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Abstract: A novel electrochemical sensor for chlorophenols was fabricated by using the Pd-graphene nanocomposite and ions liquid. The Pd-graphene nanocomposite was prepared via a sonoelectrochemical route, and the possible formation mechanism was proposed. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrum were used for the characterization of structure and morphology of the nanocomposite. The experimental results showed that Pd nanospheres comprised of small Pd nanoparticles were uniformly attached on graphene sheets. The electrocatalytic properties were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), which indicated that the Pd-graphene nanocomposite had high activity for chlorophenol oxidation. Herein, 2-chlorophenol was selected as the model molecules. The results showed that graphene played an important role in the fabrication of the chlorophenols sensor. The nanocomposite with large electrochemical active surface led to the excellent electrocatalytic activity, and ionic liquid further enhanced the catalytic activity of Pd-graphene for chlorophenols. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Vacuum thermal evaporated Cu x S (VTE-Cu x S) film on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate has been investigated as counter electrode (CE) for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) with polysulfide electrolyte. The photovoltaic parameters of QDSCs show an obvious dependence on the annealing time of Cu x S film, and the maximum power conversion efficiency of 3.16 ± 0.05% under one sun illumination (100 mW cm −2 , AM 1.5 G) was obtained when the VTE-Cu x S CE was annealed at 270 °C for 300 s (VTE-Cu x S-300s CE). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Tafel polarization, and cyclic voltammetry measurements have been employed to investigate the electrocatalytic activity of VTE-Cu x S-300s CE. The electrocatalytic activity of the VTE-Cu x S-300s CE is much higher than that of Pt CE, and is slightly higher than that of Cu 2 S CE in situ prepared on brass sheet. In particular, VTE-Cu x S-300s CE holds high diffusion velocity of S 2− /S n 2− in polysulfide electrolyte, and the stability of its electrocatalytic activity in polysulfide electrolyte is better than that of Pt and Brass-Cu 2 S CEs obviously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]