Design and application of a magnetic field gradient electrode

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Abstract

A platinum coated electrode, which creates a magnetic field of 25 mT and a field gradient of order 105 T m−1 within 100 nm of the electrode surface is produced by embedding an array of CoPt nanowires in an alumina membrane. There is an enhancement by up to a factor of three for a model oxygen reduction reaction in an alkaline medium when the nanowires in the electrode are in a magnetized state. We suggest that the enhancement of the oxygen reduction current is associated with an increase of concentration of HO2- on the surface of the electrode by the magnetic field gradient.

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Acknowledgements

This work is part of the CINSE and MANSE programs, supported by Science Foundation Ireland. The authors are grateful to Ralph Skomski for some helpful discussions. Dr. F.M.F. Rhen is currently working in Tyndall National Institute, Cork, Ireland.

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    Present address: Tyndall National Institute, Lee Malting, Cork, Ireland.

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