The theoretical section unveils the process of electro-catalysis in gas diffusion electrodes. It describes the electrochemistry of sulfites and sulfates and electrochemical reduction of nitrates. In the experimental section novel carbon materials including "higher fullerenes", fullerenes C60/70 and doublewall carbon nanotubes with catalytic properties are tested in practice. The process of fullerene and nanotube synthesis by AC arc discharge is described. The novel carbon forms obtained are shown to be suitable for applications as electrodes in batteries and catalysts in fuel cells. Significant progress is reported in the ability to convert sulphites to sulphates using lyophilized fullerenes and manganese oxides as catalysts. It is shown essentially, that lyophilized macro fullerenes should help build fuel cells capable of decontaminating the environment.